Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  [8] For she first tortured certain intimates of Belisarius and Photius, alleging against them only the fact that they were on friendly terms with these two men, and then so disposed of them that up to this day we do not yet know what their final fate was; others too she punished by banishment, laying this same charge against them.

  [9] ἕνα μέντοι τῶν Φωτίῳ ἐς τὴν Ἔφεσον ἐπισπομένων, Θεοδόσιον ὄνομα, καίπερ ἐς ἀξίωμα βουλῆς ἥκοντα, τὴν οὐσίαν ἀφελομένη ἐν δωματίῳ καταγείῳ τε καὶ ὅλως ζοφώδει ἔστησεν ἐπὶ φάτνης τινὸς βρόχον οἱ τοῦ τραχήλου ἀναψαμένη ἐς τοσόνδε βραχὺν, ὥστε αὐτῷ δὴ ἐντετάσθαι καὶ χαλαρὸν μηδαμῆ εἶναι.

  [9] But one of those who had followed Photius to Ephesus, Theodosius by name, though he had attained the dignity of Senator, she stripped of his property and forced him to stand in an underground chamber which was utterly dark, tying his neck to a sort of manger with a rope so short that it was always stretched taut for the man and never hung slack.

  [10] ἑστηκὼς ἀμέλει διηνεκὲς ἐπὶ ταύτης δὴ τῆς φάτνης ὁ τάλας ἤσθιέ τε καὶ ὕπνον ᾑρεῖτο, καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἤνυεν ἁπάσας τῆς φύσεως χρείας, ἄλλο τέ οἱ οὐδὲν ἐς τὸ τοῖς

  [10] So the poor wretch stood there continuously at this manger, both eating and sleeping and fulfilling all the other needs of nature, and nothing except braying was needed to complete his resemblance to the ass.

  [11] ὄνοις εἰκάζεσθαι ὅ τι μὴ βρωμᾶσθαι ἐλέλειπτο. χρόνος δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ οὐχ ἥσσων ἢ μηνῶν τεσσάρων ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ διαίτῃ ἐτρίβη, ἕως μελαγχολίας νόσῳ ἁλοὺς μανείς τε ἐκτόπως καὶ οὕτω δὴ ταύτης τῆς εἱρκτῆς ἀφεθεὶς εἶτα ἀπέθανε.

  [11] And a time amounting to not less than four months was passed by the man in this existence until he was attacked by the disease of melancholy, became violently insane and so finally was released from this confinement and then died. And she forced Belisarius,

  [12] καὶ Βελισάριον οὔτι ἑκούσιον Ἀντωνίνῃ τῇ γυναικὶ καταλλαγῆναι ἠνάγκασε. Φώτιον δὲ αἰκισμοῖς τε ἄλλοις ἀνδραποδώδεσι περιβαλοῦσα καὶ ξάνασα κατά τε τοῦ νώτου καὶ τῶν ὤμων πολλὰς, ἐκλέγειν ἐκέλευεν ὅποι ποτὲ γῆς Θεοδόσιός τε καὶ ὁ προαγωγὸς εἴη.

  [12] quite against his will, to become reconciled with his wife Antonina. She then inflicted sundry servile tortures upon Photius, among others combing his back and his shoulders with many lashes and commanded him to tell where in the world Theodosius and the go-between were.

  [13] ὁ δὲ καίπερ ὑπὸ τῆς βασάνου κατατεινόμενος τὰ ὀμωμοσμένα ἐμπεδοῦν ἔγνω, ἀνὴρ νοσώδης μὲν καὶ ἀνειμένος γεγονὼς πρότερον, ἐς δὲ τὴν ἀμφὶ τὸ σῶμα θεραπείαν ἐσπουδακὼς, ὕβρεώς τε γενόμενος ἢ ταλαιπωρίας τινὸς ἄπειρος.

  [13] But he, though being racked with torture, determined to hold fast to his oath; for though he was a sickly person and had in earlier life been dissolute, yet he had been devoted to the care of his body, having experienced neither wanton treatment nor hardship.

  [14] οὐδὲν γοῦν αὐτὸς τῶν Βελισαρίου κεκρυμμένων ἐξεῖπεν. ὕστερον μέντοι ἅπαντα τὰ τέως ἀπόρρητα ἐς φῶς ἐληλούθει.

  [14] At any rate, he disclosed not one of the secrets of Belisarius. At a later time, however, everything which hitherto had remained secret came to light.

  [15] καὶ Καλλίγονον μὲν ἥδ̓ ἐνταῦθα εὑροῦσα τῇδε παρέδωκε, τὸν δὲ Θεοδόσιον μετακαλέσασα ἐς Βυζάντιον, ἐπειδὴ ἀφίκετο, εὐθὺς μὲν κρύπτει ἐν Παλατίῳ, τῇ δὲ ὑστεραίᾳ μεταπεμψαμένη Ἀντωνίναν,

  [15] She also found Calligonus there and handed him over to Antonina. And she summoned Theodosius to Byzantium, and upon his arrival, straightway concealed him in the Palace; and next day, calling Antonina to her, she said

  [16] ‘Ὦ φιλτάτη πατρικία’ ἔφη ‘μάργαρον ἐς χεῖρας τὰς ἐμὰς τῇ προτεραίᾳ ἐμπέπτωκεν, οἷον οὐδείς ποτ̓ ἀνθρώπων εἶδε. καί σοι βουλομένῃ οὐκ ἂν φθονήσαιμι τοῦ θεάματος τούτου,

  [16] “O dearest Patrician, yesterday a pearl fell into my hands, such as no man ever saw. If you wish, I should not begrudge you the sight of this, nay, I shall shew it to you.”

  [17] ἀλλὰ ἐπιδείξω.’ καὶ ἡ μὲν οὐ ξυνιεῖσα τοῦ πρασσομένου τὸν μάργαρόν οἱ ἐπιδεῖξαι πολλὰ ἐλιπάρει. ἡ δὲ τὸν Θεοδόσιον ἐξ οἰκιδίου τῶν τινος εὐνούχων

  [17] And she, not comprehending what was going on, begged her earnestly to shew her the pearl. And she brought Theodosius out of the room of one of the eunuchs and shewed him to her.

  [18] ἐξαγαγοῦσα ἐπέδειξεν. Ἀντωνίνα δὲ τὰ μὲν πρῶτα περιχαρὴς ἄγαν γεγονυῖα ὑφ̓ ἡδονῆς ἀχανὴς ἔμεινε, χάριτάς τέ οἱ δεδρακέναι ὡμολόγει πολλὰς, σώτειράν τε καὶ εὐεργέτιν ἀποκαλοῦσα καὶ δέσποιναν ὄντως.

  [18] And Antonina was so overjoyed that she at first remained speechless with pleasure, and then she acknowledged that Theodora had done her a great favour, calling her Saviour and Benefactor and Mistress in very truth.

  [19] τοῦτον δὲ τὸν Θεοδόσιον ἡ βασιλὶς κατασχοῦσα ἐν Παλατίῳ τρυφῆς τε καὶ τῆς ἄλλης εὐπαθείας ἠξίου, στρατηγόν τε ἠπείλησε Ῥωμαίοις αὐτὸν οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν καταστήσεσθαι.

  [19] And so the Empress detained this Theodosius in the Palace and bestowed upon him luxury and all manner of indulgence, and threatened that she would make him a Roman General after no long time.

  [20] ἀλλά τις προτερήσασα δίκη νόσῳ ἁλόντα δυσεντερίας ἐξ ἀνθρώπων αὐτὸν ἀφανίζει.

  [20] But a sort of justice forestalled her, for he was seized by an attack of dysentery and removed from the world.

  [21] ἦν δὲ οἰκίδια τῇ Θεοδώρᾳ ἀπόκρυφα μὲν καὶ ὅλως λεληθότα ζοφώδη τε καὶ ἀγείτονα, ἔνθα δὴ οὔτε νυκτὸς οὔτε ἡμέρας δήλωσις γίνεται.

  [21] Now Theodora had concealed rooms which were completely hidden, being dark and isolated, where no indication of night or day could be observed.

  [22] ἐνταῦθα τὸν Φώτιον ἐπὶ χρόνου μῆκος καθείρξασα ἐτήρει. ὅθεν δὴ αὐτῷ ξυνέβη τις τύχη οὐχ ἅπαξ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δὶς διαφυγόντι ἀπαλλαγῆναι.

  [22] There she confined Photius and kept him under guard for a long time. From this place he had the fortune, not once but even twice, to escape and get away.

  [23] καὶ τὰ μὲν πρῶτα καταφυγὼν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τῆς θεοτόκου, ὅσπερ ἐν Βυζαντίοις ἁγιώτατός ἐστί τε καὶ ὠνομάσθη, παρὰ τὴν ἱερὰν τράπεζαν ἱκέτης καθῆστο. ἐ�
�τεῦθέν τε αὐτὸν ἀναστήσασα βίᾳ τῇ πάσῃ καθεῖρξεν αὖθις.

  [23] The first time he fled to the Church of the Mother of God, which among the Byzantines is considered most holy, as it indeed was designated in its name, and he sat as a suppliant beside the holy table. Thence she forced him with great violence to rise and once more put him into confinement.

  [24] τὸ δὲ δὴ δεύτερον ἐς τῆς Σοφίας τὸ ἱερὸν ἥκων, ἐς αὐτήν που τὴν θείαν δεξαμενὴν ἐξαπιναίως ἐκάθισεν, ἥνπερ μάλιστα πάντων νενομίκασι Χριστιανοὶ σέβειν.

  [24] And the second time he reached the sanctuary of Sophia, and he suddenly seated himself close to the divine receptacle itself, which the Christians have been wont to reverence above all things.

  [25] ἀλλὰ κἀνθένδε ἀφέλκειν αὐτὸν ἡ γυνὴ ἴσχυσε. χωρίον γὰρ ἀβέβηλον πώποτε ἀνέφαπτον αὐτῇ οὐδὲν γέγονεν, ἀλλ̓ αὐτῇ βιάζεσθαι τὰ ἱερὰ ξύμπαντα οὐδὲν πρᾶγμα ἐδόκει εἶναι.

  [25] But the woman succeeded in dragging him away even from there. For no inviolable spot ever remained inaccessible to her, but it seemed nothing to her to do violence to any and all sacred things.

  [26] καὶ ξὺν τῷ δήμῳ οἱ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἱερεῖς καταπεπληγμένοι τῷ δέει ἐξίσταντο καὶ ἐνεχώρουν αὐτῇ ἅπαντα.

  [26] And not only the populace but also the priests of the Christians, smitten with terror, stood aside and conceded everything to her.

  [27] τριῶν μὲν οὖν αὐτῷ ἐνιαυτῶν χρόνος ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ διαίτῃ ἐτρίβη, ὕστερον δὲ ὁ προφήτης αὐτῷ Ζαχαρίας ἐπιστὰς ὄναρ ὅρκοις, φασὶν, ἐκέλευσε φεύγειν, συλλήψεσθαί οἱ ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ τῷδε ὁμολογήσας.

  [27] So a period of three years was passed by him in this manner of life, but afterwards the prophet Zachariah stood over him in a dream and with oaths, they say, commanded him to flee, promising that he would lend him a hand in this undertaking.

  [28] ταύτῃ τε τῇ ὄψει ἀναπεισθεὶς ἀνέστη τε ἐνθένδε καὶ διαλαθὼν εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα ἦλθε, μυρίων μὲν αὐτὸν διερευνωμένων ἀνθρώπων, οὐδενὸς δὲ τὸν νεανίαν, καίπερ ἐντυχόντα ὁρῶντος.

  [28] Persuaded by this vision he got away from there and escaping detection came to Jerusalem, and though countless persons were searching for him, no man saw the youth, even when he stood before him.

  [29] οὗ δὴ ἀποθριξάμενός τε καὶ τῶν μοναχῶν καλουμένων τὸ σχῆμα περιβαλλόμενος τὴν ἐκ Θεοδώρας κόλασιν διαφυγεῖν ἔσχε.

  [29] There he shaved his head, and by clothing himself in the garb of the monks, as they are called, he succeeded in escaping the punishment of Theodora.

  [30] Βελισάριος δὲ τὰ ὀμωμοσμένα ἠλογηκὼς, τιμωρεῖν τε οὐδαμῆ τούτῳ ἑλόμενος πάσχοντι, ὥσπερ ἐρρήθη, ἀνόσια ἔργα, ἐς πάντα οἱ λοιπὸν τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα πολέμια τὰ πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς εὗρεν: εὐθὺς γὰρ ἐπί τε Μήδους καὶ Χοσρόην σταλεὶς τὸ τρίτον ἐσβαλόντας ἐς Ῥωμαίων τὴν γῆν κακότητα ὦφλε.

  [30] But Belisarius had neglected his oath and had chosen in no way to support this man, though he was suffering unholy treatment, as I have said; and so, in all his undertakings thereafter, he naturally found the power of God hostile. For straightway, being sent against the Medes and Chosroes, who were making their third invasion into Roman territory, he was guilty of cowardice.

  [31] καίτοι ἐδόκει τι λόγου ἄξιον διαπεπρᾶχθαι, τὸν πόλεμον ἐνθένδε ἀποσεισάμενος. ἀλλ̓ ἐπεὶ Χοσρόης Εὐφράτην διαβὰς ποταμὸν Καλλίνικον πόλιν πολυάνθρωπον οὐδενὸς ἀμυνομένου εἷλε καὶ μυριάδας ἠνδραπόδισε Ῥωμαίων πολλάς, Βελισάριος δὲ οὐδὲ ὅσον ἐπισπέσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐν σπουδῇ ἔσχε, δόξαν ἀπήνεγκεν ὡς δυοῖν θάτερον, ἢ ἐθελοκακήσας ἢ ἀποδειλιάσας, αὐτοῦ ἔμεινεν.

  [31] And yet he did seem to have accomplished something of note in having shaken off the war from that quarter. Yet when Chosroes crossed the Euphrates River, captured the populous city of Callinicus which had not a man to defend it, and enslaved many thousand Romans, and when Belisarius was not concerned even to follow up the enemy, he won the reputation of having remained where he was for one of two reasons — either because he was wilfully negligent or else because he was a coward.

  IV

  Ὑπὸ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον καί τι ἕτερον αὐτῷ ἐπιπεσεῖν ξυνηνέχθη τοιόνδε. ὁ μὲν λοιμὸς, οὗπερ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν λόγοις ἐμνήσθην, ἐπενέμετο τοὺς ἐν Βυζαντίῳ ἀνθρώπους. βασιλεῖ δὲ Ἰουστινιανῷ χαλεπώτατα νοσῆσαι ξυνέβη, ὥστε καὶ ἐλέγετο ὅτι ἀπολώλει.

  At about this time another thing also befell him, as follows. The plague which I mentioned in the previous narrative was ravaging the population of Byzantium. And the Emperor Justinian was taken very seriously ill, so that it was even reported that he had died.

  [2] τοῦτον δὲ τὸν λόγον περιαγαγοῦσα ἡ φήμη διεκόμισεν ἄχρι ἐς τὸ Ῥωμαίων στρατόπεδον. ἐνταῦθα ἔλεγον τῶν ἀρχόντων τινὲς ὡς, ἢν βασιλέα Ῥωμαῖοι ἕτερόν τινα ἐν Βυζαντίῳ καταστήσωνται σφίσιν, οὐ μήποτε αὐτοὶ ἐπιτρέψωσιν.

  [2] And this report was circulated by rumour and was carried as far as the Roman army. There some of the commanders began to say that, if the Romans should set up a second Justinian as Emperor over them in Byzantium, they would never tolerate it.

  [3] ὀλίγῳ δὲ ὕστερον βασιλεῖ μὲν ῥαΐσαι ξυνέβη, τοῖς δὲ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἄρχουσι διαβόλοις ἐπ̓ ἀλλήλοις γενέσθαι.

  [3] But a little later it so fell out that the Emperor recovered, and the commanders of the Roman army began to slander one another.

  [4] Πέτρος τε γὰρ ὁ στρατηγὸς καὶ Ἰωάννης, ὅνπερ ἐπίκλησιν Φαγᾶν ἐκάλουν, Βελισαρίου τε καὶ Βούζου ἐκεῖνα λεγόντων ἰσχυρίζοντο ἀκηκοέναι ἅπερ μοι ἀρτίως δεδήλωται.

  [4] For Peter the General and John whom they called the Glutton declared that they had heard Belisarius and Bouzes say those things which I have just mentioned.

  [5] ταῦτά γε ἡ βασιλὶς Θεοδώρα ἐπικαλέσασα ἐφ̓ ἑαυτῇ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εἰρῆσθαι μεστὴ ἐγεγόνει.

  [5] The Empress Theodora, declaring that these slighting things which the men had said were directed against her, became quite out of patience.

  [6] ἅπαντας οὖν εὐθὺς μετακαλέσασα ἐς Βυζάντιον, ζήτησίν τε τοῦ λόγου τούτου ποιησαμένη, τὸν Βούζην μετεπέμψατο εἰς τὴν γυναικωνῖτιν ἐξαπιναίως, ὥς τι αὐτῷ κοινολογησομένη τῶν ἄγαν σπουδαίων.

  [6] So
she straightway summoned them all to Byzantium and made an investigation of the report; and she called Bouzes suddenly into the woman’s apartment as if to communicate to him something very important.

  [7] ἦν δέ τι οἴκημα ἐν Παλατίῳ κατάγειον, ἀσφαλές τε καὶ λαβυρινθῶδες καὶ οἷον Ταρτάρῳ εἰκάζεσθαι, ἵνα δὴ τοὺς προσκεκρουκότας ὡς τὰ πολλὰ καθείρξασα ἐτήρει.

  [7] Now there was a suite of rooms in the Palace, below the ground level, secure and a veritable labyrinth, so that it seemed to resemble Tartarus, where she usually kept in confinement those who had given offence.

  [8] καὶ ὁ Βούζης οὖν εἰς τὸ βάραθρον τοῦτο ἐμβέβληται, ἐνταῦθά τε ἀνὴρ ἐξ ὑπάτων γενόμενος ἄγνωστος ἀεὶ τοῦ παρόντος καιροῦ ἔμεινεν.

  [8] So Bouzes was hurled into this pit, and in that place he, a man sprung from a line of consuls, remained, forever unaware of time.

  [9] οὔτε γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐν σκότῳ καθήμενος διαγινώσκειν οἷός τε ἐγεγόνει πότερον ἡμέρα ἢ νύκτωρ

  [9] For as he sat there in the darkness, he could distinguish whether it was day or night, nor could he communicate with any other person.

  [10] εἴη οὔτε ἄλλῳ τῳ ἐντυχεῖν εἶχεν. ἅνθρωπος γὰρ, ὅσπερ οἱ ἐς ἡμέραν ἑκάστην τὰ σιτία ἐρρίπτει, ὥσπερ τι θηρίον θηρίῳ ἄφωνος ἀφώνῳ ὡμίλει.

  [10] For the man who threw him his food for each day met him in silence, one as dumb as the other, as one beast meets another.