Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  “Artabanes, the opportunity is now at hand for you, and you alone, to win the glory of Belisarius — nay more, even to surpass that glory by far. For he came here, having received from the emperor a most formidable army and great sums of money, having officers accompanying him and advisers in great numbers, and a fleet of ships whose like we have never before heard tell of, and numerous cavalry, and arms, and everything else, to put it in a word, prepared for him in a manner worthy of the Roman empire. And thus equipped he won back Libya for the Romans with much toil. But all these achievements have so completely come to naught, that they are, at this moment, as if they had never been — except indeed, that there is at present left to the Romans from the victory of Belisarius the losses they have suffered in lives and in money, and, in addition, that they are no longer able even to guard the good things they won. But the winning back of all these things for the emperor now depends upon the courage and judgment and right hand of you alone. Therefore consider that you are of the house of the Arsacidae by ancient descent, and remember that it is seemly for men of noble birth to play the part of brave men always and in all places. Now many remarkable deeds have been performed by you in behalf of freedom. For when you were still young, you slew Acacius, the ruler of the Armenians, and Sittas, the general of the Romans, and as a result of this becoming known to the king Chosroes, you campaigned with him against the Romans. And since you have reached so great a station that it devolves upon you not to allow the Roman power to lie subject to a drunken dog, show at this time that it was by reason of noble birth and a valorous heart that at the former time, good sir, you performed those deeds; and I as well as Artasires here will assist you in everything, so far as we have the power, in accordance with your commands.”

  So spoke Gregorius; and he excited the mind of Artabanes still more against the tyrant. But Gontharis, bringing out the wife and the sister of Areobindus from the fortress, compelled them to remain at a certain house, showing them no insult by any word or deed whatsoever, nor did they have provisions in any less measure than they needed, nor were they compelled to say or to do anything except, indeed, that Prejecta was forced to write to her uncle that Gontharis was honouring them exceedingly and that he was altogether guiltless of the murder of her husband, and that the base deed had been done by Ulitheus, Gontharis by no means approving. And Gontharis was persuaded to do this by Pasiphilus, a man who had been foremost among the mutineers in Byzacium, and had assisted Gontharis very greatly in his effort to establish the tyranny. For Pasiphilus maintained that, if he should do this, the emperor would marry the young woman to him, and in view of his kinship with her would give also a, dowry of a large sum of money. And Gontharis commanded Artabanes to lead the army against Antalas and the Moors in Byzacium. For Coutzinas, having quarrelled with Antalas, had separated from him openly and allied himself with Gontharis; and he gave Gontharis his son and his mother as hostages. So the army, under the leadership of Artabanes, proceeded immediately against Antalas. And with Artabanes was John also, the commander of the mutineers of Stotzas, and Ulitheus, the body-guard of Gontharis; and there were Moors also following him, led by Coutzinas. And after passing by the city of Hadrumetum, they came upon their opponents somewhere near there, and making a camp a little apart from the enemy, they passed the night. And on the day after that John and Ulitheus, with a detachment of the army, remained there, while Artabanes and Coutzinas led their army against their opponents. And the Moors under Antalas did not withstand their attack and rushed off in flight. But Artabanes of a sudden wilfully played the coward, and turning his standard about marched off towards the rear. For this reason Ulitheus was purposing to kill him when he came into the camp. But Artabanes, by way of excusing himself, said he feared lest Marcentius, coming to assist the enemy from the city of Hadrumetum, where he then happened to be, would do his forces irreparable harm; but Gontharis, he said, ought to march against the enemy with the whole army. And at first he considered going to Hadrumetum with his followers and uniting with the emperor’s forces. But after long deliberation it seemed to him better to put Gontharis out of the world and thus free both the emperor and Libya from a difficult situation. Returning, accordingly, to Carthage, he reported to the tyrant that he would need a larger army to meet the enemy. And Gontharis, after conferring with Pasiphilus, consented, indeed, to equip his whole army, but purposed to place a guard in Carthage, and in person to lead the army against the enemy. Each day, therefore, he was destroying many men toward whom he felt any suspicion, even though groundless. And he gave orders to Pasiphilus, whom he was intending to appoint in charge of the garrison of Carthage, to kill all the Greeks without any consideration.

  Τά τε ἄλλα διοικησάμενος ὅπη οἱ ἐδόκει ὡς ἄριστα ἔχειν, τοὺς ἐπιτηδείους ἑστιᾶν ἔγνω, ὡς ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἐπιούσῃ τὴν ἔξοδον ποιησόμενος. [2] ἔν τε οἰκήματι οὗ δὴ στιβάδες ἐν παρασκευῇ ἦσαν ἐκ παλαιοῦ τρεῖς, τὴν θοίνην ἐποίει. [3] αὐτὸς μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ στιβάδος κατεκλίνετο, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, τῆς πρώτης, ἔνθα δὴ καὶ Ἀθανάσιός τε καὶ Ἀρταβάνης ἦσαν, τῶν τε Γονθάριδι γνωρίμων τινές, καὶ Πέτρος Θρᾷξ μὲν γένος, δορυφόρος δὲ Σολόμωνος γενόμενος πρότερον. [4] ἐν ἀμφοτέραις δὲ ταῖς ἄλλαις στιβάσι Βανδίλων οἱ πρῶτοί τε καὶ ἄριστοι ἦσαν. [5] Ἰωάννην μέντοι, ὃς τῶν Στότζα στασιωτῶν ἦρχε, Πασίφιλος ἰδίᾳ εἱστία, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἕκαστον, ὅπη ἑκάστῳ τῶν Γονθάριδι ἐπιτηδείων φίλον ἔδοξεν εἶναι. [6] Ἀρταβάνης τοίνυν ἡνίκα ἐπὶ ταύτην δὴ τὴν θοίνην ἐκαλεῖτο, τοῦτόν οἱ τὸν καιρὸν ἐπιτηδείως ἔχειν ἐς τὸν τοῦ τυράννου φόνον οἰόμενος, τὸ βούλευμα ἐπιτελεῖν διενοεῖτο. [7] ἐς Γρηγόριον οὖν καὶ Ἀρτασίρην καὶ δορυφόρους ἑτέρους τρεῖς τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐξενεγκὼν τοὺς μὲν δορυφόρους ξὺν τοῖς ξίφεσιν ἐκέλευσεν εἴσω γενέσθαι: ῾ἀρχόντων γὰρ ἑστιωμένων ὄπισθεν ἑστάναι τοὺς δορυφόρους νόμος᾿ εἴσω δὲ γενομένους ἐγχειρεῖν ἄφνω, ἡνίκα ἂν σφίσι δοκῇ ὁ καιρὸς ὡς μάλιστα ἐπιτηδείως ἔχειν, πρῶτόν τε τὸν Ἀρτασίρην ἔργου ἔχεσθαι. [8] τῷ δὲ Γρηγορίῳ ἐπέστελλε τῶν Ἀρμενίων πολλοὺς τοὺς μάλιστα εὐτολμοτάτους ἀπολεξαμένῳ ἐς τὸ Παλάτιον ἐπαγαγέσθαι, τὰ ξίφη μόνα ἐν χερσὶ φέροντας: ῾ἄλλῳ γὰρ οὐδενὶ τοὺς τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ἐν πόλει ἑπομένους ὁπλίζεσθαι θέμις᾿ τούτους τε ἐν τῷ προστώῳ ἀπολιπόντι εἴσω ξὺν τοῖς δορυφόροις γενέσθαι, καὶ αὐτῶν τὸ μὲν βούλευμα μηδενὶ ἐξειπεῖν, τοσοῦτον δὲ εἰπεῖν μόνον, ὡς ἐς τὸν Γόνθαριν ὑπόπτως ἔχοι, ἐπὶ πονηρῷ τῷ Ἀρταβάνους ἐς τὴν θοίνην αὐτὸν κεκληκέναι: [9] βούλεσθαι τοίνυν ἑστάναι μὲν αὐτοὺς παρὰ τοὺς Γονθάριδος φύλακας οἵπερ ἐνταῦθα ἐπὶ φυλακῇ ἐτετάχατο, τοῦ δὲ παίζειν δόκησίν τινα παρεχομένους τῶν μὲν ἀσπίδων ἅσπερ ἐκεῖνοι φέρουσιν ἅπτεσθαι, πάλλοντας δὲ αὐτὰς καὶ ἄλλως κινοῦντας ἄνω κάτω ἐς ἀεὶ στρέφειν: θορύβου δὲ ἢ κραυγῆς ἐν
τὸς γενομένης ἀραμένους τὰς ἀσπίδας αὐτὰς βοηθεῖν δρόμῳ. [10] Ἀρταβάνης μὲν ταῦτα ἐπήγγελλεν, ὁ δὲ Γρηγόριος ἐπιτελῆ ἐποίει. ὅ τε Ἀρτασίρης ἐπενόει τάδε: τῶν βελῶν τινα διελὼν δίχα τῷ καρπῷ τῆς εὐωνύμου χειρὸς ἐπέθετο κατὰ τὰς τομὰς μέχρι ἐς τὸν ἀγκῶνα. ἱμᾶσί τε αὐτὰ ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς σφίγξας ὕπερθε τὸ ταύτῃ τοῦ χιτωνίσκου μέρος ἐπέβαλλεν. [11] ἐποίει δὲ ταῦτα, ὅπως, ἤν τις αὐτῷ τὸ ξίφος ἐπανατεινάμενος ἐγχειρῇ παίειν, μηδὲν αὐτῷ δεινὸν πεπονθέναι ξυμβαίη, προβεβλημένῳ μὲν τὴν λαιὰν χεῖρα, τοῦ δὲ σιδήρου ἀποκαυλιζομένου ἐν τῇ ἐς τὸ ξύλον ἐπιφορᾷ καὶ τοῦ σώματος ἅψασθαι οὐδαμῆ ἔχοντος. Τοιαύτῃ μὲν γνώμῃ Ἀρτασίρης, ὥσπερ μοι ἐρρήθη, ἐποίει. [12] τῷ δὲ Ἀρταβάνῃ ἔλεξεν ὧδε: ‘Ἐγὼ τὸ μὲν ἐγχείρημα ὀκνήσει οὐδεμιᾷ ὑποστήσεσθαι καὶ ξίφει τῷδε τοῦ Γονθάριδος σώματος ψαύσειν ἐλπίδα ἔχω, τὸ δὲ ἐνθένδε οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν, πότερα ὁ θεὸς τῷ τυράννῳ χαλεπῶς ἔχων ξυγκατεργάσεταί μοι τὸ τόλμημα τοῦτο, ἤ τινα ἐμὴν ἁμαρτάδα τιννύμενος ἐνταῦθά τε ἀπαντήσας ἐμπόδιος εἴη. [13] ἢν τοίνυν οὐκ ἐν καιρίῳ πληγέντα τὸν τύραννον ἴδῃς, σὺ δή με τῷ ξίφει τῷ ἐμῷ μηδέν τι μελλήσας ἀπόκτεινον, ὅπως μὴ πρὸς αὐτοῦ αἰκιζόμενος γνώμῃ τε τῇ σῇ ἐς τὴν πρᾶξιν ὡρμηκέναι εἰπὼν αἴσχιστά τε αὐτὸς διαφθαρείην καί σε προσαπολεῖν ἀναγκασθείην ἀκούσιος.’ [14] τοσαῦτα καὶ Ἀρτασίρης εἰπὼν ξύν τε Γρηγορίῳ καὶ τῶν δορυφόρων ἑνὶ παρὰ τὰς στιβάδας ἐλθὼν ὄπισθεν Ἀρταβάνου ἑστήκει. οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ παρὰ τοὺς φύλακας μένοντες τὰ σφίσιν ἐπηγγελμένα ἐποίουν. [15] Ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἀρτασίρης, ἀρξαμένης που τῆς θοίνης, ἔργου ἔχεσθαι διενοεῖτο, ἤδη τε τῆς τοῦ ἀκινάκου λαβῆς ἥπτετο. [16] ἀλλ̓ αὐτὸν ὁ Γρηγόριος διεκώλυσεν ἔτι τὸν Γόνθαριν ὅλον εἰπὼν τῇ Ἀρμενίων φωνῇ ἐν αὑτῷ εἶναι, οὔπω ἐκπεπωκότα τοῦ οἴνου τι μέγα. [17] ἀνοιμώξας τοίνυν Ἀρτασίρης, ‘Ὦ ἄνθρωπε,’ εἶπεν, ‘ὡς καλὴν ἔχοντά με ψυχὴν οὐ δέον ἐν τῷ παρόντι κεκώλυκας.’ [18] προϊόντος δὲ τοῦ πότου, ἤδη που καταβεβρεγμένος ὁ Γόνθαρις τοῖς δορυφόροις τῶν βρώσεων ἐδίδου, φιλοτιμίᾳ τινὶ χρώμενος. [19] οἳ δὴ ταύτας λαβόντες ἐσθίειν ἤδη τοῦ οἰκήματος ἔξω γενόμενοι ἔμελλον, μόνων ἀπολελειμμένων παρὰ τὸν Γόνθαριν δορυφόρων τριῶν, ὧνπερ Οὐλίθεος εἷς ἐτύγχανεν ὤν. [20] ἐξῄει δὲ καὶ Ἀρτασίρης, ὡς τῶν βρώσεων ξὺν τοῖς ἑτέροις γευσόμενος. [21] ἐνταῦθά τις αὐτῷ γέγονεν ἔννοια μή τί οἱ σπάσασθαι βουλομένῳ τὸν ἀκινάκην ἐμπόδιον εἴη. [22] ἔξω τοίνυν γενόμενος ἔρριψε μὲν λάθρα τοῦ ξίφους τὴν θήκην, γυμνόν τε αὐτὸ ὑπὸ μάλης λαβὼν πρὸς τῆς ἐπωμίδος κεκαλυμμένον παρὰ τὸν Γόνθαριν ἐσεπήδησεν, ὡς κρύφα τι τῶν ἄλλων ἐρῶν. [23] ὅπερ Ἀρταβάνης ἰδὼν τῷ τε θυμῷ ζέων καὶ τῇ τῆς ἀγωνίας ὑπερβολῇ ἐς βαθεῖάν τινα ἐμπεσὼν μέριμναν, κινεῖν τε τὴν κεφαλὴν ἤρξατο καὶ πολλὰς ἀμείβειν τοῦ προσώπου χρόας, ἔνθους τέ τις τῷ μεγέθει τῆς πράξεως γεγενῆσθαι παντελῶς ἔδοξεν. [24] ὅπερ ὁ Πέτρος ἰδὼν ξυνῆκε τὸ ποιούμενον, οὐ μέντοι ἐξήνεγκεν ἐς τῶν ἄλλων τινά, ἐπεὶ αὐτὸν βασιλεῖ εὐνοϊκῶς ἔχοντα λίαν ἤρεσκε τὰ πρασσόμενα. [25] τὸν δὲ Ἀρτασίρην, ἄγχιστά πη τοῦ τυράννου ἐλθόντα, τῶν τις οἰκετῶν ὦσε, μικρόν τε ὄπισθεν ἀποκεχωρηκότος κατενόησε τὸ ξίφος γυμνὸν ἀνέκραγέ τε, ‘Τί τοῦτο, βέλτιστε’; [26] λέγων. ὁ μὲν οὖν Γόνθαρις παρὰ τῶν ὤτων τὸ δεξιὸν τὴν χεῖρα ἐπιβαλὼν στρέψας τε τὸ πρόσωπον ἐς αὐτὸν ἔβλεπεν. [27] Ἀρτασίρης δὲ αὐτὸν τῷ ξίφει μεταξὺ ἔπαισε καὶ τοῦ βρέγματος μοῖράν τινα ξὺν τοῖς δακτύλοις ἀπέκοψε. [28] Πέτρος δὲ ἀναβοήσας ἐνεκελεύετο τῷ Ἀρτασίρῃ τὸν ἀνοσιώτατον κτείνειν ἀνθρώπων ἁπάντων. [29] ἀναθρώσκοντα δὲ Γόνθαριν Ἀρταβάνης ἰδὼν ῾ἐγγύθι γὰρ κατεκλίνετὀ μάχαιραν ἀμφήκη σπασάμενος, ἥ οἱ παρὰ τὸν μηρὸν ἀπεκρέματο μεγάλη τις οὖσα, ἐς τὴν ἀριστερὰν τοῦ τυράννου πλευρὰν ἄχρι ἐς τὴν λαβὴν ξύμπασαν ὤσας ἐνταῦθα μεθῆκε. [30] καὶ ὃς οὐδέν τι ἧσσον ἀναθορεῖν ἐπεχείρησεν, ἅτε δὲ καιρίαν λαβὼν αὐτοῦ ἔπεσεν. [31] ὁ μὲν οὖν Οὐλίθεος τῷ Ἀρτασίρῃ τὸ ξίφος ὡς κατὰ κόρρης κατάξων ἐπήνεγκεν: ὁ δὲ τῆς κεφαλῆς χεῖρα τὴν ἀριστερὰν προβαλλόμενος τῆς ἐννοίας τῆς αὑτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαιοτάτοις ἀπώνατο. [32] τοῦ ξίφους γάρ οἱ τὴν ἀκμὴν ἀποθεμένου ἐν ταῖς ἐπὶ τῆς χειρὸς τῶν βελῶν ἐκτομαῖς, αὐτὸς ἀπαθὴς γεγονὼς ἔκτεινε τὸν Οὐλίθεον οὐδενὶ πόνῳ. [33] Πέτρος δὲ καὶ Ἀρταβάνης, ὁ μὲν τὸ Γονθάριδος ξίφος, ὁ δὲ τὸ τοῦ Οὐλιθέου πεπτωκότος ἁρπάσας, τῶν δορυφόρων τοὺς λειπομένους αὐτοῦ ἔκτειναν. [34] γέγονε τοίνυν, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, κραυγῆς τε καὶ ταραχῆς μέγα τι χρῆμα. αἰσθόμενοί τε ταύτης ὅσοι τῶν Ἀρμενίων παρὰ τοὺς τοῦ τυράννου φύλακας ἵσταντο, τὰς ἀσπίδας εὐθὺς ἀνελόμενοι κατὰ τὰ σφίσι ξυγκείμενα ἐπὶ τὰς στιβάδας ἐχώρουν δρόμῳ, καὶ τούς τε Βανδίλους ξύμπαντας τούς τε Γονθάριδι ἐπιτηδείους ἀνεῖλον, οὐδενὸς σφίσιν ἀντιστατοῦντος. [35] Τότε Ἀρταβάνης τὸν Ἀθανάσιον ἐμαρτύρατο ἐπιμελεῖσθαι τῶν ἐν Παλατίῳ χρημάτων: ὅσα γὰρ Ἀρεοβίνδῳ ἐλέλειπτο ἐνταῦθα εἶναι. [36] ἐπεὶ δὲ οἱ φύλακες τὴν Γονθάριδος τελευτὴν ἔμαθον, ξυνετάσσοντο τοῖς Ἀρμενίοις αὐτίκα πολλοί: τῆς γὰρ Ἀρεοβίνδου οἰκίας οἱ πλε
ῖστοι ἦσαν. ξυμφρονήσαντες τοίνυν Ἰουστινιανὸν ἀνεβόων καλλίνικον. [37] ἥ τε φωνὴ προϊοῦσα μὲν ἐκ πλήθους ἀνθρώπων, ἐξαισία δὲ ὑπερφυῶς οὖσα ἐς πόλιν ἐξικνεῖσθαι τὴν πολλὴν ἴσχυσεν. [38] ἐνθένδε οἱ τῷ βασιλεῖ εὐνοϊκῶς ἔχοντες ἐσπηδήσαντες ἐς τῶν στασιωτῶν τὰς οἰκίας τοὺς μὲν ὕπνον αἱρουμένους, τοὺς δὲ σιτία, ἐνίους δὲ θαμβήσαντάς τε τῷ δέει καὶ ἀπορίᾳ δεινῇ ἐχομένους εὐθὺς ἔκτειναν. [39] ἐν τοῖς καὶ Πασίφιλος ἦν. Ἰωάννης γὰρ ξὺν Βανδίλων τισὶν ἐς τὸ ἱερὸν καταφεύγει. [40] οἷς δὴ Ἀρταβάνης τὰ πιστὰ παρασχόμενος ἔνθεν τε ἐξαναστήσας ἐς Βυζάντιον ἔπεμψε καὶ τὴν πόλιν βασιλεῖ ἀνασωσάμενος διεφύλαξε. [41] γέγονε δὲ ὁ τοῦ τυράννου φόνος ἕκτῃ καὶ τριακοστῇ ἀπὸ τῆς τυραννίδος ἡμέρᾳ, ἔνατον καὶ δέκατον ἔτος Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλέως τὴν αὐτοκράτορα ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος. [42] Ἀρταβάνης τε ἐκ τοῦ ἔργου τούτου κλέος περιεβάλετο μέγα ἐς πάντας ἀνθρώπους. [43] καὶ Πρεϊέκτα μὲν εὐθὺς ἡ Ἀρεοβίνδου γυνὴ μεγάλοις αὐτὸν ἐδωρήσατο χρήμασι, βασιλεὺς δὲ στρατηγὸν αὐτὸν κατεστήσατο Λιβύης ἁπάσης. [44] οὐ πολλῷ δὲ ὕστερον Ἀρταβάνης μὲν ἔχρῃζε βασιλέως ὅπως αὐτὸν ἐς Βυζάντιον μεταπέμποιτο, [45] βασιλεὺς δὲ τὴν δέησιν ἐπιτελῆ ἐποιεῖτο. καὶ τὸν Ἀρταβάνην μεταπεμψάμενος, Ἰωάννην τὸν Πάππου ἀδελφὸν Λιβύης στρατηγὸν μόνον αὐτὸν κατεστήσατο. [46] οὗτος Ἰωάννης ἐπεὶ τάχιστα ἐν Λιβύῃ ἐγένετο, Ἀντάλᾳ τε καὶ Μαυρουσίοις τοῖς ἐν Βυζακίῳ ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθὼν καὶ μάχῃ νικήσας τῶν τε πολεμίων πολλοὺς ἔκτεινε καὶ σημεῖα πάντα τὰ Σολόμωνος τούτους δὴ τοὺς βαρβάρους ἀφελόμενος βασιλεῖ ἔπεμψεν, ἅπερ αὐτοὶ ληισάμενοι ἔτυχον ἡνίκα Σολόμων ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἠφάνιστο. τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ὡς ἀπωτάτω ἐξήλασε τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς. [47] χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον οἱ Λευάθαι αὖθις στρατῷ μεγάλῳ ἐκ τῶν ἐπὶ Τριπόλεως χωρίων ἐς Βυζάκιον ἀφικόμενοι τοῖς ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἀντάλαν ξυνέμιξαν. [48] οἷσπερ Ἰωάννης ὑπαντιάσας ἡσσηθείς τε τῇ ξυμβολῇ καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν οἱ ἑπομένων ἀποβαλὼν ἐς Λαρίβους φεύγει. [49] καὶ τότε δὴ οἱ πολέμιοι μέχρι ἐς Καρχηδόνα ξύμπαντα καταθέοντες τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία ἀνήκεστα ἔργα Λίβυας τοὺς παραπεπτωκότας εἰργάσαντο. [50] οὐ πολλῷ δὲ ὕστερον Ἰωάννης τῶν στρατιωτῶν τοὺς περιγενομένους ἀγείρας καὶ Μαυρουσίους ἄλλους τε καὶ τοὺς ἀμφὶ Κουτζίναν ἐς ξυμμαχίαν ἐπαγαγόμενος τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐς χεῖρας ἦλθε καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ παραδόξου ἐτρέψατο. [51] Ρωμαῖοί τε αὐτοῖς φεύγουσι κόσμῳ οὐδενὶ ἐπισπόμενοι μοῖραν μὲν αὐτῶν πολλὴν ἔκτεινον, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἐς τῆς Λιβύης τὰς ἐσχατιὰς διέφυγον. [52] οὕτω τε Λιβύων τοῖς περιγενομένοις, ὀλίγοις τε καὶ λίαν πτωχοῖς οὖσιν, ὀψὲ καὶ μόλις ἡσυχίαν τινὰ ξυνηνέχθη γενέσθαι.