IX
So the besieged, without the knowledge of the enemy, sent to Theodatus in Rome begging him to come to their help with all speed. But Theodatus was not making the least preparation for war, being by nature unmanly, as has been said before. And they say that something else happened to him, which terrified him exceedingly and reduced him to still greater anxiety. I, for my part, do not credit this report, but even so it shall be told. Theodatus even before this time had been prone to make enquiries of those who professed to foretell the future, and on the present occasion he was at a loss what to do in the situation which confronted him — a state which more than anything else is accustomed to drive men to seek prophecies; so he enquired of one of the Hebrews, who had a great reputation for prophecy, what sort of an outcome the present war would have. The Hebrew commanded him to confine three groups of ten swine each in three huts, and after giving them respectively the names of Goths, Romans, and the soldiers of the emperor, to wait quietly for a certain number of days. And Theodatus did as he was told. And when the appointed day had come, they both went into the huts and looked at the swine; and they found that of those which had been given the name of Goths all save two were dead, whereas all except a few were living of those which had received the name of the emperor’s soldiers; and as for those which had been called Romans, it so happened that, although the hair of all of them had fallen out, yet about half of them survived. When Theodatus beheld this and divined the outcome of the war, a great fear, they say, came upon him, since he knew well that it would certainly be the fate of the Romans to die to half their number and be deprived of their possessions, but that the Goths would be defeated and their race reduced to a few, and that to the emperor would come, with the loss of but a few of his soldiers, the victory in the war. And for this reason, they say, Theodatus felt no impulse to enter into a struggle with Belisarius. As for this story, then, let each one express his views according to the belief or disbelief which he feels regarding it.
But Belisarius, as he besieged the Neapolitans both by land and by sea, was beginning to be vexed. For he was coming to think that they would never yield to him, and, furthermore, he could not hope that the city would be captured, since he was finding that the difficulty of its position was proving to be a very serious obstacle. And the loss of the time which was being spent there distressed him, for he was making his calculations so as to avoid being compelled to go against Theodatus and Rome in the winter season. Indeed he had already even given orders to the army to pack up, his intention being to depart from there as quickly as possible. But while he was in the greatest perplexity, it came to pass that he met with the following good fortune. One of the Isaurians was seized with the desire to observe the construction of the aqueduct, and to discover in what manner it provided the supply of water to the city. So he entered it at a place far distant from the city, where Belisarius had broken it open, and proceeded to walk along it, finding no difficulty, since the water had stopped running because the aqueduct had been broken open. But when he reached a point near the circuit-wall, he came upon a large rock, not placed there by the hand of man, but a part of the natural formation of the place. And those who had built the aqueduct many years before, after they had attached the masonry to this rock, proceeded to make a tunnel from that point on, not sufficiently large, however, for a man to pass through, but large enough to furnish a passage for the water. And for this reason it came about that the channel of the aqueduct was not everywhere of the same breadth, but one was confronted by a narrow place at that rock, impassable for a man, especially if he wore armour or carried a shield. And when the Isaurian observed this, it seemed to him not impossible for the army to penetrate into the city, if they should make the tunnel at that point broader by a little. But since he himself was a humble person, and never had come into conversation with any of the commanders, he brought the matter before Paucaris, an Isaurian, who had distinguished himself among the guards of Belisarius. So Paucaris immediately reported the whole matter to the general. And Belisarius, being pleased by the report, took new courage, and by promising to reward the man with great sums of money induced him to attempt the undertaking, and commanded him to associate with himself some of the Isaurians and cut out a passage in the rock as quickly as possible, taking care to allow no one to become aware of what they were doing. Paucaris then selected some Isaurians who were thoroughly suitable for the work, and secretly got inside the aqueduct with them. And coming to the place where the rock caused the passage to be narrow, they began their work, not cutting the rock with picks or mattocks, lest by their blows they should reveal to the enemy what they were doing, but scraping it very persistently with sharp instruments of iron. And in a short time the work was done, so that a man wearing a corselet and carrying a shield was able to go through at that point.
But when all his arrangements were at length in complete readiness, the thought occurred to Belisarius that if he should by act of war make his entry into Naples with the army, the result would be that lives would be lost and that all the other things would happen which usually attend the capture of a city by an enemy. And straightway summoning Stephanus, he spoke as follows: “Many times have I witnessed the capture of cities and I am well acquainted with what takes place at such a time. For they slay all the men of every age, and as for the women, though they beg to die, they are not granted the boon of death, but are carried off for outrage and are made to suffer treatment that is abominable and most pitiable. And the children, who are thus deprived of their proper maintenance and education, are forced to be slaves, and that, too, of the men who are the most odious of all — those on whose hands they see the blood of their fathers. And this is not all, my dear Stephanus, for I make no mention of the conflagration which destroys all the property and blots out the beauty of the city. When I see, as in the mirror of the cities which have been captured in times past, this city of Naples falling victim to such a fate, I am moved to pity both it and you its inhabitants. For such means have now been perfected by me against the city that its capture is inevitable. But I pray that an ancient city, which has for ages been inhabited by both Christians and Romans, may not meet with such a fortune, especially at my hands as commander of Roman troops, not least because in my army are a multitude of barbarians, who have lost brothers or relatives before the wall of this town; for the fury of these men I should be unable to control, if they should capture the city by act of war. While, therefore, it is still within your power to choose and to put into effect that which will be to your advantage, adopt the better course and escape misfortune; for when it falls upon you, as it probably will, you will not justly blame fortune but your own judgment.” With these words Belisarius dismissed Stephanus. And he went before the people of Naples weeping and reporting with bitter lamentations all that he had heard Belisarius say. But they, since it was not fated that the Neapolitans should become subjects of the emperor without chastisement, neither became afraid nor did they decide to yield to Belisarius.
Τότε δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς τὰ ἐς τὴν εἴσοδον κατεστήσατο ὧδε. ἄνδρας ἀμφὶ τετρακοσίους ἀπολεξάμενος περὶ λύχνων ἁφὰς καὶ ἄρχοντε αὐτοῖς ἐπιστήσας Μάγνον τε, ὃς ἱππικοῦ καταλόγου ἡγεῖτο, καὶ τὸν τῶν Ἰσαύρων ἀρχηγὸν Ἔννης, θωρακίσασθαί τε ἅπαντας καὶ τάς τε ἀσπίδαν τά τε ξίφη ἀνελομένους ἡσυχάζειν, ἄχρι αὐτὸς σημήνῃ, ἐκέλευε. [2] καὶ Βέσσαν μεταπεμψάμενος αὐτοῦ μένειν ἐπήγγειλε: βούλεσθαι γὰρ ξὺν αὐτῷ βουλήν τινα περὶ τοῦ στρατοπέδου ποιήσασθαι: [3] καὶ ἐπειδὴ πόρρω ἦν τῶν νυκτῶν, Μάγνῳ τε καὶ Ἔννῃ τὰ σφίσι παρόντα εἰπὼν καὶ τὸ χωρίον ἐπιδείξας οὗ πρότερον διελὼν τὸν ὀχετὸν �
��τυχε, τοῖς τετρακοσίοις ἐς τὴν πόλιν ἐξηγήσασθαι, [4] λύχνα ἀνελομένους, ἐκέλευε. καὶ ἄνδρας δύο ταῖς σάλπιγξε χρῆσθαι ἐπισταμένους ξὺν αὐτοῖς ἔπεμψεν, ὅπως, ἐπειδὰν τοῦ περιβόλου ἐντὸς γένωνται, τήν τε πόλιν ξυνταράξαι καὶ τὰ πρασσόμενα σημῆναι σφίσιν οἷοί τε ὦσιν. [5] αὐτὸς δὲ κλίμακας ὅτι πλείστας πρότερον πεποιημένας ἐν παρασκευῇ εἶχεν. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐς τὸν ὀχετὸν ὑποδύντες ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐβάδιζον, αὐτὸς δὲ ξὺν τῷ Βέσσᾳ καὶ Φωτίῳ αὐτοῦ ἔμενε καὶ ξὺν αὐτοῖς ἅπαντα ἔπρασσε. [6] πέμψας δὲ καὶ ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον, ἐγρηγορέναι τε καὶ τὰ ὅπλα ἐν χερσὶν ἔχειν ἐπέταττε. καὶ πολλοὺς μέντοι ἀμφ̓ αὑτὸν εἶχεν οὓς δὴ εὐτολμοτάτους ᾤετο εἶναι. τῶν δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἰόντων οἱ ὑπὲρ ἥμισυ κατωρρωδηκότες τὸν κίνδυνον ὀπίσω ἀπεκομίζοντο. [7] οὓς ἐπεὶ Μάγνος ἕπεσθαί οἱ, καίπερ πολλὰ παραινέσας, οὐκ ἔπειθε, παρὰ τὸν στρατηγὸν ξὺν αὐτοῖς ἐπανῆκε. [8] τούτους δὲ Βελισάριος κακίσας καὶ τῶν ἀμφ̓ αὑτὸν ἀπολέξας διακοσίους σὺν Μάγνῳ ἰέναι ἐκέλευεν. ὧν δὴ καὶ Φώτιος ἡγεῖσθαι θέλων, ἐς τὴν διώρυχα ἐσεπήδησεν: ἀλλὰ Βελισάριος αὐτὸν διεκώλυσεν. [9] αἰσχυνθέντες δὲ τοῦ τε στρατηγοῦ καὶ Φωτίου τὴν λοιδορίαν καὶ ὅσοι τὸν κίνδυνον ἔφευγον, αὖθις αὐτὸν ὑποστῆναι τολμήσαντες ξὺν αὐτοῖς εἵποντο. [10] Βελισάριος δὲ δείσας μὴ τῶν πολεμίων τισὶ τῶν πρασσομένων αἴσθησις γένηται, οἳ δὴ ἐς τὸν πύργον φυλακὴν εἶχον ὃς τοῦ ὀχετοῦ ἄγχιστα ἐτύγχανεν ὤν, ἐνταῦθά τε ἦλθε καὶ Βέσσαν ἐκέλευε τῇ Γότθων φωνῇ διαλέγεσθαι τοῖς ταύτῃ βαρβάροις, ὅπως δὴ μή τις αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῶν ὅπλων πάταγος ἔναυλος εἴη. [11] καὶ Βέσσας μὲν αὐτοῖς ἀναβοήσας μέγα προσχωρεῖν Βελισαρίῳ παρῄνει, πολλὰ σφίσιν ἐπαγγελλόμενος ἀγαθὰ ἔσεσθαι. [12] οἱ δὲ ἐτώθαζον, πολλὰ ἐς Βελισάριόν τε καὶ βασιλέα ὑβρίζοντες. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Βελισαρίῳ καὶ Βέσσᾳ ἐπράσσετο τῇδε. [13] Ὁ δὲ Νεαπόλεως ὀχετὸς οὐκ ἄχρι ἐς τὸ τεῖχος καλύπτεται μόνον, ἀλλ̓ οὕτω τῆς πόλεως ἐπὶ πλεῖστον διήκει, κύρτωμα ἐκ πλίνθου ὠπτημένης ὑψηλὸν ἔχων, ὥστε γενόμενοι ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου οἱ ἀμφὶ Μάγνον τε καὶ Ἔννην ἅπαντες οὐδὲ ὅπου ποτὲ γῆς εἰσι ξυμβάλλεσθαι ἐδύναντο. [14] οὐ μὴν οὐδέ πη ἀποβαίνειν ἐνθένδε εἶχον, ἕως οἱ πρῶτοι ἐς χῶρον ἵκοντο οὗ τὸν ὀχετὸν ἀνώροφον ξυνέπεσεν εἶναι καὶ οἴκημα ἦν κομιδῆ ἀπημελημένον. [15] ἐνταῦθα ἔσω γυνή τις ᾤκει, μόνη τε οὖσα καὶ πενίᾳ πολλῇ ξυνοικοῦσα, καὶ δένδρον ἐλαίας καθύπερθεν τοῦ ὀχετοῦ ἐπεφύκει. [16] οὗτοι ἐπειδὴ τόν τε οὐρανὸν εἶδον καὶ ἐν μέσῃ πόλει ᾔσθοντο εἶναι, ἐκβαίνειν μὲν διενοοῦντο, μηχανὴν μέντοι οὐδεμίαν εἶχον, ἄλλως τε καὶ ξὺν τοῖς ὅπλοις, τοῦ ὀχετοῦ ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι. ὑψηλὴ γάρ τις ἐνταῦθα ἡ οἰκοδομία ἔτυχεν οὖσα καὶ οὐδὲ ἀνάβασίν τινα ἔχουσα. [17] τῶν δὲ στρατιωτῶν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἀπορουμένων καὶ ἐς στενοχωρίαν πολλὴν ξυνιόντων ῾ἤδη γὰρ καὶ τῶν ὄπισθεν ἰόντων πολύς τις ξυνέρρει ὅμιλος᾿, ἐγένετο αὐτῶν τινι ἔννοια τῆς ἀνόδου ἀποπειράσασθαι. [18] καταθέμενος οὖν αὐτίκα τὰ ὅπλα, ταῖς τε χερσὶ καὶ τοῖς ποσὶ τὴν ἀνάβασιν βιασάμενος, ἐς τὸ τῆς γυναικὸς οἴκημα ἦλθε. [19] καὶ αὐτὴν ἐνταῦθα ἰδών, ἢν μὴ σιωπῴη, κτείνειν ἠπείλησεν. ἡ δὲ καταπλαγεῖσα ἄφωνος ἔμεινε. καὶ ὃς ἐκ τοῦ πρέμνου τῆς ἐλαίας ἱμάντα τινὰ ἰσχυρὸν ἀναψάμενος τὴν ἑτέραν τοῦ ἱμάντος ἀρχὴν ἐς τὸν ὀχετὸν ἔρριψεν. οὗ δὴ λαβόμενος τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἕκαστος ἀνέβαινε μόλις. [20] ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀναβεβήκεσαν ἅπαντες τῆς τε νυκτὸς τὸ τεταρτημόριον ἔτι ἐλείπετο, χωροῦσιν ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος: καὶ πύργων δύο τοὺς φύλακας, οὐδέν τι αἰσθανομένους τοῦ κακοῦ, κτείνουσιν ἀμφὶ τὰ πρὸς βορρᾶν τοῦ περιβόλου, ἔνθα Βελισάριος ξὺν τῷ Βέσσᾳ καὶ Φωτίῳ εἱστήκει, καραδοκῶν τὰ πρασσόμενα. [21] καὶ οἱ μὲν τὸ στράτευμα ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος ταῖς σάλπιγξιν ἐκάλουν, Βελισάριος δὲ τῷ περιβόλῳ τὰς κλίμακας ἐρείσας τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐνθένδε ἀναβαίνειν ἐκέλευε. [22] τῶν δὲ κλιμάκων οὐδεμίαν διήκειν ἄχρι ἐς τὰς ἐπάλξεις ξυνέβαινεν. ἅτε γὰρ αὐτὰς οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ ἐμφανοῦς οἱ τεχνῖται ποιούμενοι μέτρου τοῦ καθήκοντος οὐχ οἷοί τε ἐξικνεῖσθαι ἐγένοντο. [23] διόπερ δύο ἐς ἀλλήλας ξυνδέοντες καὶ ἐπ̓ ἀμφοῖν ἀναβαίνοντες οὕτω δὴ τῶν ἐπάλξεων καθυπέρτεροι οἱ στρατιῶται ἐγένοντο. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Βελισαρίῳ ἐφέρετο τῇδε. [24] Ἐς δὲ τὰ πρὸς θάλασσαν τοῦ περιβόλου, ἔνθα οὐχ οἱ βάρβαροι, ἀλλὰ Ἰουδαῖοι φυλακὴν εἶχον, οὔτε ταῖς κλίμαξι χρῆσθαι οὔτε ἀναβαίνειν ἐς τὸ τεῖχος οἱ στρατιῶται ἐδύναντο. [25] οἱ γὰρ Ἰουδαῖοι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἤδη προσκεκρουκότες, ἐμπόδιοί τε γεγενημένοι ὅπως μὴ τὴν πόλιν ἀμαχητὶ ἕλωσι, καὶ ἀπ̓ αὐτοῦ ἐλπίδα οὐδεμίαν ἢν ὑπ̓ αὐτοῖς ὦσιν ἔχοντες, καρτερῶς τε, καίπερ αὐτοῖς τῆς πόλεως ἤδη ἁλούσης, ἐμάχοντο καὶ τῇ τῶν ἐναντίων προσβολῇ παρὰ δόξαν ἀντεῖχον. [26] ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡμέρα ἐγένετο καὶ τῶν ἀναβεβηκότων τινὲς ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ᾔεσαν, οὕτω δὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ ὄπισθεν βαλλόμενοι ἔφευγον, καὶ κατὰ κράτος Νεάπολις ἥλω. καὶ τῶν πυλῶν ἤδη ἀνακεκλιμένων ἅπας ὁ Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς εἰσῄει. [27] ὅσοι δὲ ἀμφὶ πύλας ἐτετάχατο τὰς πρὸς ἀνίσχοντα ἥλιον τετραμμένας, ἐπεὶ κλίμακες σφίσι πα
ροῦσαι οὐδαμῆ ἔτυχον, ταύτας δὴ τὰς πύλας ἀφυλάκτους παντάπασιν οὔσας ἔκαυσαν. [28] ἔρημον γὰρ ἀνδρῶν τὸ ἐκείνῃ τεῖχος, ἅτε τῶν φυλάκων δρασμῷ χρησαμένων, [29] ἐγένετο. φόνος τε ἐνταῦθα πολὺς ἐγεγόνει. θυμῷ γὰρ ἐχόμενοι ἅπαντες, ἄλλως τε καὶ ὅσοις ἀδελφόν τινα ἣ ξυγγενῆ ἀποθανεῖν τειχομαχοῦντα τετύχηκε, τὸν ἐν ποσὶν ἀεί, οὐδεμιᾶς ἡλικίας φειδόμενοι, ἔκτεινον, ἔς τε τὰς οἰκίας ἐσβάλλοντες παῖδας μὲν καὶ γυναῖκας ἠνδραπόδισαν, τὰ δὲ χρήματα ἐληίσαντο, καὶ πάντων μάλιστα οἱ Μασσαγέται, οἳ οὐδὲ τῶν ἱερῶν ἀπεχόμενοι πολλοὺς τῶν ἐς αὐτὰ φυγόντων ἀνεῖλον, ἕως Βελισάριος πανταχόσε περιιὼν διεκώλυσέ τε καὶ ξυγκαλέσας ἅπαντας ἔλεξε τοιάδε: [30] ‘Ἐπειδὴ νενικηκέναι τε ἡμῖν δέδωκεν ὁ θεὸς καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον εὐδοξίας ἀφῖχθαι, πόλιν ἀνάλωτον πρότερον οὖσαν ὑποχειρίαν ἡμῖν ποιησάμενος, ἀναγκαῖον καὶ ἡμᾶς τὸ μὴ ἀναξίους εἶναι τῆς χάριτος, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐς τοὺς ἡσσημένους φιλανθρωπίᾳ τὸ δικαίως κεκρατηκέναι τούτων ἐνδείκνυσθαι. [31] μὴ τοίνυν ἀπέραντα Νεαπολίτας μισήσητε, μηδὲ ὑπερόριον τοῦ πολέμου τὸ ἐς αὐτοὺς ἔχθος ποιήσητε. τοὺς γὰρ ἡσσημένους οὐδεὶς τῶν νενικηκότων ἔτι μισεῖ. [32] κτείνοντές τε αὐτοὺς οὐ πολεμίων ἀπαλλαγήσεσθε τὸ λοιπόν, ἀλλὰ θανάτῳ ζημιωθήσεσθε τῶν ὑπηκόων. οὐκοῦν ἀνθρώπους τούσδε μηδὲν ἐργάσησθε περαιτέρω κακόν, μηδὲ τῇ ὀργῇ πάντα χαρίζεσθε. [33] αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τῶν μὲν πολεμίων κρατεῖν, τοῦ δὲ θυμοῦ ἥσσους φαίνεσθαι. ὑμῖν δὲ χρήματα μὲν τὰ ἄλλα γινέσθω τῆς ἀρετῆς ἆθλα, γυναῖκες δὲ τοῖς ἀνδράσι ξὺν τοῖς παισὶν ἀποδιδόσθων. μανθανέτωσαν δὲ οἱ νενικημένοι τοῖς πράγμασιν ἡλίκων ἐξ ἀβουλίας ἐστέρηνται φίλων.’ [34] Τοσαῦτα εἰπὼν Βελισάριος τάς τε γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ παιδία καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἀνδράποδα Νεαπολίταις πάντα ἀφῆκεν, ὕβρεως οὐδεμιᾶς ἐς πεῖραν ἐλθόντα, καὶ αὐτοῖς τοὺς στρατιώτας διήλλαξεν. [35] οὕτω τε Νεαπολίταις ξυνηνέχθη ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αἰχμαλώτοις τε γενέσθαι καὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἀνασώσασθαι καὶ τῶν χρημάτων τὰ τιμιώτατα ἀνακτήσασθαι. [36] ἐπεὶ αὐτῶν ὅσοι χρυσὸν ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν τιμίων ἔχοντες ἔτυχον, οὗτοι δὴ τὰ πρότερα ἐς γῆν κατορύξαντες ἀπεκρύψαντο, καὶ ταύτῃ τοὺς πολεμίους λαθεῖν ἴσχυσαν αὐτοῖς χρήμασι τὰς οἰκίας ἀπολαβόντες. ἥ τε πολιορκία ἐς ἡμέρας μάλιστα εἴκοσι κατατείνασα ἐς τοῦτο ἐτελεύτα. [37] Γότθους δὲ τοὺς τῇδε ἁλόντας οὐχ ἥσσους ἢ ὀκτακοσίους ὄντας κακῶν ἀπαθεῖς Βελισάριος παντάπασι διαφυλάξας, οὐκ ἐλασσόνως ἢ τοὺς στρατιώτας τοὺς αὑτοῦ ἐν τιμῇ εἶχε. [38] Πάστωρ δέ, ὃς ἐς ἀπόνοιαν, ὡς πρότερόν μοι δεδήλωται, τὸν δῆμον ἐνῆγεν, ἐπεὶ τὴν πόλιν ἁλισκομένην εἶδεν, ἐς ἀποπληξίαν ἐξέπεσε καὶ ἐξαπίνης ἀπέθανεν, οὔτε νοσήσας πρότερον οὔτε ἄλλο τι πρὸς οὐδενὸς παθὼν ἄχαρι. [39] Ἀσκληπιόδοτος δέ, ὃς ξὺν αὐτῷ ταῦτα ἔπρασσε, ξὺν τῶν λογίμων τοῖς περιοῦσι παρὰ Βελισάριον ἦλθε. [40] καὶ αὐτῷ Στέφανος ἐπιτωθάζων ἐλοιδορεῖτο ὧδε: ‘Ὅρα, ὦ κάκιστε ἀνθρώπων ἁπάντων, οἷα κακὰ τὴν πατρίδα εἰργάσω, τῆς ἐς Γότθους εὐνοίας τὴν τῶν πολιτῶν ἀποδόμενος σωτηρίαν. [41] εἶτα εἰ μὲν τοῖς βαρβάροις εὖ ἐγεγόνει τὰ πράγματα, ἠξίωσας ἂν ἔμμισθός τε αὐτὸς πρὸς ἐκείνων εἶναι καὶ ἡμῶν ἕκαστον τῶν τὰ βελτίω βεβουλευμένων τῆς ἐς τοὺς Ῥωμαίους προδοσίας ὑπαγαγεῖν. [42] ἐπεὶ δὲ τὴν μὲν πόλιν βασιλεὺς εἷλε, σεσώσμεθα δὲ τῇ τοῦδε τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀρετῇ, οὕτω δὲ εἰσελθεῖν παρὰ τὸν στρατηγὸν ἀνεπισκέπτως ἐτόλμησας ἅτε οὐδὲν δεινὸν οὔτε Νεαπολίτας οὔτε τὸ βασιλέως διαπεπραγμένος στρατόπεδον, ἀξίας τίσεις δίκας.’ [43] Στέφανος μὲν τῇ ξυμφορᾷ περιώδυνος ὢν ἐς Ἀσκληπιόδοτον ταῦτα ἀπέρριψεν. ὁ δὲ αὐτὸν ἀμείβεται τοῖσδε: ‘Λέληθας σαυτὸν ἐγκωμιάζων ἡμᾶς, ὦ γενναῖε, οἷς δὴ εὔνοιαν τὴν ἐς τοὺς Γότθους ἡμῖν ὀνειδίζεις. [44] εὔνους γάρ τις δεσπόταις κινδυνεύουσιν, εἰ μὴ ἐκ τοῦ βεβαίου τῆς γνώμης, οὐκ ἄν ποτε εἴη. ἐμὲ μὲν οὖν οἱ κρατοῦντες τοιοῦτον τῆς πολιτείας φύλακα ἕξουσιν οἷον ἀρτίως πολέμιον εὗρον, ἐπεὶ ὁ τῇ φύσει τὸ πιστὸν ἔχων οὐ ξυμμεταβάλλει τῇ τύχῃ τὴν γνώμην. [45] σὺ δὲ τῶν πραγμάτων οὐχ ὁμοίως αὐτοῖς φερομένων ἑτοίμως ἂν τοὺς τῶν ἐπιόντων ἐνδέξαιο λόγους. ὁ γὰρ τὸ τῆς διανοίας νοσῶν ἄστατον ἅμα τε ἔδεισε καὶ τὴν ἐς τοὺς φιλτάτους ἠρνήσατο πίστιν.’ [46] τοσαῦτα μὲν καὶ Ἀσκληπιόδοτος εἶπε. Νεαπολιτῶν δὲ ὁ δῆμος, ἐπεὶ αὐτὸν ἐνθένδε ἀναχωροῦντα εἶδον, ἀθρόοι γενόμενοι, ἅπαντα αὐτῷ ἐπεκάλουν τὰ παρόντα σφίσι. καὶ οὐ πρότερον ἀπέστησαν, πρὶν δὴ ἔκτεινάν τε καὶ τὸ σῶμα κατὰ βραχὺ διεσπάσαντο. [47] οὕτω τε ἐν τῇ Πάστωρος οἰκίᾳ γενόμενοι τὸν ἄνδρα ἐζήτουν. τοῖς τε οἰκέταις τεθνάναι Πάστωρα ἰσχυριζομένοις ἥκιστα πιστεύειν ἠξίουν, ἕως αὐτοῖς τὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου νεκρὸν ἔδειξαν. καὶ αὐτὸν Νεαπολῖται ἐν τῷ προαστείῳ ἀνεσκολόπισαν. [48] οὕτω τε Βελισάριον παρῃτήσαντο ἐφ̓ οἷς δικαίᾳ ὀργῇ ἐχόμενοι ἔδρασαν, τυχόντες τε αὐτοῦ συγγνώμονος διελύθησαν. οὕτω μὲν Νεαπολῖται ἀπήλλαξαν.
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