[2] For through the greatness of his mind this Emperor has accomplished things which surpass description, in buildings no less than in practically all other matters.
[3] ἐν δὲ δὴ τῇ Εὐρώπῃ καὶ τὴν ὑπουργίαν ἐναρμόσασθαι τῷ τῆς χρείας ἀξιώματι διὰ σπουδῆς ἔχων ἔργα οὐκ εὐδιήγητα οὐδὲ εἰς συγγραφὴν διαπεπόνηται πρόχειρα.
[3] And in Europe, being consumed by the desire to make his services fit the magnitude of the need which existed for them, he has carried out works which are not easy to enumerate or simple to describe in writing.
[4] γεγένηται γὰρ ἐπαξίως τῷ τε γειτονήματι ποταμοῦ Ἴστρου καὶ τῇ ἐνθένδε διὰ τοὺς ἐγκειμένους τῇ χώρᾳ βαρβάρους ἀνάγκη.
[4] For these works have been executed with due regard for the nearness of the Ister River and for the consequent necessity imposed by the barbarians who threaten the land.
[5] ἔθνη γὰρ αὐτῇ γειτονοῦντα διακεκλήρωται Οὐννικά τε καὶ Γοτθικά, καὶ τὰ ἐν Ταύροις καὶ τὰ ἐν Σκύθαις ἀνταίρει, καὶ ὅσα Σκλαβηνοὶ καὶ ὅσα ἄττα, εἴτε Σαυρομάτας Ἀμαξοβίους εἴτε Μετανάστας ταῦτα δὴ ἐκάλουν τὰ ἔθνη οἱ τῶν ἱστοριῶν ἀναγραψάμενοι τὰ ἀρχαιότατα, καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο θηριῶδες ἀνθρώπων γένος ἢ νέμεσθαι, ἢ ἱδρῦσθαι ἐνταῦθα ξυμβαίνει.
[5] For it has as neighbours nations of Huns and of Goths, and the regions of Taurus and of Scythia rise up again it, as well as the haunts of the Sclaveni and of sundry other tribes — whether they are called by the writers of the most ancient history Hamaxibian or Metanastic Sauromatae, and whatever other wild race of men really either roams about or leads a settled life in that region.
[6] οἷς δὴ ἀπέραντα πολεμησείουσιν ὑπαντιάζειν διατεινομένῳ Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ πάρεργόν τε οὐδὲν ποιουμένῳ ἐπάναγκες ἦν ἐρύματά τε περιβάλλεσθαι ἀνάριθμα καὶ στρατιωτῶν ἀμύθητα φυλακτήρια καταστήσασθαι, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα πολεμίοις ἀνεπικηρυκεύτοις τε καὶ ἀνεπιμίκτοις ἐμπόδια εἴη.
[6] And in his determination to resist these barbarians who were endlessly making war, the Emperor Justinian, who did not take the matter lightly, was obliged to throw innumerable fortresses about the country, to assign to them untold garrisons of troops, and to set up all other possible obstacles to an enemy who attacked without warning and who permitted no intercourse.
[7] οἷς δὴ τοῖς πολεμίοις τὸν πόλεμον οὐκ ἐξ αἰτίας ἐγειρομένοις ποιεῖσθαι νόμος, οὐδὲ μετὰ πρεσβείαν ἐπενεγκεῖν, οὐδὲ μὴν οὐδὲ ξυνθήκαις διαλῦσαί τισιν, ἢ κατὰ χρόνον ἀνακωχεῦσαι, ἀλλ᾽ ]ἐγχειρῆσαι μὲν ἀπροφασίστως, καταλῦσαι δὲ σιδήρῳ μόνῳ. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς ἱστορίας τὰ λειπόμενα βαδιούμεθα.
[7] Indeed it was the custom of these peoples to rise and make war upon their enemies for no particular cause, and to open hostilities without sending an embassy, and they did not bring their struggles to an end through any treaty or cease operations for any specified period, but they made their attacks without provocation and reached a decision by the sword alone. But still we must proceed owing to the remainder of our story.
[8] ἔργου γὰρ ἀρξαμένους τρόπῳ ὁτῳοῦν ἐς πέρας ἀφῖχθαι ξυνοίσει μᾶλλον ἢ ἀτελεύτητον ἀπολιπόντας ὀπίσω ἰέναι.
[8] For when we have begun a task it will be better to go through to the end in any fashion whatever than to depart leaving it unfinished.
[9] ἐπεὶ καὶ ἄλλως ἂν οὐκ ἔξω κατηγορίας τὸ πρᾶγμα εἴη, βασιλέα μὲν τὸν ἡμέτερον εἰργᾶσθαι τὰ ἔργα, ἡμᾶς δὲ τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποκνεῖν λόγους.
[9] Certainly my action would not be free from blame, if, after our Emperor has performed the work, I for my part, should shrink from telling of what he has done.
[10] μέλλοντας δὲ τὰ Εὐρωπαῖα τούτου δὴ τοῦ βασιλέως διαριθμεῖσθαι οἰκοδομήματα, ὀλίγα ἄττα ἀμφὶ τῇδε τῇ χώρᾳ ὑπειπεῖν ἄξιον.
[10] But now that we are on the point of enumerating the buildings of this Emperor in Europe, it is proper first to make a few observations regarding this land.
[11] Ἐκ τοῦ Ἀδριατικοῦ καλουμένου πελάγους ἐπιρροή τις διωθουμένη τε καὶ ἀποσαλεύουσα τῆς ἄλλης θαλάσσης ἐπὶ τὴν ἤπειρον ἀναβαίνει, καὶ σχίζουσα τὴν γῆν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ποιεῖται τὸν Ἰόνιον κόλπον, ἐν δεξιᾷ μὲν Ἠπειρώτας τε καὶ τὰ ἐκείνῃ ἔθνη, ἐν ἀριστερᾷ δὲ Καλαβροὺς ἔχουσα, ἐν τε πορθμῷ ἐπὶ μακρότατον θλιβομένη περιλαμβάνει τὴν ἤπειρον σχεδόν τι πᾶσαν.
[11] There is a narrow arm or bight which is pushed out from the Adriatic Sea, as it is called, and strays away from the remainder of the sea and goes up into the mainland, and dividing the continent for a great distance it forms the Ionian Gulf, having on the right the Epirotes and the other peoples of that region and on the left Calabria; then, being compressed into a narrow inlet for a very long way, the sea bounds practically the whole continent.
[12] καθύπερθε δὲ ἀντιπρόσωπος τῇ θαλάσσῃ φερόμενος ποταμὸς Ἴστρος γῆς τῆς Εὐρώπης νησοειδῆ τὴν γῆν τίθεται.
[12] And the River Ister, flowing higher up, and opposite the sea, makes the land of Europe an island, as it were.
[13] ἐνταῦθα οἰκοδομήματα πολλά τε καὶ ἀξιολογώτατα ὁ βασιλεὺς οὗτος πεποίηται.
[13] In that region this Emperor built many noteworthy buildings.
[14] πᾶσαν γὰρ Εὐρώπην ἐς τὸ ἀσφαλὲς τειχισάμενος ἀπρόσβατον κατεστήσατο βαρβάροις εἶναι οἳ δὴ ὑπὲρ Ἴστρου ποταμοῦ ᾤκηνται.
[14] Indeed he fortified the whole of Europe so safely that he rendered it inaccessible to the barbarians who live beyond the Ister River.
[15] Ἀλλά μοι ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως ἀρκτέον πατρίδος, ᾗ πασῶν μάλιστα τά τε πρωτεῖα ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἄλλοις καὶ τοῦδε τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τοῦ ]λόγου δοτέον.
[15] But I must commence from the native land of the Emperor, to which of all places must be given first rank in all other respects, and with this I must begin my present account.
[16] αὐτῇ γὰρ ἂν μόνῃ ὀγκοῦσθαί τε καὶ διαθρύπτεσθαι καὶ ἀποσεμνύνεσθαι πρέποι βασιλέα Ῥωμαίοις θρεψαμένῃ τε καὶ παρασχομένῃ τοιοῦτον, οὗ δὲ τὰ ἔργα καὶ λόγῳ εἰπεῖν καὶ γραφῇ παρακαταθέσθαι ἀμήχανον.
[16] For to this land alone is it given to rejoice and swell with pride and enjoy the solemn dignity of having bred and presented to the Romans an Emperor whose works it is impossible to tell in words or to record in writing.
[17] Ἐν Δαρδά
νοις που τοῖς Εὐρωπαίοις, οἱ δὴ μετὰ τοὺς Ἐπιδαμνίων ὅρους ᾤκηνται, τοῦ φρουρίου ἄγχιστα ὅπερ Βεδερίανα ἐπικαλεῖται, χωρίον Ταυρίσιον ὄνομα ἦν, ἔνθεν Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς ὁ τῆς οἰκουμένης οἰκιστὴς ὥρμηται.
[17] Among the Dardanians of Europe who live beyond the boundaries of the Epidamnians, close to the fortress which is called Bederiana, there was a hamlet named Taurisium, whence sprang the Emperor Justinian, the founder of the civilised world.
[18] τοῦτο μὲν οὖν τὸ χωρίον ἐν βραχεῖ τειχισάμενος κατὰ τὸ τετράγωνον σχῆμα καὶ γωνίᾳ ἑκάστῃ πύργον ἐνθέμενος Τετραπυργίαν εἶναί τε καὶ καλεῖσθαι πεποίηκε.
[18] He therefore built a wall of small compass about this place in the form of a square, placing a tower at each corner, and caused it to be called, as it actually is, Tetrapyrgia.
[19] παρ᾽ αὐτὸ δὲ μάλιστα τὸ χωρίον πόλιν ἐπιφανεστάτην ἐδείματο, ἥνπερ Ἰουστινιανὴν ὠνόμασε Πρῖμαν (πρώτη δὲ τοῦτο τῇ Λατίνων φωνῇ δύναται) ταῦτα τῇ θρεψαμένῃ τροφεῖα ἐκτίνων.
[19] And close by this place he built a very notable city which he named Justiniana Prima (this means “first” in the Latin tongue), thus paying a debt of gratitude to the home that fostered him.
[20] καίτοι Ῥωμαίους ἐχρῆν ἅπαντας τοῦτο δὴ ἀλλήλοις ἐπικοινοῦσθαι τὸ ὄφλημα, ἐπεὶ καὶ σωτῆρα ἐθρέψατο ἡ χώρα κοινὸν ἅπασιν.
[20] Yet all Romans should have shared this debt among themselves, for this land nourished a common saviour for all of them.
[21] ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ ὀχετὸν τεκτηνάμενος ὕδασι τὴν πόλιν ἀειρρύτοις διεπράξατο ἐπιεικῶς πλήθειν.
[21] In that place also he constructed an aqueduct and so caused the city to be abundantly supplied with ever-running water.
[22] πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλα τῷ τῆς πόλεως οἰκιστῇ ὑπέρογκά τε καὶ λόγου πολλοῦ διαπεπόνηται ἄξια.
[22] And many other enterprises were carried out by the founder of this city — works of great size and worthy of especial note.
[23] θεοῦ μὲν τεμένη διαριθμεῖσθαι οὐ ῥᾴδια, καταγώγια δὲ ἀρχόντων φράζεσθαι λόγῳ ἀμήχανα, στοῶν μεγέθη, ἀγορῶν κάλλη, τὰς κρήνας, τὰς ἀγυιάς, τὰ βαλανεῖα, τὰ πωλητήρια.
[23] For to enumerate the churches is not easy, and it is impossible to tell in words of the lodgings for magistrates, the great stoas, the fine market-places, the fountains, the streets, the baths, the shops.
[24] πόλις ἁπλῶς μεγάλη καὶ πολυάνθρωπος καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ]εὐδαίμων καὶ οἷα τῆς χώρας ἁπάσης μητρόπολις εἶναι· εἰς ἀξιώματος γὰρ τοσόνδε ἥκει.
[24] In brief, the city is both great and populous and blessed in every way — a city worthy to be the metropolis of the whole region, for it has attained this rank.
[25] πρὸς δὲ καὶ τὸν Ἰλλυριῶν ἀρχιερέα διακεκλήρωται, τῶν ἄλλων πόλεων αὐτῇ, ἅτε πρώτῃ τὸ μέγεθος οὔσῃ, ἐξισταμένων. ὥστε καὶ ἀνθυπούργηκε τῷ βασιλεῖ κλέος·
[25] It has also been allotted to the Archbishop of Illyricum as his seat, the other cities conceding this honour to it, as being first in point of size. Thus this city has won honour for the Emperor in requital for his favour;
[26] ἡ μὲν γὰρ τροφίμῳ ἀποσεμνύνεται βασιλεῖ, ὁ δὲ ἀντιφιλοτιμεῖται δεδημιουργηκέναι τὴν πόλιν. καί μοι ἄχρι τοῦδε εἰπεῖν ἀποχρήσει.
[26] for while it prides itself upon its foster-son, he for his part takes a corresponding pride in that he built the city. But this will be enough for me to tell;
[27] ἅπαντα γὰρ ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς λεπτολογεῖσθαι ἀμήχανον, ἐπεὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ προσηκούσης τῆς πόλεως ἐλασσοῦσθαι αὐτῆς ἅπαντα λόγον ἐπάναγκες.
[27] indeed it is impossible to describe everything in detail, for since the city is the Emperor’s own, any account of it necessarily falls short of the reality.
[28] Ἔτι μέντοι καὶ Βεδερίανα τὸ φρούριον ἀνοικοδομησάμενος ὅλον πολλῷ ὀχυρώτερον κατεστήσατο. ἦν δέ τις ἐν Δαρδάνοις ἐκ παλαιοῦ πόλις ᾗπερ Οὐλπιᾶνα ὠνόμαστο.
[28] He also rebuilt the entire fortress of Bederiana and made it much stronger. And there was a certain city among the Dardanians, dating from ancient times, which was named Ulpiana;
[29] ταύτης τὸν περίβολον καθελὼν ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον (ἦν γὰρ σφαλερὸς ἐς τὰ μάλιστα καὶ ὅλως ἀχρεῖος) ἄλλα τε αὐτῇ παμπληθῆ ἐγκαλλωπίσματα ποιησάμενος, ἔς τε τὴν νῦν μεταθέμενος εὐκοσμίαν, Σεκοῦνδαν αὐτὴν Ἰουστινιανὴν ἐπωνόμασε.
[29] he tore down most of its circuit-wall, for it was seriously damaged and altogether useless, and he added a very great number of improvements to the city, changing it to its present fair aspect; and he named it Justiniana Secunda
[30] σεκοῦνδαν γὰρ τὴν δευτέραν Λατῖνοι λέγουσι. καὶ ἄλλην δὲ αὐτῇ πλησίον ἐδείματο πόλιν οὐ πρότερον οὖσαν, ἥνπερ Ιουστινούπολιν τῷ θείῳ ὁμωνύμως ἐκάλεσεν.
[30] (secunda is the Latin word for second). Near it he built another city where none had existed before, which he called Justinopolis from his uncle’s name.
[31] ἀλλὰ καὶ Σαρδικῆς τε καὶ Ναϊσουπόλεως, ἔτι μέντοι Γερμαῆς τε καὶ Πανταλείας διερρωγότα τῷ χρόνῳ τὰ τείχη εὑρὼν οἰκοδομησάμενός τε ξὺν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ ἄμαχα τοῖς πολεμίοις διεπράξατο εἶναι.
[31] Furthermore, he found the walls of Sardica and Naïsopolis, as well as those of Germaê and of Pantalia, in ruins from the passage of time, and he built them up securely and made them such that they could defy the enemy.
[32] καὶ πολίχνια δὲ τούτων δὴ μεταξὺ ἐδείματο ]τρία, Κρατίσκαρά τε καὶ Κουιμέδαβα καὶ Ῥουμισίανα. οὕτω μὲν οὖν τάσδε τὰς πόλεις ἐκ θεμελίων ἀνέστησε.
[32] Between these he built three small forts, Cratiscara and Quimedaba and Roumisiana. Thus he raised these cities from their foundations.
[33] πρόβολον δὲ ἰσχυρότατον αὐτῶν τε καὶ πάσης Εὐρώπης Ἴστρον ποταμὸν ποιεῖσθαι ἐθέλων, ἐρύμασι τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὴν ἠϊόνα περιβάλλει συχνοῖς, ὥσπερ μοι γεγράψεται οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον, φυλακτήριά τε στρατιωτῶν πανταχόθι τεθεῖται τῆς ἀκτῆς, ἀναχαιτίσοντα τὴν διάβασιν βεβαιότατα τοῖς τῇδε βαρβάροις.
[33] And wishing, as he did, to make the Ister River the strongest possible line of first defence before them and before the whole of Europe, he distributed n
umerous forts along the bank of the river, as I shall soon describe, and he placed garrisons of troops everywhere along the shore, in order to put the most rigid check upon the crossing of the barbarians there.
[34] ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτων οἱ ἐξειργασμένων, ὑπόπτως ἐς τῆς ἀνθρωπείας ἐλπίδος τὸ σφαλερὸν ἔχων, λογισάμενός τε ὡς εἰ τοῖς πολεμίοις ὅτῳ δή ποτε τρόπῳ διαπορθμεύσασθαι δυνατὰ εἴη, ἐπιθήσονται ἀφυλάκτοις τὸ παράπαν τοῖς ἀγροῖς οὖσι, καὶ ἀνθρώπους μὲν ἐξανδραποδιοῦσιν ἡβηδὸν ἅπαντας, χρήματα δὲ ληΐσονται πάντα, οὐκ ἐπὶ κοινῆς αὐτοῖς μόνον τὴν ἀσφάλειαν ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τὸν ποταμὸν ὀχυρώμασιν ἀπέλιπεν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἰδίαν πεποίηται·
[34] But even after he had completed all these precautions, he was still uneasy because of the uncertainty of human plans; and since he reflected that if it should ever be possible for the enemy to break through somehow, they would then fall upon fields which would be entirely unguarded, would enslave the whole population, from the youths upwards, and would plunder all their property, he did not leave their common safety to depend upon the forts along the river alone, but he also provided individual safeguards for them;
[35] οὕτω συνεχῆ τὰ ἐρύματα ἐν τοῖς χωρίοις ἀπεργασάμενος ὥστε ἀγρὸς ἕκαστος ἡ φρούριον ἀποτετόρνευται, ἢ τῷ τετειχισμένῳ πρόσοικός ἐστιν, ἐνταῦθά τε κἀν τῇ Ἠπείρω τῇ τε νέᾳ καὶ τῇ παλαιᾷ καλουμένῃ.
[35] for he made the defences so continuous in the estates that each farm either has been converted into a stronghold or lies adjacent to one which is fortified; and he did this both here and in New Epirus, as it is called, and in Old Epirus.
Delphi Complete Works of Procopius Page 600