XVII
WITH such words Pelagius departed. And when the Romans saw him returning unsuccessful, they fell into a state of helpless despair. For the famine, becoming still more acute, was working terrible havoc among them from day to day. The soldiers, however, had not yet exhausted their supplies, but they could still hold out. The Romans therefore gathered in a throng and came before Bessas and Conon, the commanders of the emperor’s army; there with weeping and loud lamentation they spoke to them as follows: “The fate, Generals, which we see to be upon us at the present time is such that, if we actually had the power to commit some unholy deed against you, such a crime would have brought upon us no reproach. For the overwhelming constraint of necessity furnishes of itself a sufficient defence. But now, seeing that our strength cannot suffice for our defence, we have resorted to words and have come before you to make our position clear and to lament over our misfortune; and do you hear us with forbearance, not being stirred up by the boldness of our words, but judging it with due regard to the acuteness of our suffering. For he who has been compelled to despair of safety can no longer control his actions — no, nor his words — so as to preserve decorum. As for us, Generals, do not consider us to be either Romans or fellow-countrymen of yours, or even to have assimilated our ways of government to yours, and do not suppose that in the beginning we received the emperor’s army into the city willingly, but regard us as enemies from the first and as men who have taken up arms against you, and later, when defeated in battle, have become your captive slaves simply in accordance with the customs of war. And do you furnish sustenance to these your captives, if not in quantities sufficient for our needs, at least in such measure as to make life possible, that by your so doing we too may survive and render you such service in return as it is fitting that slaves should render their masters. But if you find this difficult or contrary to your wish, then at least consent to release us from your hands, by which action you will gain this advantage that you will not be troubled by the burial of your slaves. And if even this favour is not left us, deign to put us to death and do not deprive us of an honourable end nor begrudge us death, which to us is the sweetest of all things, but by a single act free the Romans from ten thousand troubles.” When Bessas and his officers heard this, they asserted, firstly, that to furnish them with provisions was impossible, secondly, that to put them to death would be unholy, and, thirdly, that even to release them was not without danger. But they insisted that Belisarius with the army from Byzantium would arrive right speedily, and after thus consoling them sent them away.
But the famine, becoming more severe as time went on, was greatly increasing its ravages, driving men to discover monstrous foods unknown to the natural desires of man. Now at first, since Bessas and Conon, who commanded the garrison in Rome, had, as it happened, stored away a vast supply of grain for their own use within the wails of Rome, they as well as the soldiers were constantly taking from the portion assigned for their own needs and selling at a great price to such Romans as were rich; for the price of a bushel had reached seven gold pieces. Those however, whose domestic circumstances were such that they were unable to partake of food which was so much dearer, were able, by paying in cash one fourth of this price, to get their bushel measures filled with bran; this was their food and necessity made it most sweet and dainty to their taste. As for beef, whenever the bodyguards of Bessas captured an ox in making a sally, they sold it for fifty gold pieces. And if any man had a horse or any other animal which had died, this Roman was counted among those exceedingly fortunate, seeing that he was able to live luxuriously upon the flesh of a dead animal. But all the rest of the numerous inhabitants were eating nettles only, such as grow in abundance about the walls and among the ruins in all parts of the city. And in order to prevent the pungent herb from stinging their lips and throat they boiled them thoroughly before eating.
So long, then, as the Romans had their gold currency, they bought their grain and bran in the manner described and went their way; but when their supply of this had at length failed, then they brought all their household goods to the forum and exchanged them for their daily sustenance. But when, finally, the soldiers of the emperor had no grain which they could possibly sell to the Romans (except, indeed, that Bessas still had a little left), nor had the Romans anything with which to buy, they all turned to the nettles. But this food was insufficient for them, for it was utterly impossible to satisfy themselves with it, and consequently their flesh withered away almost entirely, while their colour, gradually turning to a livid hue, gave them a most ghostly appearance. And it happened to many that, even as they walked along chewing the nettles with their teeth, death came suddenly upon them and they fell to the ground. And now they were even beginning to eat each other’s dung. There were many too, who, because of the pressure of the famine, destroyed themselves with their own hands; for they could no longer find either dogs or mice or any dead animal of any kind on which to feed.
Now there was a Roman in the city, the father of five children; and they gathered about him and, laying hold of his garment, kept demanding food. But he, without a word of lament and without letting it be seen that he was sorely troubled, but most steadfastly concealing all his suffering in his mind, bade the children follow him as if for the purpose of getting food. But when he came to the bridge over the Tiber, he tied his cloak over his face, thus concealing his eyes, and leaped from the bridge into the waters of the Tiber, the deed being witnessed both by his children and by all the Romans who were there.
From that time on the imperial commanders, upon receiving further money, released such of the Romans as desired to depart from the city. And only a few were left in the city; for all the rest made their escape by flight in whatever manner proved possible for each one. But the most of these, since their strength had been utterly wasted away by the famine, perished as soon as they had begun their journey, whether by water or by land. Many too were caught on the road by the enemy and destroyed. To such a pass had come the fortune of the senate and people of Rome.
Ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸ ξὺν τῷ Ἰωάννῃ καὶ Ἰσαάκῃ στράτευμα ἐς Ἐπίδαμνόν τε ἀφίκετο καὶ Βελισαρίῳ ξυνέμιξεν, Ἰωάννης μὲν ἅπαντας διαπορθμευσαμένους ἠξίου τὸν κόλπον πεζῇ ἰόντας παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ κοινῇ τὰ προσπίπτοντα φέρειν, Βελισαρίῳ δὲ ἀξύμφορον τοῦτο ἔδοξεν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ πλέουσι μὲν αὐτοῖς ἐς τὰ ἀμφὶ Ῥώμην χωρία μᾶλλον ξυνοίσειν: [2] πεζῇ γὰρ ἰοῦσι χρόνον τε σφίσι τετρίψεσθαι πλείω καί τι ὑπαντιάσειν ἴσως ἐμπόδιον: Ἰωάννην δὲ διά τε Καλαβρῶν καὶ τῶν ταύτῃ ἐθνῶν ἰόντα ἐξελάσαι μὲν ὀλίγους κομιδῆ τοὺς ἐνταῦθα βαρβάρους ὄντας, ὑποχείρια δὲ ποιησάμενον τὰ ἐντὸς κόλπου τοῦ Ἰονίου ξυμμῖξαι σφίσιν ἥκοντα ἐς τὰ ἀμφὶ Ῥώμην χωρία. [3] οὗ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς καταίρειν τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ διενοεῖτο. ᾤετο γὰρ πικρότατα πολιορκουμένων Ῥωμαίων, καί τινα, ὥς γε τὸ εἰκός, βραχυτάτην τριβὴν τὰ ἀνήκεστα λυμανεῖσθαι τοῖς πράγμασι. [4] καὶ πλέουσι μὲν ἀνέμου τε σφίσιν ἐπιφόρου ἐπιπεσόντος πεμπταίοις ἐς τὸν Ῥωμαίων λιμένα καταίρειν δυνατὰ ἔσεσθαι, στρατῷ δὲ ἐκ Δρυοῦντος πεζῇ ἰοῦσιν οὐδ̓ ἂν τεσσαράκοντα ἡμερῶν ἐν Ῥώμῃ γενέσθαι. [5] Ταῦτα βελισάριος Ἰωάννῃ ἐπιστείλας παντὶ τῷ στόλῳ ἐνθένδε ἀπῆρε: πνεύματος δὲ σκληροῦ σφίσιν ἐπιπεσόντος Δρυοῦντι προσέσχ
ον. [6] οὗπερ οἱ Γότθοι αἰσθόμενοι, ὅσοι δὴ ἐτετάχατο ἐπὶ τῇ πολιορκίᾳ τοῦ ἐνταῦθα φρουρίου, διαλύσαντες τὴν προσεδρείαν εὐθὺς κομίζονται ἀμφὶ πόλιν Βρεντέσιον, δυοῖν μὲν ἡμέραιν ὁδῷ Δρυοῦντος διέχουσαν, πρὸς δὲ τῇ ἀκτῇ τοῦ κόλπου κειμένην, ἀτείχιστον οὖσαν, ὑποτοπάζοντες Βελισάριον αὐτίκα δὴ διαβήσεσθαι τὸν ἐκείνῃ πορθμόν, ἔς τε Τουτίλαν τὰ παρόντα σφίσιν ἀνήνεγκαν. [7] ὁ δὲ πάντα τε τὸν στρατὸν ὡς ὑπαντιάσων ἐν παρασκευῇ ἐποιήσατο καὶ Γότθους τοὺς ἐν Καλαβρίᾳ ἐκέλευεν, ὅπη ἂν σφίσι δυνατὰ εἴη, τὴν δίοδον ἐν φυλακῇ ἔχειν. [8] Ἐπεὶ δὲ Βελισάριος πνεύματος ἐπιφόρου ἐπιπνεύσαντος ἐκ Δρυοῦντος ἀπέπλευσεν, οἵ τε Γότθοι ἀφροντιστήσαντες δίαιταν οὐ κατεσπουδασμένην ἐν Καλαβροῖς εἶχον καὶ ὁ Τουτίλας ἡσυχῆ μένων ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐφύλασσε τὰς ἐς Ῥώμην εἰσόδους, ὡς μή τι ἐσκομίζεσθαι τῶν ἐπιτηδείων δυνατὰ εἴη. [9] ἔν τε τῷ Τιβέριδι ἐπενόει τάδε. χῶρον κατανοήσας ᾗ μάλιστα ὁ ποταμὸς ἐν στενῷ κάτεισιν, ὅσον ἀπὸ σταδίων τῆς πόλεως ἐνενήκοντα, δοκοὺς ἐσάγαν μακρὰς ἐκ τῆς ἑτέρας ὄχθης ἄχρι ἐς τὴν ἑτέραν ἐξικνουμένας ἐνταῦθα ἐς γεφύρας κατέθετο σχῆμα. [10] πύργους τε δύο ξυλίνους παῤ ἑκατέραν ὄχθην τεκτηνάμενος φυλακτήριον κατεστήσατο μαχίμων ἀνδρῶν, ὡς μηκέτι ἀκάτοις τισὶν ἢ πλοίοις ἄλλοις ἐκ τοῦ Πόρτου ἀναγομένοις ἐς τὴν πόλιν ἐσιτητὰ εἴη. [11] Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ Βελισάριος μὲν ἐς τὸν τῶν Ῥωμαίων λιμένα κατῆρε, καὶ τὸ ξὺν τῷ Ἰωάννῃ στράτευμα ἔμενεν. Ἰωάννης δὲ ἐς Καλαβρίαν διαπορθμεύεται, Γότθων ἥκιστα αἰσθομένων, οἲ δὴ ἀμφὶ τὸ Βρεντέσιον, ὥσπερ ἐρρήθη, διατριβὴν εἶχον. [12] δύο τε τῶν πολεμίων λαβὼν ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ ὁδῷ ἰόντας τὸν μὲν ἕνα εὐθὺς ἔκτεινεν, ἅτερος δὲ αὐτοῦ τῶν γονάτων λαβόμενος ζωγρεῖσθαι ἠξίου. [13] ‘Οὐ γὰρ ἀχρεῖός σοι,’ ἔφη, ‘καὶ τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατῷ ἔσομαι.’ ἐρομένου δὲ αὐτὸν Ἰωάννου, τί δὲ οὐκ ἀπολούμενος συνοίσειν ποτὲ Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ αὐτῷ μέλλει, Γότθοις ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὡς ἥκιστα προσδεχομένοις ἐπιστήσειν αὐτὸν ὑπέσχετο. [14] καὶ ὃς ἀτυχήσειν μὲν αὐτὸν τῆς δεήσεως οὐδαμῆ ἔφασκε, χρῆναι δέ οἱ πρῶτα τὰς τῶν ἵππων νομὰς ἐνδεικνύναι. ἐπεὶ οὖν ὡμολόγει καὶ ταῦτα ὁ βάρβαρος σὺν αὐτῷ ᾔει. [15] καὶ πρῶτα μὲν τῶν πολεμίων τοὺς ἵππους νεμομένους καταλαβόντες ἀναθρώκουσιν ἐς αὐτοὺς ἅπαντες, ὅσοι πεζοὶ ὄντες ἐτύγχανον: οἳ δὴ πολλοί τε καὶ ἄριστοι ἦσαν. ἔπειτα δὲ χωροῦσι δρόμῳ ἐπὶ τὸ τῶν ἐναντίων στρατόπεδον. [16] οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι ἄνοπλοί τε καὶ ἀπαράσκευοι παντάπασιν ὄντες καὶ τῷ ἀπροσδοκήτῳ καταπλαγέντες αὐτοῦ μὲν οἱ πολλοὶ διεφθάρησαν, οὐδεμιᾶς ἀλκῆς μεμνημένοι, ὀλίγοι δέ τινες διαφυγόντες παρὰ Τουτίλαν ἐκομίσθησαν. [17] Ἰωάννης δὲ Καλαβροὺς ἅπαντας παρηγορῶν τε καὶ τιθασσεύων ἐς εὔνοιαν τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπηγάγετο, πολλὰ σφίσιν ὑποσχόμενος πρός τε βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἀγαθὰ ἔσεσθαι. [18] ἄρας τε ὡς εἶχε τάχους ἐκ τοῦ Βρεντεσίου, πόλιν καταλαμβάνει Κανούσιον ὄνομα, ἣ κεῖται μὲν ἐν Ἀπουλίοις που μέσοις, πέντε δὲ ἡμερῶν ὁδῷ Βρεντεσίου διέχει ἐς τὰ πρὸς ἑσπέραν τε καὶ Ῥώμην ἰόντι. [19] τούτου Κανουσίου πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι σταδίους ἀπέχουσι Κάνναι, ἵνα δὴ λέγουσι Λιβύων στρατηγοῦντος ἐν τοῖς ἄνω χρόνοις Ἀννίβαλος τὸ μέγα πάθος ξυμβῆναι Ῥωμαίοις. [20] Ἐνταῦθα Τουλλιανός τις, Βεναντίου παῖς, ἀνὴρ Ῥωμαῖος, δύναμιν πολλὴν ἔν τε Βριττίοις καὶ Λευκανοῖς ἔχων, Ἰωάννῃ ἐς ὄψιν ἥκων ᾐτιᾶτο μὲν τὸν βασιλέως στρατὸν τῶν πρόσθεν ἐς Ἰταλιώτας αὐτοῖς εἰργασμένων, ὡμολόγει δέ, ἤν τινι τὸ λοιπὸν ἐπιεικείᾳ ἐς αὐτοὺς χρήσωνται, Βριττίους τε καὶ Λευκανοὺς ἐγχειριεῖν σφίσι, κατηκόους βασιλεῖ αὖθις ἐς φόρου ἀπαγωγὴν ἐσομένους οὐδέν τι ἧσσον ἢ πρότερον ἦσαν. [21] οὐδὲ γὰρ ἑκόντας αὐτοὺς προσκεχωρηκέναι βαρβάροις τε καὶ Ἀρειανοῖς οὖσιν, ἀλλ̓ ὡς μάλιστα πρὸς μὲν τῶν ἐναντίων βιαζομένους, πρὸς δὲ τῶν βασιλέως στρατιωτῶν ἀδικουμένους. [22] Ἰωάννου δὲ πάντα ἰσχυριζομένου πρὸς αὐτῶν τὸ λοιπὸν Ἰταλιώταις τἀγαθὰ ἔσεσθαι, ξὺν αὐτῷ ὁ Τουλλιανὸς ᾔει. [23] καὶ ἀπ̓ αὐτοῦ ὑποψίᾳ οἱ στρατιῶται οὐδεμιᾷ ἐς Ἰταλιώτας ἔτι εἴχοντο, ἀλλὰ τὰ πλεῖστα τῶν ἐντὸς κόλπου τοῦ Ἰονίου φίλιά τε αὐτοῖς καὶ βασιλεῖ ἐγεγόνει κατήκοα. [24] Ἐπεὶ δὲ ταῦτα Τουτίλας ἤκουσε, Γότθων τριακοσίους ἀπολεξάμενος ἐς Καπύην πέμπει. οἷς δὴ ἐπέστελλεν, ἐπειδὰν τὸ ξὺν τῷ Ἰωάννῃ στράτευμα ἐνθένδε ἴδοιεν ἐς Ῥώμην ἰόντας, ἕπεσθαι σφίσιν αἴσθησιν αὐτοῖς οὐδεμίαν παρεχομένους: [25] αὐτῷ γὰρ τὰ ἄλλα μελήσειν. δείσας τε διὰ ταῦτα Ἰωάννης μὴ ἐς κύκλωσιν τῶν πολεμίων τινὰ ἐμπέσῃ, παρὰ Βελισάριον μὲν οὐκέτι ᾔει, ἐς δὲ Βριττίους καὶ Λευκανοὺς ἐχώρει. [26] Ἦν δέ τις ἐν Γότθοις Ῥεκιμοῦνδος, ἀνὴρ δόκιμος, ὅνπερ ὁ Τουτίλας ἐπὶ τῇ Βριττίων φρουρᾷ καταστησάμενος ἔτυχε, Γότθων τε καὶ Ῥωμαίων στρατιωτῶν καὶ Μαυρουσίων αὐτομόλων τινὰς ἔχοντα, ἐφ̓ ᾧ ξὺν αὐτοῖς τόν τε κατὰ Σκύλλαν φυλάξει πορθμὸν καὶ τὴν ταύτῃ ἠϊόνα, ὡς μήτε ἐνθένδε τινὲς ἀπαίρειν ἐς Σικελίαν μήτε ἐκ τῆς νήσου ἐνταῦθα καταπλεῖν ἀδεέστερον οἷοί τε ὦσι. [27] τούτῳ τῷ στρατῷ μεταξὺ Ῥηγίου τε καὶ Βέβωνος ἀπροσδόκητος καὶ αὐτά
γγελος Ἰωάννης ἐπιπεσὼν κατέπληξέ τε ἐκ τοῦ αἰφνιδίου οὐδεμιᾶς ἀλκῆς αὐτοὺς μεμνημένους, καὶ αὐτίκα ἐς φυγὴν ἔτρεψε. [28] καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐς τὸ ὄρος ὃ ταύτῃ ἀνέχει, δύσβατόν τε ὂν καὶ ἄλλως κρημνῶδες, κατέφυγον, Ἰωάννης δὲ διώξας τε καὶ ξὺν τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐν τῷ ἀνάντει γενόμενος, οὔπω τε σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐν ταῖς δυσχωρίαις κρατυναμένοις ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθών, πλείστους μὲν τῶν τε Μαυρουσίων καὶ Ῥωμαίων στρατιωτῶν ἔκτεινεν, ἰσχυρότατα ἀμυνομένους, Ῥεκιμοῦνδον δὲ καὶ Γότθους ξὺν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἅπασιν ὁμολογίᾳ εἷλεν. [29] Ἰωάννης μὲν ταῦτα διαπεπραγμένος αὐτοῦ ἔμενε, Βελισάριος δὲ Ἰωάννην ἐς ἀεὶ καραδοκῶν ἡσυχῆ ἔμενεν. ἐμέμφετό τε ὅτι δὴ οὐ διακινδυνεύσας τε καὶ τοῖς ἐν Καπύῃ φυλάσσουσι τριακοσίοις οὖσιν ἐς χεῖρας ἥκων ποιεῖσθαι τὴν δίοδον ἐνεχείρησε, καίπερ βαρβάρους ἀριστίνδην ξυνειλεγμένους ξὺν αὑτῷ ἔχων. Ἰωάννης δὲ τὴν δίοδον ἀπογνοὺς ἐπὶ Ἀπουλίας ἐχώρησεν, ἔν τε χωρίῳ Κερβαρίῳ καλουμένῳ ἡσύχαζε.
Delphi Complete Works of Procopius Page 483