Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἐς τὴν πολιορκίαν τῇδε Βελισάριος διῳκήσατο. Σαμνιτῶν δὲ παῖδες πολλοί, πρόβατα ἐν χώρᾳ τῇ σφετέρᾳ ποιμαίνοντες, δύο τοῦ σώματος ἐν σφίσιν εὖ ἥκοντας ἀπολέξαντες, καὶ αὐτῶν ἕνα μὲν καλέσαντες ἐπὶ τοῦ Βελισαρίου ὀνόματος, Οὐίττιγιν δὲ τὸν ἕτερον ὀνομάσαντες, [2] παλαίειν ἐκέλευον. ὧν δὴ ἰσχυρότατα ἐς τὸν ἀγῶνα καθισταμένων, τὸν Οὐίττιγιν δῆθεν ξυνηνέχθη πεσεῖν. καὶ αὐτὸν ὁ τῶν παίδων ὅμιλος παίζοντες ἐπὶ δένδρου ἐκρήμνων. [3] λύκου δὲ τύχῃ τινὶ ἐνταῦθα φανέντος οἱ μὲν παῖδες ἔφυγον ἅπαντες, ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ δένδρου ἠρτημένος Οὐίττιγις χρόνου οἱ τριβέντος ἐν ταύτῃ δὴ τῇ τιμωρίᾳ θνήσκει. [4] καὶ ἐπεὶ ταῦτα ἐς Σαμνίτας ἔκπυστα ἐγεγόνει, οὔτε κόλασίν τινα ἐς τὰ παιδία ταῦτα ἐξήνεγκαν καὶ τὰ ξυμπεσόντα ξυμβαλόντες νικήσειν κατὰ κράτος Βελισάριον ἰσχυρίζοντο. ταῦτα μὲν δὴ οὕτως ἐγένετο. [5] Ῥωμαίων δὲ ὁ δῆμος, τῶν ἐν πολέμῳ τε καὶ πολιορκίᾳ κακῶν ἀήθεις παντάπασιν ὄντες, ἐπειδὴ τῇ μὲν ἀλουσίᾳ ἐπιέζοντο καὶ τῶν ἀναγκαίων τῇ ἀπορίᾳ, φυλάσσειν τε ἄϋπνοι τὸν περίβολον ἠναγκάζοντο, καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἁλώσεσθαι οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ὑπετόπαζον, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἑώρων τούς τε ἀγροὺς καὶ τἄλλα πάντα ληιζομένους, ἤσχαλλόν τε καὶ δεινὰ ἐποιοῦντο, εἰ αὐτοὶ οὐδὲν ἠδικηκότες πολιορκοῖντό τε καὶ ἐς τοσοῦτον κινδύνου μέγεθος ἥκοιεν. [6] ἐν σφίσι τε αὐτοῖς ξυνιστάμενοι Βελισαρίῳ ἐκ τοῦ ἐμφανοῦς ἐλοιδοροῦντο, ὅς γε οὐκ ἀξιόχρεων πρὸς βασιλέως δύναμιν λαβὼν ἐτόλμησεν ἐπὶ Γότθους στρατεύεσθαι. [7] ταῦτα δὲ καὶ οἱ ἐκ βουλῆς ἣν σύγκλητον καλοῦσι Βελισαρίῳ ἐν παραβύστῳ ὠνείδιζον. ἅπερ Οὐίττιγις πρὸς τῶν αὐτομόλων ἀκούσας συγκρούειν τε αὐτοὺς ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐθέλων καὶ ἐς πολλὴν ταραχὴν ἐμπεσεῖσθαι τὰ Ῥωμαίων πράγματα ταύτῃ οἰόμενος, πρέσβεις παρὰ Βελισάριον ἄλλους τε καὶ Ἄλβιν ἔπεμψεν. [8] οἵ, ἐπειδὴ ἐς ὄψιν τὴν Βελισαρίου ἀφίκοντο, παρόντων Ῥωμαίων τε τῶν ἐκ βουλῆς καὶ ὅσοι τοῦ στρατοῦ ἄρχοντες ἦσαν, ἔλεξαν τοιάδε: ‘Πάλαι, ὦ στρατηγέ, τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εὖ τε καὶ καλῶς διώρισται τὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ὀνόματα: ἐν οἷς ἓν τόδε ἐστί, θράσος κεχώρισται ἀνδρείας. [9] τὸ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν οἷς ἂν προσγένοιτο, ξὺν ἀτιμίᾳ ἐς κίνδυνον ἄγει, τὸ δὲ δόξαν ἀρετῆς ἱκανῶς φέρεται. [10] τούτων θάτερόν σε εἰς ἡμᾶς ἤνεγκεν, ὁπότερον μέντοι, αὐτίκα δηλώσεις. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀνδρείᾳ πιστεύων ἐπὶ Γότθους ἐστράτευσας, ὁρᾷς γὰρ δήπου ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους τὸ τῶν πολεμίων στρατόπεδον καί σοι ἀνδραγαθίζεσθαι, ὦ γενναῖε, διαρκῶς πάρεστιν: εἰ δέ γε θράσει ἐχόμενος ἐφ̓ ἡμᾶς ὥρμησαι, πάντως σοι καὶ μεταμέλει τῶν εἰκῆ πεπραγμένων. [11] τῶν γὰρ ἀπονενοημένων αἱ γνῶμαι, ὅταν ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι γένωνται, μετανοεῖν φιλοῦσι. νῦν οὖν μήτε Ῥωμαίοις τοῖσδε περαιτέρω τὴν ταλαιπωρίαν μηκύνεσθαι ποίει, οὓς δὴ Θευδέριχος ἐν βίῳ τρυφερῷ τε καὶ ἄλλως ἐλευθέρῳ ἐξέθρεψε, μήτε τῷ Γότθων τε καὶ Ἰταλιωτῶν δεσπότῃ ἐμποδὼν ἵστασο. [12] πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἄτοπον, σὲ μὲν οὕτω καθειργμένον τε καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους κατεπτηχότα ἐν Ῥώμῃ καθῆσθαι, τὸν δὲ ταύτης βασιλέα ἐν χαρακώματι διατρίβοντα τὰ τοῦ πολέμου κακὰ τοὺς αὑτοῦ κατηκόους ἐργάζεσθαι; [13] ἡμεῖς δὲ σοί τε καὶ τοῖς ἑπομένοις ποιεῖσθαι ἤδη τὴν ἄφοδον κατ̓ ἐξουσίαν παρέξομεν, ἅπαντα τὰ ὑμέτερα αὐτῶν ἔχουσι. τὸ γὰρ ἐπεμβαίνειν τοῖς τὸ σῶφρον μεταμαθοῦσιν οὔτε ὅσιον οὔτε ἄξιον τρόπου τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου εἶναι νομίζομεν. [14] ἡδέως δ̓ ἂν καὶ Ῥωμαίους ἔτι ἐροίμεθα τούσδε, τί ποτε ἄρα Γότθοις ἐπικαλεῖν ἔχοντες ἡμᾶς τε αὖ καὶ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς προὔδοσαν, οἵ γε τῆς μὲν ἡμετέρας ἐπιεικείας ἄχρι τοῦδε ἀπήλαυσαν, νῦν δὲ καὶ τῆς παῤ ὑμῶν ἐπικουρίας εἰσὶν ἔμπειροι.’ [15] Τοσαῦτα μὲν οἱ πρέσβεις εἶπον. Βελισάριος δὲ ἀμείβεται ὧδε: ‘Ὁ μὲν τῆς ξυμβουλῆς καιρὸς οὐκ ἐφ̓ ὑμῖν κείσεται. γνώμῃ γὰρ τῶν πολεμίων ἥκιστα εἰώθασι πολεμεῖν ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλ̓ αὐτόν τινα τὰ οἰκεῖα διατίθεσθαι νόμος, ὅπη ἂν αὐτῷ δοκῇ ὡς ἄριστα ἔχειν. [16] φημὶ δὲ ὑμῖν ἀφίξεσθαι χρόνον ἡνίκα ὑπὸ ταῖς ἀκάνθαις βουλόμενοι τὰς κεφαλὰς κρύπτεσθαι οὐδαμῆ ἕξετε. [17] Ῥώμην μέντοι ἑλόντες ἡμεῖς τῶν ἀλλοτρίων οὐδὲν ἔχομεν, ἀλλ̓ ὑμεῖς ταύτης τὰ πρότερα ἐπιβατεύσαντες, οὐδὲν ὑμῖν προσῆκον, νῦν οὐχ ἑκόντες τοῖς πάλαι κεκτημένοις ἀπέδοτε. [18] ὅστις δὲ ὑμῶν Ῥώμης ἐλπίδα ἔχει ἀμαχητὶ ἐπιβήσεσθαι, γνώμης ἁμαρτάνει. ζῶντα γὰρ Βελισάριον μεθήσεσθαι ταύτης ἀδύνατον.’ τοσαῦτα μὲν καὶ Βελισάριος εἶπε. [19] Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ἐν δέει μεγάλῳ γενόμενοι ἡσυχῆ ἐκάθηντο, καὶ οὐδὲν τοῖς πρέσβεσιν ἀντιλέγειν ἐτόλμων, καίπερ ἐπὶ τῇ ἐς Γότθους προδοσίᾳ πολλὰ πρὸς αὐτῶν κακιζόμενοι, πλήν γε δὴ ὅτι Φιδέλιος αὐτοὺς ἐρεσχελεῖν ἔγνω. [20] ὃς τότε τῆς αὐλῆς ὕπαρχος καταστὰς πρὸς Βελισαρίου ἐτύγχανε, καὶ ἀπ̓ αὐτοῦ πάντων μάλιστα ἔδοξε βασιλεῖ εὐνοϊκῶς ἔχειν.
XX
Thus, then, did Belisarius make his arrangements for the siege. And among the Samnites a large company of children, who were pasturing flocks in their own country, chose out two among them who were well favoured in strength of body, and calling one of them by the name of Belisarius, and naming the other Vittigis, bade them wrestle. And they entered into the struggle with the greatest vehemence and it so fell out that the one who impersonated Vittigis was thrown.
Then the crowd of boys in play hung him to a tree. But a wolf by some chance appeared there, whereupon the boys all fled, and the one called Vittigis, who was suspended from the tree, remained for some time suffering this punishment and then died. And when this became known to the Samnites, they did not inflict any punishment upon these children, but divining the meaning of the incident declared that Belisarius would conquer decisively. So much for this.
But the populace of Rome were entirely unacquainted with the evils of war and siege. When, therefore, they began to be distressed by their inability to bathe and the scarcity of provisions, and found themselves obliged to forgo sleep in guarding the circuit-wall, and suspected that the city would be captured at no distant date; and when, at the same time, they saw the enemy plundering their fields and other possessions, they began to be dissatisfied and indignant that they, who had done no wrong, should suffer siege and be brought into peril of such magnitude. And gathering in groups by themselves, they railed openly against Belisarius, on the ground that he had dared to take the field against the Goths before he had received an adequate force from the emperor. And these reproaches against Belisarius were secretly indulged in also by the members of the council which they call the senate. And Vittigis, hearing all this from the deserters and desiring to embroil them with one another still more, and thinking that in this way the affairs of the Romans would be thrown into great confusion, sent to Belisarius some envoys, among whom was Albis. And when these men came before Belisarius, they spoke as follows in the presence of the Roman senators and all the commanders of the army:
“From of old, general, mankind has made true and proper distinctions in the names they give to things; and one of these distinctions is this — rashness is different from bravery. For rashness, when it takes possession of a man, brings him into danger with discredit, but bravery bestows upon him an adequate prize in reputation for valour. Now one of these two has brought you against us, but which it is you will straightway make clear. For if, on the one hand, you placed your confidence in bravery when you took the field against the Goths, there is ample opportunity, noble sir, for you to do the deeds of a brave man, since you have only to look down from your wall to see the army of the enemy; but if, on the other hand, it was because you were possessed by rashness that you came to attack us, certainly you now repent you of the reckless undertaking. For the opinions of those who have made a desperate venture are wont to undergo a change whenever they find themselves in serious straits. Now, therefore, do not cause the sufferings of these Romans to be prolonged any further, men whom Theoderic fostered in a life not only of soft luxury but also of freedom, and cease your resistance to him who is the master both of the Goths and of the Italians. Is it not monstrous that you should sit in Rome hemmed in as you are and in abject terror of the enemy, while the king of this city passes his time in a fortified camp and inflicts the evils of war upon his own subjects? But we shall give both you and your followers an opportunity to take your departure forthwith in security, retaining all your possessions. For to trample upon those who have learned to take a new view of prudence we consider neither holy nor worthy of the ways of men. And, further, we should gladly ask these Romans what complaints they could have had against the Goths that they betrayed both us and themselves, seeing that up to this time they have enjoyed our kindness, and now are acquainted by experience with the assistance to be expected from you.”
Thus spoke the envoys. And Belisarius replied as follows: “It is not to rest with you to choose the moment for conference. For men are by no means wont to wage war according to the judgment of their enemies, but it is customary for each one to arrange his own affairs for himself, in whatever manner seems to him best. But I say to you that there will come a time when you will want to hide your heads under the thistles but will find no shelter anywhere. As for Rome, moreover, which we have captured, in holding it we hold nothing which belongs to others, but it was you who trespassed upon this city in former times, though it did not belong to you at all, and now you have given it back, however unwillingly, to its ancient possessors. And whoever of you has hopes of setting foot in Rome without a fight is mistaken in his judgment. For as long as Belisarius lives, it is impossible for him to relinquish this city.” Such were the words of Belisarius. But the Romans, being overcome by a great fear, sat in silence, and, even though they were abused by the envoys at length for their treason to the Goths, dared make no reply to them, except, indeed, that Fidelius saw fit to taunt them. This man was then praetorian prefect, having been appointed to the office by Belisarius, and for this reason he seemed above all others to be well disposed toward the emperor.
Οὕτω μὲν δὴ οἱ πρέσβεις ἐς τὸ σφέτερον στρατόπεδον ἐκομίζοντο. καὶ ἐπεὶ αὐτῶν Οὐίττιγις ἐπυνθάνετο ὁποῖός τε ἀνὴρ Βελισάριος εἴη καὶ γνώμης ὅπως ποτὲ ἀμφὶ τῇ ἐνθένδε ἀναχωρήσει ἔχοι, ἀπεκρίναντο ὡς οὐκ εἰκότα Γότθοι ἐλπίζουσι, δεδίξεσθαι Βελισάριον ὅτῳ δὴ τρόπῳ οἰόμενοι. [2] Οὐίττιγις δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούσας τειχομαχεῖν τε πολλῇ σπουδῇ ἐβουλεύετο καὶ τὰ ἐς τὴν τοῦ περιβόλου ἐπιβουλὴν ἐξηρτύετο ὧδε. [3] πύργους ξυλίνους ἐποιήσατο ἴσους τῷ τείχει τῶν πολεμίων, καὶ ἔτυχέ γε τοῦ ἀληθοῦς μέτρου πολλάκις ξυμμετρησάμενος ταῖς τῶν λίθων ἐπιβολαῖς. [4] τούτοις δὲ τοῖς πύργοις τροχοὶ ἐς τὴν βάσιν ἐμβεβλημένοι πρὸς γωνίᾳ ἑκάστῃ ὑπέκειντο, οἳ δὴ αὐτοὺς κυλινδούμενοι ῥᾷστα περιάξειν ἔμελλον ὅπη οἱ τειχομαχοῦντες ἀεὶ βούλοιντο, καὶ βόες τοὺς πύργους ξυνδεδεμένοι εἷλκον. [5] ἔπειτα δὲ κλίμακας πολλάς τε τὸ πλῆθος καὶ ἄχρι ἐς τὰς ἐπάλξεις ἐξικνουμένας ἡτοίμαζε καὶ μηχανὰς τέσσαρας αἳ κριοὶ καλοῦνται. [6] ἔστι δὲ ἡ μηχανὴ τοιαύτη. κίονες ὀρθοὶ ξύλινοι τέσσαρες ἀντίοι τε καὶ ἴσοι ἀλλήλοις ἑστᾶσι. τούτοις δὲ τοῖς κίοσι δοκοὺς ὀκτὼ ἐγκαρσίας ἐνείροντες τέσσαρας μὲν ἄνω, τοσαύτας δὲ πρὸς ταῖς βάσεσιν ἐναρμόζουσιν. [7] οἰκίσκου τε σχῆμα τετραγώνου ἐργαζόμενοι προκάλυμμα πανταχόθεν ἀντὶ τοίχων τε καὶ τείχους διφθέρας αὐτῷ περιβάλλουσιν, ὅπως ἥ τε μηχανὴ τοῖς ἕλκουσιν ἐλαφρὰ εἴη καὶ οἱ ἔνδον ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ ὦσιν, ὡς πρὸς τῶν ἐναντίων ἥκιστα βάλλεσθαι. [8] ἐντὸς δὲ αὐτῆς δοκὸν ἑτέραν ἄνωθεν ἐγκαρσίαν ἀρτήσαντες χαλαραῖς ταῖς ἁλύσεσι κατὰ μέσην μάλιστα τὴν μηχανὴν ἔχουσιν. ἧς δὴ ὀξεῖαν ποιούμενοι τὴν ἄκραν, σιδήρῳ πολλῷ καθάπερ ἀκίδα καλύπτουσι βέλους, ἢ καὶ τετράγωνον, ὥσπερ ἄκμονα, τὸν σίδηρον ποιοῦσι. [9] καὶ τροχοῖς μὲν ἡ μηχανὴ τέσσαρσι πρὸς κίονι ἑκάστῳ κειμένοις ἐπῆρται, ἄνδρες δὲ αὐτὴν οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ κατὰ πεντήκοντα κινοῦσιν ἔνδοθεν. [10] οἳ ἐπειδὰν αὐτὴν τῷ περιβόλῳ ἐρείσωσι, τὴν δοκὸν ἧς δὴ ἄρτι ἐμνήσθην μηχανῇ τινι στρέφοντες ὀπίσω ἀνέλκουσιν, αὖθίς τε αὐτὴν ξὺν ῥύμῃ πολλῇ ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος ἀφιᾶσιν. [11] ἡ δὲ συχνὰ ἐμβαλλομένη κα
τασεῖσαί τε ὅπη προσπίπτοι καὶ διελεῖν ῥᾷστα οἵα τέ ἐστι, καὶ ἀπ̓ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ταύτην ἡ μηχανὴ ἔχει, ἐπεὶ τῆς δοκοῦ ταύτης ἡ ἐμβολὴ προὔχουσα πλήσσειν ὅπου παρατύχοι, καθάπερ τῶν προβάτων τὰ ἄρρενα, [12] εἴωθε. τῶν μὲν οὖν τειχομαχούντων οἱ κριοὶ τοιοίδε εἰσί. [13] Γότθοι δὲ πάμπολύ τι φακέλλων χρῆμα ἔκ τε ξύλων καὶ καλάμων ποιησάμενοι ἐν παρασκευῇ εἶχον, ὅπως δὴ ἐς τὴν τάφρον ἐμβαλόντες ὁμαλόν τε τὸν χῶρον ἐργάσωνται καὶ ταύτῃ διαβαίνειν αἱ μηχαναὶ ἥκιστα εἴργωνται. οὕτω μὲν δὴ Γότθοι παρασκευασάμενοι τειχομαχεῖν ὥρμηντο. [14] Βελισάριος δὲ μηχανὰς μὲν ἐς τοὺς πύργους ἐτίθετο ἃς καλοῦσι βαλλίστρας. τόξου δὲ σχῆμα ἔχουσιν αἱ μηχαναὶ αὗται, ἔνερθέν τε αὐτοῦ κοίλη τις ξυλίνη κεραία προὔχει, αὐτὴ μὲν χαλαρὰ ἠρτημένη, σιδηρᾷ δὲ εὐθείᾳ τινὶ ἐπικειμένη. [15] ἐπειδὰν οὖν τοὺς πολεμίους ἐνθένδε βάλλειν ἐθέλουσιν ἄνθρωποι, βρόχου βραχέος ἐνέρσει τὰ ξύλα ἐς ἄλληλα νεύειν ποιοῦσιν ἃ δὴ τοῦ τόξου ἄκρα ξυμβαίνει εἶναι, τόν τε ἄτρακτον ἐν τῇ κοίλῃ κεραίᾳ τίθενται, τῶν ἄλλων βελῶν, ἅπερ ἐκ τῶν τόξων ἀφιᾶσι, μῆκος μὲν ἔχοντα ἥμισυ μάλιστα, εὖρος δὲ κατὰ τετραπλάσιον. [16] πτεροῖς μέντοι οὐ τοῖς εἰωθόσιν ἐνέχεται, ἀλλὰ ξύλα λεπτὰ ἐς τῶν πτερῶν τὴν χώραν ἐνείροντες ὅλον ἀπομιμοῦνται τοῦ βέλους τὸ σχῆμα, μεγάλην αὐτῷ λίαν καὶ τοῦ πάχους κατὰ λόγον τὴν ἀκίδα ἐμβάλλοντες. [17] σφίγγουσί τε σθένει πολλῷ οἱ ἀμφοτέρωθεν μηχαναῖς τισι, καὶ τότε ἡ κοίλη κεραία προϊοῦσα ἐκπίπτει μέν, ξὺν ῥύμῃ δὲ τοσαύτῃ ἐκπίπτει τὸ βέλος ὥστε ἐξικνεῖται μὲν οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ κατὰ δύο τῆς τοξείας βολάς, δένδρου δὲ ἢ λίθου ἐπιτυχὸν τέμνει ῥᾳδίως. [18] τοιαύτη μὲν ἡ μηχανή ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου, ὅτι δὴ βάλλει ὡς μάλιστα, ἐπικληθεῖσα. ἑτέρας δὲ μηχανὰς ἐπήξαντο ἐν ταῖς τοῦ περιβόλου ἐπάλξεσιν ἐς λίθων βολὰς ἐπιτηδείας. [19] σφενδόνῃ δὲ αὗταί εἰσιν ἐμφερεῖς καὶ ὄναγροι ἐπικαλοῦνται. ἐν δὲ ταῖς πύλαις λύκους ἔξω ἐπετίθεντο, οὓς δὴ ποιοῦσι τρόπῳ τοιῷδε. [20] δοκοὺς δύο ἱστᾶσιν ἐκ γῆς ἄχρι καὶ ἐς τὰς ἐπάλξεις ἐξικνουμένας, ξύλα τε εἰργασμένα ἐπ̓ ἄλληλα θέμενοι τὰ μὲν ὀρθά, τὰ δὲ ἐγκάρσια ἐναρμόζουσιν, ὡς τῶν ἐνέρσεων τὰ ἐν μέσῳ εἰς ἄλληλα τρυπήματα φαίνεσθαι. [21] ἑκάστης δὲ ἁρμονίας ἐμβολή τις προὔχει, κέντρῳ παχεῖ ἐς τὰ μάλιστα ἐμφερὴς οὖσα. καὶ τῶν ξύλων τὰ ἐγκάρσια ἐς δοκὸν ἑκατέραν πηξάμενοι, ἄνωθεν ἄχρι ἐς μοῖραν διήκοντα τὴν ἡμίσειαν, ὑπτίας τὰς δοκοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν πυλῶν ἀνακλίνουσι. [22] καὶ ἐπειδὰν αὐτῶν ἐγγυτέρω οἱ πολέμιοι ἵκωνται, οἱ δὲ ἄνωθεν ἄκρων δοκῶν ἁψάμενοι ὠθοῦσιν, αὗται δὲ ἐς τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου ἐμπίπτουσαι τοῖς προέχουσι τῶν ἐμβολῶν, ὅσους ἂν λάβοιεν, εὐπετῶς κτείνουσι. Βελισάριος μὲν οὖν ταῦτα ἐποίει.
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