[11] καὶ πᾶσι μὲν τετελευτηκέναι εὐθὺς ἔδοξε, λόγον μέντοι ἢ μνήμην ποιεῖσθαι αὐτοῦ τινα ἐτόλμα οὐδείς. ἐνιαυτοῖν δὲ δυοῖν ὕστερον πρὸς μησὶ τέσσαρσιν οἰκτισαμένη τὸν ἄνδρα ἀφῆκε.
[11] And straightway it was supposed by all that he had died, but no one dared mention or recall him. But two years and four months later she was moved to pity and released the man,
[12] καὶ ὃς ὥσπερ ἀναβεβιωκὼς ἅπασιν ὤφθη. ξυνέβη τε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐνθένδε ἀεὶ ἀμβλυώττειν τε καὶ τὸ ἄλλο σῶμα νοσώδει εἶναι.
[12] and he was seen by all as one who had returned from the dead. But thereafter he always suffered from weak sight and his whole body was sickly.
[13] Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ τῷ Βούζῃ τῇδε ἐχώρησε. Βελισάριον δὲ βασιλεὺς, καίπερ οὐδενὸς τῶν κατηγορουμένων ἁλόντα, ἐγκειμένης τῆς βασιλίδος παραλύσας ἧς εἶχεν ἀρχῆς Μαρτῖνον ἀντ̓ αὐτοῦ τῆς ἑῴας στρατηγὸν κατεστήσατο, τούς τε Βελισαρίου δορυφόρους τε καὶ ὑπασπιστὰς, καὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν εἴ τι ἐν πολέμῳ δόκιμον ἦν, τῶν τε ἀρχόντων καὶ τῶν ἐν Παλατίῳ εὐνούχων τισὶν ἐπέστειλε διαδάσασθαι.
[13] Such was the experience of Bouzes. As for Belisarius, though he was convicted of none of the charges, the Emperor, at the insistence of the Empress, relieved him of the command which he held and appointed Martinus to be General of the East in his stead, and instructed him to distribute the spearmen and guards of Belisarius and all his servants who were notable men in war to certain of the officers and Palace eunuchs.
[14] οἱ δὲ κλήρους ἐπ̓ ἐκείνοις ἐμβεβλημένοι αὐτοῖς ὅπλοις ἅπαντας ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς διενείμαντο, ὥς πη κατατυχεῖν ἑκάστῳ συνέβη.
[14] So these cast lots for them and divided them all up among themselves, arms and all, as each happened to win them.
[15] καὶ τῶν φίλων δὲ καὶ ἄλλως αὐτῷ τὰ πρότερα ὑπουργηκότων πολλοῖς ἀπεῖπε παρὰ Βελισάριον μηκέτι ἰέναι.
[15] And many of those who had been his friends or had previously served him in some way he forbade to visit Belisarius any longer.
[16] καὶ περιήρχετο πικρὸν θέαμα καὶ ἄπιστος ὄψις, Βελισάριος ἰδιώτης ἐν Βυζαντίῳ, σχεδόν τι μόνος, σύννους ἀεὶ καὶ σκυθρωπὸς καὶ τὸν ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς ὀρρωδῶν θάνατον.
[16] And he went about, a sorry and incredible sight, Belisarius a private citizen in Byzantium, practically alone, always pensive and gloomy, and dreading a death by violence.a
[17] μαθοῦσα δὲ ἡ βασιλὶς πολλά οἱ ἐπὶ τῆς ἕω χρήματα εἶναι, πέμψασα τῶν ἐν Παλατίῳ εὐνούχων τινὰ κεκόμισται πάντα.
[17] And the Empress, learning that he had much money in the East, sent one of the Palace eunuchs and had it all brought back.
[18] ἐτύγχανε δὲ ἡ Ἀντωνίνα, ὥς μοι εἴρηται, τῷ μὲν ἀνδρὶ διάφορος γεγενημένη, τῇ δὲ βασιλίδι φιλτάτη καὶ ἀναγκαιοτάτη οὖσα ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα ἅτε Ἰωάννην ἔναγχος κατεργασαμένη τὸν Καππαδόκην.
[18] But Antonina, as I have said, had indeed quarrelled with her husband, yet was on terms of closest friendship and intimacy with the Empress, seeing she had recently accomplished the ruin of John the Cappadocian.
[19] διὸ δὴ χαρίσασθαι ἡ βασιλὶς τῇ Ἀντωνίνῃ βουλευσαμένη, ἅπαντα ἔπραττεν ὅπως ἐξαιτήσασθαί τε τὸν ἄνδρα ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἀπὸ ξυμφορῶν τηλικῶνδε ῥύσασθαι δόξειε, ταύτῃ τε οὐ μόνον τῷ ταλαιπώρῳ ἐς τὸ παντελὲς καταλλαγῆναι συμβήσεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ διαρρήδην αὐτὸν ἅτε πρὸς αὐτῆς διασεσωσμένον αἰχμάλωτον ἀναρπάσασθαι.
[19] So the Empress, in her determination to shew favours to Antonina, left nothing undone to have it appear that the woman had interceded successfully for her husband and had rescued him from such overwhelming misfortunes, and to bring it about that she should not only be completely reconciled with the wretched man, but also that she should unequivocally rescue him as though he were a prisoner of war whose life had been saved by her.
[20] ἐγένετο δὲ ὧδε. ἦλθε μέν ποτε Βελισάριος πρωῒ ἐς Παλάτιον, ᾗπερ εἰώθει, ξὺν ἀνθρώποις οἰκτροῖς τε καὶ ὀλίγοις τισίν.
[20] And it came about as follows. Belisarius had on one occasion come early in the morning to the Palace, accompanied, as was his wont, by a small and pitiful escort.
[21] οὐκ εὐμενῶν δὲ πειρασάμενος βασιλέως τε καὶ τῆς βασιλίδος, ἀλλὰ καὶ περιυβρισμένος ἐνταῦθα ὑπ̓ ἀνδρῶν μοχθηρῶν τε καὶ ἀγελαίων, οἴκαδε ἀμφὶ δείλην ὀψίαν ἀπιὼν ᾤχετο, συχνά τε περιστρεφόμενος ἐν τῇ ἀναχωρήσει ταύτῃ καὶ πανταχόσε περισκοπούμενος, ὁπόθεν ποτὲ προσιόντας αὐτῷ τοὺς ἀπολλύντας ἴδοι.
[21] And finding the Emperor and the Empress not well disposed towards him, and also having been insulted there by men of the base and common sort, he departed for his home late in the evening, often turning about as he walked away and looking around in every direction from which he might see his would-be assassins approaching.
[22] ξὺν ταύτῃ τε τῇ ὀρρωδίᾳ εἰς τὸ δωμάτιον ἀναβὰς ἐπὶ τῆς στιβάδος καθῆστο μόνος, γενναῖον μὲν οὐδὲν ἐννοῶν, οὐδὲ ὅτι ἀνὴρ ἐγεγόνει ἐν μνήμῃ ἔχων, ἱδρῶν δὲ ἀεὶ καὶ ἰλιγγιῶν καὶ ξὺν τρόμῳ πολλῷ ἀπορούμενος, φόβοις τε ἀνδραποδώδεσι καὶ μερίμναις ἀποκναιόμενος φιλοψύχοις τε καὶ ὅλως ἀνάνδροις.
[22] In such a state of terror he went up to his chamber and sat down alone upon his couch, thinking not one worthy thought nor even remembering that he had ever been a man, but perspiring constantly, with his head swimming, trembling violently in helpless despair, tortured by servile fears and apprehensions which were both cowardly and wholly unmanly.
[23] Ἀντωνίνα δὲ ἅτε οὔτε τὰ πρασσόμενα ὅλως ἐπισταμένη οὔτε τι τῶν ἐσομένων καραδοκοῦσα περιπάτους ἐνταῦθα ἐποιεῖτο συχνοὺς ὀξυρεγμίαν σκήπτομένη:
[23] Meanwhile Antonina, as though not understanding at all what was going on or expecting any of the things which were about to happen, was walking up and down there repeatedly, pleading an attack of indigestion; for they still maintained a suspicious attitude towards one another.
[24] ἔτι γὰρ εἰς ἀλλήλους ὑπόπτως εἶχον. μεταξὺ δέ τις ἐκ Παλατίου, Κουαδρᾶτος ὄνομα, ἧκεν ἤδη δεδυκότος ἡλίου, τήν τε αὔλειον ὑπερβὰς ἐξαπιναίως παρὰ τὴν ἀνδρωνίτιδα ἔστη θύραν, φάσκων πρὸς τῆς βασιλίδος ἐνταῦθα ἐστάλθαι.
; [24] In the meantime a man from the Palace, Quadratus by name, arrived after the sun had already set, and passing through the door of the court, suddenly stood by the door of the men’s apartments, stating that he had been sent there by the Empress.
[25] ὅπερ ἐπεὶ Βελισάριος ἤκουσε, χεῖρας καὶ πόδας ἐπὶ τῆς στιβάδος ἑλκύσας ὕπτιος ἔκειτο, πρὸς τὴν ἀναίρεσιν ἑτοιμότατος: οὕτως ἅπαν αὐτὸν τὸ ἀρρενωπὸν ἀπελελοίπει.
[25] When Belisarius heard this, he drew up his hands and feet upon the couch and lay there upon his back, completely prepared for destruction; so thoroughly had all his manhood left him.
[26] οὔπω τοίνυν ὁ Κουαδρᾶτος παῤ αὐτὸν εἰσελθὼν γράμματά οἱ τῆς βασιλίδος ἐπέδειξεν.
[26] And before Quadratus had come into his presence, he displayed to him a letter from the Empress.
[27] ἐδήλου δὲ ἡ γραφὴ τάδε ‘Ἃ μὲν εἰργάσω ἡμᾶς, ὦ βέλτιστε, οἷσθα. ἐγὼ δὲ τὰ πολλὰ ὀφείλουσα τῇ σῇ γυναικὶ, ταῦτα δὴ τὰ ἐγκλήματά σοι ἀφεῖναι ξύμπαντα ἔγνωκα, ἐκείνῃ τὴν σὴν δωρουμένη ψυχήν.
[27] And the writing set forth the following. “You know, noble Sir, how you have treated us. But I, for my part, since I am greatly indebted to your wife, have decided to dismiss all these charges against you, giving to her the gift of your life.
[28] τὸ μὲν οὖν ἔνθεν σοι τὸ θαρσεῖν ὑπέρ τε τῆς σωτηρίας καὶ τῶν χρημάτων περίεστιν: ὁποῖος δὲ σὺ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἔσῃ διὰ τῶν πραχθησομένων εἰσόμεθα.’
[28] For the future, then, you may be confident concerning both your life and your property; and we shall know concerning your attitude towards her from your future behaviour.”
[29] ταῦτα ἐπεὶ Βελισάριος ἀνελέξατο, ἅμα μὲν ὑφ̓ ἡδονῆς ἐπὶ μέγα ἀρθεὶς, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τῷ παρόντι ἐπίδειξιν ἐθέλων ποιεῖσθαι τῆς γνώμης, ἀναστὰς εὐθὺς παρὰ τῆς γυναικὸς τοὺς πόδας ἐπὶ στόμα πίπτει.
[29] When Belisarius had read this, being transported with joy and at the same time wishing to give immediate evidence of his feelings, he straightway arose and fell on his face before the feet of his wife.
[30] καὶ χειρὶ μὲν ἑκατέρᾳ περιλαβὼν αὐτῆς ἄμφω τὰς κνήμας, τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν ἀεὶ τῶν ταρσῶν τῆς γυναικὸς μεταβιβάζων, τοῦ μὲν βίου καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας αἰτίαν ἐκάλει, ἀνδράποδον δὲ αὐτῆς τὸ ἐνθένδε πιστὸν ὡμολόγει καὶ οὐκ ἀνὴρ ἔσεσθαι.
[30] And clasping both her knees with either hand and constantly shifting his tongue from one of the woman’s ankles to the other, he kept calling her the cause of his life and his salvation, and promising thenceforth to be, not her husband, but her faithful slave.
[31] καὶ τῶν χρημάτων δὲ ἡ βασιλὶς ἐς τριάκοντα χρυσοῦ κεντηνάρια τῷ βασιλεῖ δοῦσα, τἄλλα Βελισαρίῳ ἀπέδοτο.
[31] As for his property, the Empress gave thirty centenaria of it to the Emperor and restored the remainder to Belisarius.
[32] Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ Βελισαρίῳ τῷ στρατηγῷ τῇδε κεχωρήκει, ᾧπερ ἡ τύχη οὐ πολλῷ πρότερον Γελίμερά τε καὶ Οὐίττιγιν δορυαλώτους παρεδεδώκει.
[32] Such, then, was the turn of events in the case of Belisarius the General, the man at once whom not long before Fortune had delivered Gelimer and Vittigis as captives of war.
[33] ἐκ παλαιοῦ δὲ Ἰουστινιανόν τε καὶ Θεοδώραν πλοῦτος ὁ τούτου τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀκριβῶς ἔκνιζεν, ὑπέρογκός τε ὤν καὶ βασιλικῆς αὐλῆς ἄξιος.
[33] But for a long time back the wealth of this man had been exceedingly irritating to both Justinian and Theodora, as being excessive and worthy of a royal court.
[34] ἔφασκόν τε ὡς τῶν δημοσίων χρημάτων Γελίμερός τε καὶ Οὐιττίγιδος τὸ πλεῖστον ἀποκρυψάμενος λάθρα ἔτυχε, μοῖραν δὲ αὐτῶν βραχεῖάν τέ τινα καὶ οὐδαμῆ ἀξιόλογον βασιλεῖ ἔδωκε.
[34] And they kept saying that he had hidden away in secret the greater part of the State funds of both Gelimer and Vittigis, and had given only a small and utterly insignificant portion of them to the Emperor.
[35] πόνους δὲ τοὺς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν τὴν βλασφημίαν διαριθμούμενοι, ἅμα δὲ καὶ σκῆψιν ἀξιόχρεων ἐπ̓ αὐτῷ οὐδεμίαν κεκομισμένοι ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον.
[35] But as they reckoned up the great labours of the man and the slanderous talk in which outsiders would indulge, and since at the same time they could not lay hands on any satisfactory pretext against him, they remained quiet.
[36] τότε δὲ ἡ βασιλὶς αὐτοῦ λαβομένη κατωρρωδηκότος τε καὶ ἀποδειλιάσαντος ὅλως πράξει μιᾷ διεπράξατο ξυμπάσης αὐτοῦ τῆς οὐσίας κυρία γενέσθαι.
[36] But just then the Empress, catching him terrified and utterly reduced to cowardice, by a single act brought it about that she became mistress of his entire property.
[37] ἐς κῆδος γὰρ ἀλλήλοις ξυνηλθέτην εὐθὺς, Ἰωαννίνα τε ἡ Βελισαρίου θυγάτηρ, ἧσπερ μόνης ἐγεγόνει πατὴρ, Ἀναστασίῳ τῷ τῆς βασιλίδος θυγατριδῷ μνηστὴ γέγονε.
[37] For the two entered forthwith into a relationship by marriage and Joannina, the only daughter of Belisarius, was betrothed to Anastasius, grandson of the Empress.
[38] Βελισάριος μὲν οὖν ἀρχήν τε ἀπολαβεῖν τὴν οἰκείαν ἠξίου καὶ στρατηγὸς τῆς ἑῴας ἀποδειχθεὶς πάλιν ἐπὶ Χοσρόην καὶ Μήδους ἐξηγήσεσθαι τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατῷ, Ἀντωνίνα δὲ οὐδαμῶς εἰα: περιυβρίσθαι γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἐκείνῃ χωρίοις πρὸς αὐτοῦ ἔφασκεν, ἅπερ οὐκέτι τὸ λοιπὸν ὄψεσθαι.
[38] Now Belisarius made the request that he should receive back his proper office and, upon being designated General of the East, should again lead the Roman army against Chosroes and the Medes, but Antonina would have none of it; for she maintained that she had been insulted by him in those regions, and never would he again set eyes upon them.
[39] Διὸ δὴ Βελισάριος ἄρχων τῶν βασιλικῶν καταστὰς ἱπποκόμων ἐς τὴν Ἰταλίαν τὸ δεύτερον ἐστάλη, ὁμολογήσας βασιλεῖ, ὥς φασι, χρήματα μήποτε αὐτὸν ἐν τῷδε τῷ πολέμῳ αἰτήσειν, ἀλλὰ ξύμπασαν αὐτὸς τὴν τοῦ πολέμου παρασκευὴν χρήμασιν οἰκείοις ποιήσεσθαι.
[39] For this reason, then, Belisarius was appointed Commander of the Royal Groomsb and was sent to Italy a second time, having promised the Emperor, as they say, that he would never ask him for money during this war, but that he himself would provide the entire equipment for the war with his personal funds.
[40] πάντες μὲν οὖν ὑπετόπαζον τά τε ἀμφὶ τῇ γυναικὶ
ταύτῃ, ᾗπερ ἐρρήθη, Βελισάριον διοικήσασθαι καὶ βασιλεῖ ταῦτα ὁμολογῆσαι ἀμφὶ τῷ πολέμῳ ἃ δεδιήγηται, ἀπαλλαξείοντα τῆς ἐν Βυζαντίῳ διατριβῆς, ἐπειδάν τε τάχιστα τοῦ τῆς πόλεως περιβόλου ἐκτὸς γένηται, ἁρπάσεσθαί τε αὐτίκα τὰ ὅπλα καί τι γενναῖον καὶ ἀνδρὶ πρέπον ἐπί τε τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ τοῖς βιασαμένοις φρονήσειν.
[40] Now all suspected that Belisarius, in arranging matters concerning his wife in the manner I have described, and in making this promise to the Emperor, as here related, concerning the war, was prompted simply by the desire to be quit of the life in Byzantium, and that, as soon as he got outside the circuit-wall of the city, he would seize arms immediately and set himself to some noble and heroic task to punish his wife and the others who had done him despite.
[41] αὐτὸς δὲ πάντα τὰ ξυμπεσόντα ἐν ἀλογίᾳ πεποιημένος ὅρκων τε τῶν Φωτίῳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπιτηδείοις ὀμωμοσμένων ἐν λήθῃ τε πολλῇ καὶ ὀλιγωρίᾳ γενόμενος εἵπετο τῇ γυναικὶ, καταστὰς ἐκτόπως εἰς αὐτὴν ἐρωτόληπτος, καὶ ταῦτα ἑξήκοντα ἤδη γεγονυῖαν ἔτη.
[41] He, however, disregarding all that had happened, and forgetting completely and neglecting the oaths which had been sworn to Photius and his other kinsmen, meekly followed the woman, being extraordinarily smitten with her, though she was already sixty years of age.
[42] ἐπειδὴ μέντοι ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ ἐγένετο, εἰς ἡμέραν ἑκάστην ἀπ̓ ἐναντίας αὐτῷ τὰ πράγματα ἐχώρει, ἐπεί οἱ διαρρήδην τὰ ἐκ θεοῦ πολέμια ἦν.
[42] However, when he got to Italy, matters kept going wrong for him every single day, because the hand of God was definitely against him.
Delphi Complete Works of Procopius Page 546