Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  And afterwards they gave hostages to one another to secure the keeping of the armistice, the Romans giving Zeno, and the Goths Ulias, a man of no mean station, with the understanding that during three months they should make no attack upon one another, until the envoys should return from Byzantium and report the will of the emperor. And even if the one side or the other should initiate offences against their opponents, the envoys were nevertheless to be returned to their own nation. So the envoys of the barbarians went to Byzantium escorted by Romans, and Ildiger, the son-in-law of Antonina, came to Rome from Libya with not a few horsemen. And the Goths who were holding the stronghold at Portus abandoned the place by the order of Vittigis because their supplies were exhausted, and came to the camp in obedience to his summons. Whereupon Paulus with his Isaurians came from Ostia and took possession of it and held it. Now the chief reason why these barbarians were without provisions was that the Romans commanded the sea and did not allow any of the necessary supplies to be brought in to them. And it was for this reason that they also abandoned at about the same time a sea-coast city of great importance, Centumcellae by name, that is, because they were short of provisions. This city is large and populous, lying to the west of Rome, in Tuscany, distant from it about two hundred and eighty stades. And after taking possession of it the Romans went on and extended their power still more, for they took also the town of Albani, which lies to the east of Rome, the enemy having evacuated it at that time for the same reason, and they had already surrounded the barbarians on all sides and now held them between their forces. The Goths, therefore, were in a mood to break the agreement and do some harm to the Romans. So they sent envoys to Belisarius and asserted that they had been unjustly treated during a truce; for when Vittigis had summoned the Goths who were in Portus to perform some service for him, Paulus and the Isaurians had seized and taken possession of the fort there for no good reason. And they made this same false charge regarding Albani and Centumcellae, and threatened that, unless he should give these places back to them, they would resent it. But Belisarius laughed and sent them away, saying that this charge was but a pretext, and that no one was ignorant of the reason why the Goths had abandoned these places. And thereafter the two sides were somewhat suspicious of one another.

  But later, when Belisarius saw that Rome was abundantly supplied with soldiers, he sent many horsemen to places far distant from Rome, and commanded John, the nephew of Vitalian, and the horsemen under his command, eight hundred in number, to pass the winter near the city of Alba, which lies in Picenum; and with him he sent four hundred of the men of Valerian, whom Damianus, the nephew of Valerian, commanded, and eight hundred men of his own guards who were especially able warriors. And in command of these he put two spearmen, Suntas and Adegis, and ordered them to follow John wherever he should lead; and he gave John instructions that as long as he saw the enemy was keeping the agreement made between them, he should remain quiet; but whenever he found that the armistice had been violated by them, he should do as follows: With his whole force he was to make a sudden raid and overrun the land of Picenum, visiting all the districts of that region and reaching each one before the report of his coming. For in this whole land there was virtually not a single man left, since all, as it appeared, had marched against Rome, but everywhere there were women and children of the enemy and money. He was instructed, therefore, to enslave or plunder whatever he found, taking care never to injure any of the Romans living there. And if he should happen upon any place which had men and defences, as he probably would, he was to make an attempt upon it with his whole force. And if he was able to capture it, he was to go forward, but if it should so happen that his attempt was unsuccessful, he was to march back or remain there. For if he should go forward and leave such a fortress in his rear, he would be involved in the greatest danger, since his men would never be able to defend themselves easily, if they should be harassed by their opponents. He was also to keep the whole booty intact, in order that it might be divided fairly and properly among the army. Then with a laugh he added this also: “For it is not fair that the drones should be destroyed with great labour by one force, while others, without having endured any hardship at all, enjoy the honey.” So after giving these instructions, Belisarius sent John with his army.

  And at about the same time Datius, the priest of Milan, and some notable men among the citizens came to Rome and begged Belisarius to send them a few guards. For they declared that they were themselves able without any trouble to detach from the Goths not only Milan, but the whole of Liguria also, and to recover them for the emperor. Now this city is situated in Liguria, and lies about half way between the city of Ravenna and the Alps on the borders of Gaul; for from either one it is a journey of eight days to Milan for an unencumbered traveller; and it is the first of the cities of the West, after Rome at least, both in size and in population and in general prosperity. And Belisarius promised to fulfil their request, but detained them there during the winter season.

  Ταῦτα μὲν δὴ ὧδέ πη εἶχε. τῆς δὲ τύχης ὁ φθόνος ᾤδαινεν ἤδη ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους, ἐπεὶ τὰ πράγματα εὖ τε καὶ καλῶς σφίσιν ἐπίπροσθεν προϊόντα ἑώρα, κακῷ τε κεραννύναι τινὶ ταῦτα ἐθέλουσα, ἔριν ἐξ οὐδεμιᾶς αἰτίας λόγου ἀξίας ἐπενόει Βελισαρίῳ τε καὶ Κωνσταντίνῳ, ἣ ὅπως τε ἔφυ καὶ ἐς ὅ τι ἐτελεύτησεν, ἐρῶν ἔρχομαι. [2] Πρεσίδιος ἦν τις, ἀνὴρ Ῥωμαῖος, ᾠκημένος μὲν ἐπὶ Ῥαβέννης, ὢν δὲ οὐκ ἀφανής. οὗτος ὁ Πρεσίδιος, ὅτι δὴ Γότθοις προσκεκρουκώς, ἡνίκα Οὐίττιγις ἐπὶ Ῥώμην στρατεύειν ἔμελλε, ξὺν ὀλίγοις τισὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν ἐπὶ κυνηγέσιον δῆθεν τῷ λόγῳ στελλόμενος φεύγει, οὔτε τῳ τὴν βουλὴν κοινωσάμενος οὔτε τι τῶν χρημάτων ξὺν αὑτῷ ἔχων, πλήν γε δὴ ὅτι ξιφίδια δύο αὐτὸς ἔφερεν, ὧν τὼ κουλεὼ χρυσῷ τε πολλῷ καὶ λίθοις ἐντίμοις κεκαλλωπισμένω ἐτυχέτην. καὶ επειδὴ ἐν Σπολιτίῳ ἐγένετο, ἐς νεών τινα ἔξω τοῦ περιβόλου κατέλυσεν. [3] ὃ δὴ Κωνσταντῖνος ἀκούσας ῾ἐτύγχανε γὰρ ἔτι ἐνταῦθα διατριβὴν ἔχων̓,τῶν τινα ὑπασπιστῶν Μαξεντίολον πέμψας ἄμφω ἀφαιρεῖται λόγῳ οὐδενὶ τὼ ἀκινάκα. [4] περιαλγὴς δὲ γεγονὼς τοῖς ξυμπεσοῦσιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐς Ῥώμην ὅτι τάχιστα παρὰ Βελισάριον στέλλεται, οὗ δὴ οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν καὶ Κωνσταντῖνος ἀφίκετο: ἤδη γὰρ ὁ τῶν Γότθων στρατὸς οὐκ ἄποθεν εἶναι ἠγγέλλετο. [5] ἕως μὲν οὖν ἔν τε θορύβῳ καὶ κινδύνῳ Ῥωμαίοις καθειστήκει τὰ πράγματα, σιωπῇ ὁ Πρεσίδιος ἔμενεν: ὡς δὲ τά τε Ῥωμαίων καθυπέρτερα εἶδε καὶ Γότθων πρέσβεις παρὰ βασιλέα σταλέντας, καθάπερ μοι ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται, Βελισαρίῳ συχνὰ προσιὼν τήν τε ἀδικίαν ἀπήγγελλε καί οἱ τὰ δίκαια βοηθεῖν ἠξίου. [6] ὁ δὲ Κωνσταντίνῳ πολλὰ μὲν αὐτός, πολλὰ δὲ δἰ ἑτέρων μεμφόμενος, παρῄνει ἔργου τε ἀδίκου καὶ δόξης αἰσχρᾶς ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι. [7] ἀλλὰ Κωνσταντῖνος ῾χρῆν γάρ οἱ γενέσθαι κακῶς᾿ τούς τε λόγους ἀεὶ ἐρεσχελῶν διεκρούετο καὶ τὸν ἠδικημένον ἐτώθαζε. [8] Βελισαρίῳ δέ ποτε, ἵππῳ ἐ�
� τῇ ἀγορᾷ ὀχουμένῳ, ἐντυχὼν ὁ Πρεσίδιος τοῦ τε χαλινοῦ τοῦ ἵππου ἐλάβετο καὶ μέγα ἀναβοῶν ἠρώτα εἰ ταῦτα λέγουσιν οἱ βασιλέως νόμοι, ἵνα ἐπειδάν τις τοὺς βαρβάρους φυγὼν ἱκέτης ἐς αὐτοὺς ἵκοιτο, οἵδε ἀφέλωνται βίᾳ ὅσα ἂν τύχῃ ἐν χερσὶν ἔχων. [9] πολλῶν δὲ περιεστηκότων ἀνθρώπων καὶ τοῦ χαλινοῦ ξὺν ἀπειλῇ κελευόντων μεθίεσθαι, οὐ πρότερον ἀφῆκε, πρὶν δὴ αὐτῷ ὑπέσχετο Βελισάριος τὰ ξιφίδια δώσειν. [10] τῇ οὖν ὑστεραίᾳ Κωνσταντῖνόν τε καὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων πολλοὺς ἐς οἰκίσκον τινὰ ξυγκαλέσας Βελισάριος ἐν Παλατίῳ, τῶν μὲν τῇ προτεραίᾳ ξυμπεπτωκότων ὑπέμνησε, παρῄνει δὲ ὀψὲ γοῦν τοῦ χρόνου τοὺς ἀκινάκας ἀποδιδόναι. [11] ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἔφη δώσειν: ἥδιον γὰρ ἂν αὐτοὺς ἐς τοῦ Τιβέριδος τὸ ὕδωρ ἐμβάλλοι ἢ τῷ Πρεσιδίῳ διδοίη. [12] θυμῷ τε ἤδη ἐχόμενος Βελισάριος ἐπυνθάνετο εἰ οὐκ οἴοιτο Κωνσταντῖνος πρὸς αὐτοῦ ἄρχεσθαι. καὶ αὐτὸς τὰ μὲν ἄλλα οἱ ὡμολόγει ἅπαντα πείσεσθαι: βουλομένῳ γὰρ ταῦτα βασιλεῖ εἶναι: τόδε μέντοι, ὃ ἐν τῷ παρόντι ἐπιτάττοι, οὐ μήποτε δράσειν. [13] Βελισάριος μὲν οὖν εἰσιέναι τοὺς δορυφόρους ἐκέλευε, Κωνσταντῖνος δὲ ‘Ὅπως με δηλαδὴ ἀποκτενοῦσιν,’ ἔφη. ‘Οὐδαμῶς γε,’ ὁ Βελισάριος εἶπεν, ‘ἀλλ̓ ἵνα τὸν σὸν ὑπασπιστὴν Μαξεντίολον, ὅς σοι τὰ ξιφίδια βιασάμενος ἤνεγκεν, ἀναγκάσωσι τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἀποδιδόναι ἅπερ αὐτοῦ [14] βίᾳ λαβὼν ἔτυχεν.’ ἀλλὰ Κωνσταντῖνος τεθνήξεσθαι παραυτίκα οἰόμενος δρᾶσαί τι μέγα, πρίν τι αὐτὸς πάθοι, ἐβούλετο. [15] διὸ δὴ τὸ ξιφίδιον εἷλκεν ὅπερ οἱ πρὸς τῷ μηρῷ ἀπεκρέματο, ἄφνω τε αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τὴν Βελισαρίου γαστέρα ὦσεν. ὁ δὲ καταπλαγεὶς ὀπίσω τε ἀπέστη καὶ Βέσσᾳ ἐγγύς που ἑστηκότι περιπλακεὶς διαφυγεῖν ἴσχυσε. [16] Κωνσταντῖνος μὲν οὖν, ἔτι τῷ θυμῷ ζέων, ἐπῄει, κατιδόντες δὲ Ἰλδίγερ τε καὶ Βαλεριανὸς τὸ ποιούμενον ὁ μὲν τῆς δεξιᾶς, ὁ δὲ τῆς ἑτέρας αὐτοῦ χειρὸς λαμβανόμενος ὀπίσω ἀνθεῖλκον. [17] ἐν τούτῳ δὲ εἰσελθόντες οἱ δορυφόροι οὓς δὴ ὀλίγῳ πρότερον ἐκάλεσε Βελισάριος, Κωνσταντίνου τε τὸ ξιφίδιον ξὺν βίᾳ πολλῇ ἐκ χειρὸς αἱροῦσι, καὶ αὐτὸν πολλῷ θορύβῳ ἁρπάσαντες οὐδὲν μὲν ἄχαρι ἐν τῷ παραυτίκα εἰργάσαντο, παρόντας αἰδούμενοι τοὺς ἄρχοντας, οἶμαι, ἐς οἴκημα δὲ ἄλλο ἀπαγαγόντες, Βελισαρίου κελεύσαντος, [18] χρόνῳ τινὶ ὕστερον ἔκτειναν. τοῦτο Βελισαρίῳ εἴργασται μόνον οὐχ ὅσιον ἔργον καὶ ἤθους τοῦ αὐτοῦ οὐδαμῶν ἄξιον: ἐπιεικείᾳ γὰρ πολλῇ ἐς πάντας τοὺς ἄλλους ἐχρῆτο. ἀλλὰ ἔδει, ὅπερ ἐρρήθη, Κωνσταντίνῳ γενέσθαι κακῶς.

  VIII

  Such was the course of these events. But the envy of fortune was already swelling against the Romans, when she saw their affairs progressing successfully and well, and wishing to mingle some evil with this good, she inspired a quarrel, on a trifling pretext, between Belisarius and Constantinus; and how this grew and to what end it came I shall now go on to relate. There was a certain Presidius, a Roman living at Ravenna, and a man of no mean station. This Presidius had given offence to the Goths at the time when Vittigis was about to march against Rome, and so he set out with some few of his domestics ostensibly on a hunting expedition, and went into exile; he had communicated his plan to no one and took none of his property with him, except indeed that he himself carried two daggers, the scabbards of which happened to be adorned with much gold and precious stones. And when he came to Spolitium, he lodged in a certain temple outside the fortifications. And when Constantinus, who happened to be still tarrying there, heard of this, he sent one of his guards, Maxentiolus, and took away from him both the daggers for no good reason. The man was deeply offended by what had taken place, and set out for Rome with all speed and came to Belisarius, and Constantinus also arrived there not long afterward; for the Gothic army was already reported to be not far away. Now as long as the affairs of the Romans were critical and in confusion, Presidius remained silent; but when he saw that the Romans were gaining the upper hand and that the envoys of the Goths had been sent to the emperor, as has been told by me above, he frequently approached Belisarius reporting the injustice and demanding that he assist him in obtaining his rights. And Belisarius reproached Constantinus many times himself, and many times through others, urging him to clear himself of the guilt of an unjust deed and of a dishonouring report. But Constantinus — for it must needs be that evil befall him — always lightly evaded the charge and taunted the wronged man. But on one occasion Presidius met Belisarius riding on horseback in the forum, and he laid hold of the horse’s bridle, and crying out with a loud voice asked whether the laws of the emperor said that, whenever anyone fleeing from the barbarians comes to them as a suppliant, they should rob him by violence of whatever he may chance to have in his hands. And though many men gathered about and commanded him with threats to let go his hold of the bridle, he did not let go until at last Belisarius promised to give him the daggers. On the following day, therefore, Belisarius called Constantinus and many of the commanders to an apartment in the palace, and after going over what had happened on the previous day urged him even at that late time to restore the daggers. But Constantinus refused to do so; nay, he would more gladly throw them into the waters of the Tiber than give them to Presidius. And Belisarius, being by now mastered by anger, enquired whether Constantinus did not think that he was subject to his orders. And he agreed to obey him in all other things, for this was the emperor’s will; this command, however, which at the present time he was laying upon him, he would never obey. Belisarius then commanded his guards to enter, whereupon Constantinus said: “In order, plainly, to have them kill me.” “By no means,” said Belisarius, “but to have them compel your bodyguard Maxentiolus, who forcibly carried away the daggers for you, to restore to the man what he took from him by violence.” But Constantinus, thinking that he was to die that very instant, wished to do some great deed before he should suffer anything himself. He accordingly drew the dagger which hung by his thigh and suddenly thrust it at the belly of Belisarius. And he in consternation stepped back, and by throwing his arms around Bessas, who was standing near, succeeded in escaping the blow. Then Constantinus, still boiling with anger, made after him; but Ildiger and Valerian, seeing what was being done, laid hold of his hands, one of the right and the other of the left, and dragged him back. And at this point the guards entered whom Belisarius had summoned a moment before, snatched the dagger of Constantinus from his hand with great violence, and seized him amid a great uproar. At the moment they did him no harm, out of respect, I suppose, to the officers present, but led him away to another room at the command of Belisarius, and at a somewhat later time put him to death
. This was the only unholy deed done by Belisarius, and it was in no way worthy of the character of the man; for he always shewed great gentleness in his treatment of all others. But it had to be, as I have said, that evil should befall Constantinus.