Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  [6] μετὰ δὲ Καπούτβοες ὠνόμασται, τοῦ Ῥωμαίων αὐτοκράτορος Τραϊανοῦ ἔργον, καὶ πολίχνιον ἐφεξῆς παλαιόν, Ζάνες ὄνομα.

  [6] Farther on is the so-called Caput Bovis, the work of the Roman Emperor Trajan, and beyond this is an ancient town named Zanes.

  [7] οἷσπερ ἅπασιν ἐρύματα περιβαλὼν ἐχυρώτατα προβόλους εἶναι τῆς πολιτείας ἀνανταγωνίστους πεποίηται.

  [7] And he placed very strong defences around all these and so made them impregnable bulwarks of the State.

  [8] τούτου δὲ τοῦ Ζάνες οὐ πολλῷ ἄποθεν φρούριον μέν ἐστι, Πόντες ὄνομα· ὁ δὲ ποταμὸς ἐκροήν τινα ἐνταῦθα ἐκβάλλων, ταύτῃ τε περιπολῶν ὀλίγην τινὰ τῆς ἀκτῆς μοῖραν, ἐπιστρέφει αὖθις ἐς ῥοῦν τὸν οἰκεῖον καὶ ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἀναμίγνυται.

  [8] And not far from this Zanes there is a fort, Pontes by name. The river throws out a sort of branch there, and after thus passing around a certain small portion of the bank, it turns again to its own stream and is reunited with itself.

  [9] ποιεῖ δὲ ταῦτα οὐκ αὐτόματος, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνθρώπων ἐπινοίαις ἀναγκασθείς.

  [9] It does this, not of its own accord, but compelled by human devices.

  [10] ὅτου δὲ δὴ ἕνεκα Πόντες τε ὁ χῶρος ἐκλήθη καὶ ἀναγκαστὸν περιάγουσιν αὐτόσε τὸν Ἴστρον, ἐγὼ δηλώσω.

  [10] The reason why the place was called Pontes, and why they made this forced diversion of the Ister at this point, I shall now make clear.

  [11] Ὁ Ῥωμαίων αὐτοκράτωρ Τραϊανός, θυμοειδής τε ὢν καὶ δραστήριος, ὥσπερ ἀγανακτοῦντι ἐῴκει, ὅτι δὴ οὐκ ἀπέραντος αὐτῷ ἡ βασιλεία εἴη, ἀλλὰ ποταμῷ Ἴστρῳ ὁρίζεται.

  [11] The Roman Emperor Trajan, being of an impetuous and active temperament, seemed to be filled with resentment that his realm was not unlimited, but was bounded by the Ister River.

  [12] ζεῦξαι οὖν αὐτὸν γεφύρᾳ διὰ σπουδῆς ἔσχεν, ὡς διάβατός τε αὐτῷ καὶ οὐδαμῆ ἐμπόδιος εἴη ἐς τοὺς ἐπέκεινα βαρβάρους ἰόντι.

  [12] So he was eager to span it with a bridge that he might be able to cross it and that there might be no obstacle to his going against the barbarians beyond it.

  [13] ὅπως μὲν οὖν τὴν γέφυραν ἐπήξατο ταύτην, ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἐν σπουδῇ γένοιτο, Ἀπολλόδωρος δὲ ὁ Δαμασκηνός, ὁ καὶ παντὸς γεγονὼς ἀρχιτέκτων τοῦ ἔργου, φραζέτω. ]

  [13] How he built this bridge I shall not be at pains to relate, but shall let Apollodorus of Damascus, who was the master-builder of the whole work, describe the operation.

  [14] οὐ μέντοι τις τὸ λοιπὸν γέγονεν ὄνησις ἐνθένδε Ῥωμαίοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν γέφυραν ὅ τε Ἴστρος ἐπιχυθεὶς ὕστερον καὶ ὁ χρόνος ἐπιρρεύσας καθεῖλον.

  [14] However, the Romans derived no profit from it subsequently, because later on the bridge was completely destroyed by the floods of the Ister and by the passage of time.

  [15] πεποίηται δὲ Τραϊανὸς τότε καὶ φρούρια δύο τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἐφ᾽ ἑκάτερα, καὶ αὐτοῖν Θεοδώραν μὲν ἐπωνόμασαν τὸ ἐν τῇ ἀντιπέρας ἠπείρω, Πόντες δὲ τὸ ἐπὶ Δακίας ὁμωνύμως τῷ ἔργῳ ἐκλήθη.

  [15] At the same time Trajan built two forts, one on either side of the river; the one on the opposite bank they named Theodora, while the one in Dacia was called Pontes from the work —

  [16] πόντην γὰρ τὴν γέφυραν Ῥωμαῖοι τῇ Λατίνων καλοῦσι φωνῇ. ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεὶ ἐνταῦθα γινομέναις ναυσὶν ἄπλους τὸ λοιπὸν ὁ ποταμὸς ἦν, τῶν τῆς γεφύρας αὐτόθι ἐρειπίων τε καὶ θεμελίων κειμένων, τούτου δὴ ἕνεκα τὸν ποταμὸν ἀναγκάζουσι μεταπορεύεσθαι τὸν αὑτοῦ δρόμον καὶ τὴν πορείαν ἀνακυκλεῖν αὖθις, ὅπως ἂν πλώϊμον καὶ τὸ ἐνθένδε αὐτὸν ἔχοιεν.

  [16] for the Romans call a bridge pontem in the Latin tongue. But when boats reached that point, the river was no longer navigable, since the ruins and the foundations of the bridge lay in the way; and it is for this reason that they compel the river to change its course and to go about in a detour, so that they may keep it navigable even beyond that point.

  [17] ἄμφω μὲν οὖν καταπεπονηκότα τὰ φρούρια ταῦτα διά τε χρόνου μῆκος καὶ οὐκ ἥκιστα ἐπισκηψάντων ἐνταῦθα βαρβάρων διεφθάρθαι ξυνέβη.

  [17] Both these forts had suffered so much from the passage of time, and more still from the assaults of the barbarians, that they had come to be utterly destroyed.

  [18] βασιλεὺς δὲ Ἰουστινιανὸς Πόντην μέν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἐπὶ δεξιᾷ, νέᾳ τε καὶ ἀμάχῳ ἐπιεικῶς ἀνανεωσάμενος οἰκοδομίᾳ, τὴν ἀσφάλειαν Ἰλλυριοῖς ἀνεσώσατο· τοῦ δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ θάτερα ὄντος, ὅπερ Θεοδώραν καλοῦσιν, ἅτε ἀποκειμένου τοῖς ἐκείνῃ βαρβάροις, προσήκειν οἱ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι οὐδαμῆ ᾤετο· τὰ δὲ νῦν ἑστῶτα μετὰ τὴν Πόντην ὀχυρώματα ᾠκοδομήσατο καινουργήσας αὐτός, ἅπερ καλεῖται Μαρεβούργου τε ]καὶ Σουσίανα, Ἁρμάτα τε καὶ Τιμένα, καὶ Θεοδωρούπολίς τε καὶ Στιλιβούργου καὶ Ἁλικανιβούργου.

  [18] And the Emperor Justinian restored Pontes, which is on the right of the river, providing it with new and thorough impregnable defences, and thus re-established the safety of Illyricum. However, the fort on the other side of the river, the one which they call Theodora, he considered in no way worthy of his attention, exposed as it was to the barbarians there. But the strongholds which now stand beyond Pontes he himself built new; these are named Mareburgou and Susiana, Harmata and Timena, and Theodoropolis, Stiliburgou and Halicaniburgou.

  [19] Ἦν δέ τι πολίχνιον ἐγγὺς κείμενον, Ἀκυες ὄνομα, οὗπερ ὀλίγα ἄττα σαθρὰ γεγονότα ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπηνώρθωσε.

  [19] There was a certain small town near by, Acues by name, which had fallen partly into decay; this the Emperor put in order.

  [20] καὶ μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνο Βουργονόβορε καὶ Λακκόβουργο, καὶ τὸ Δορτικὸν ἐπικαλούμενον φρούριον, ὅπερ τῷ χρόνῳ ἐξίτηλον γεγενημένον ἐς ὀχύρωμα νῦν ἐχυρώτατον κατεστήσατο.

  [20] Beyond that lay Burgonobore and Laccoburgo, and the fortress called Dorticum, utterly effaced by time, which he made into a fort now very strong.

  [21] καὶ πύργον ἕνα, Ἰουδαῖος καλούμενον, φρούριον διεσκευάσατο κεκαλλιστευμένον καλεῖσθαί τε καὶ εἶναι.

  [21] And he remodelled a stronghold called Judaeus, which had consisted of a single tower, and made it a splendid fortress in name and in fac
t.

  [22] καὶ τὸ δὴ Βουργουάλτου ὠνομασμένον, ἔρημόν τε καὶ παντάπασιν ἀοίκητον τὰ πρότερα ὄν, ἀλλὰ καὶ χῶρον ἕτερον περιβόλῳ ἐτειχίσατο νέῳ ὅνπερ ἐπικαλοῦσι Γόμβες.

  [22] Nor did he neglect the fort named Burgualtu, which previously was desolate and wholly without inhabitants, but also surrounded with a new circuit-wall another place which they call Gombes.

  [23] καὶ τὸ Κρίσπας ἔρυμα καταπεπονηκὸς τῷ μήκει τοῦ χρόνου, ἔτι μέντοι καὶ Λογγινιάνα καὶ Ποντεσέριον ἐδείματο, ἔργον διαφερόντως ἐξαίσιον.

  [23] Also he rebuilt the defences of Crispas, which had suffered with the passage of time, likewise Longiniana and Ponteserium, an exceptionally fine piece of work.

  [24] ἐν δὲ Βονωνίᾳ τε καὶ Νοβῷ προμαχεῶνας διερρυηκότας ἀνενεώσατο. καὶ Ῥατιαρίας πόλεως ὅσα καταπεπτώκει ὀρθὰ ἐστήσατο.

  [24] In Bononia and Novus he restored the parapets which had crumbled. And all the parts of the city Ratiara which had collapsed he re-erected.

  [25] καὶ πολλὰ δὲ ἄλλα κατὰ τὸ χρείᾳ ξυνοῖσον ἢ βραχέα κομιδῇ ὄντα ἐπὶ μέγα ἐξῆρεν, ἡ συνέστειλε τὸ περιττὸν ἀφελόμενος, ὅπως δὴ μὴ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἢ τῷ ὑπεράγαν βραχεῖ ἢ τῷ ἀμέτρῳ εὐέφοδα εἴη· ὥσπερ ἀμέλει Μωκατίανα μὲν πύργον ἕνα κατὰ μόνας τὰ πρότερα ὄντα φρούριον τανῦν τελεώτερον κατεστήσατο.

  [25] He improved many other places in accordance with their particular needs, either making very small places large, or curtailing their size where it was excessive, so that they might not be easy for an enemy to attack either because of excessive smallness or because of too great size; thus, for example, Mocatiana, which previously was a single tower standing alone, he converted into the more complete fortress which it now is.

  [26] τὸ δέ γε Ἀλμοῦ, χώραν ]περιβεβλημένον πολλήν, ἐς ὀλίγον ξυναγαγὼν σὺν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ ἄμαχον εἶναι τοῖς πολεμίοις εἰργάσατο.

  [26] On the other hand, the fortress of Almou, which used to cover a large area, he brought into small compass and thus made it safe and able to defy the assaults of the enemy.

  [27] καὶ πολλαχῇ δὲ πύργον ἕνα κατὰ μόνας ἑστῶτα εὑρὼν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εὐκαταφρόνητον τοῖς ἐπιοῦσιν ὄντα, φρούριον ἐχυρώτατον κατεστήσατο.

  [27] In many places, finding a single tower standing by itself and therefore an easy prey for assailants, he converted it into a very strong fortress;

  [28] ὃ δὴ περί τε Τρίκεσαν καὶ Πούτεδιν πεποίηκε. καὶ μὴν καὶ ὀχυρώματα τοῦ ἐν Κεβρῷ τὰ καταπεπονηκότα θαυμασίως ὡς ἐπηνώρθωσε· φρούριόν τε οὐ πρότερον ὂν ἐν Βιγραναῇ δεδημιούργηκε, καὶ αὐτοῦ ἄγχιστα ἕτερον ἐν χωρίῳ, ἐφ᾽ οὗ δὴ πύργος εἰς τὰ πρότερα ὢν εἱστήκει μόνος, ὄνομα Ὄνος.

  [28] this he did, for example, with Tricesa and Putedis. Furthermore, he restored in a marvellous way the damaged defences at Cebrus. At Bigranaê he constructed a fortress which had not existed before, and very close to it a second one, Onus by name, where a single tower had previously stood.

  [29] ἐλέλειπτο δὲ μόνα πόλεως ἐδάφη οὐ πολλῷ ἄποθεν· Αὐγοῦστες ὠνομάζετο ἐν τοῖς ἄνω χρόνοις ἡ πόλις.

  [29] And not far away there were the bare foundations of a city which in early times used to bear the name of Augustes.

  [30] νῦν δὲ τὸ μὲν παλαιὸν ὄνομα ἔχουσα, νέα δὲ καὶ ἀκραιφνὴς ὅλη πρὸς Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλέως γεγενημένη, ὁμιλεῖ οἰκητόρων ἐπιεικῶς πλήθει.

  [30] But now, still bearing its ancient name, though all made over new by the Emperor Justinian and quite complete, it knows a rather numerous population.

  [31] ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ πεπονθότα τοῦ ἐν Ἀεδάβῃ ἐρύματος ἐπηνώρθωσε, καὶ Βαριάνα πόλιν ἐκ παλαιοῦ κειμένην ἀνέστησεν. ἔτι μέντοι καὶ Βαλεριάναν, ἔρυμα πρότερον οὐδὲν ἔχουσαν, ἐτειχίσατο.

  [31] Also he restored the damaged portion of the defences of Aëdabê, and put in order the city of Varianaa which had long lain in ruins. In addition, he built a wall around Valeriana, which previously had no defences.

  [32] Πρὸς ἐπὶ τούτοις δὲ καὶ χωρίων οὐ παρὰ τοῦ ποταμοῦ κειμένων τὴν ὄχθην, ἀλλὰ κατὰ πολὺ ἄποθεν ὄντων ἐπεμελήσατο, πεσουμένων ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον, τειχίσματί τε αὐτὰ περιβέβληκεν ἀμάχοις τισί.

  [32] Furthermore, he gave his attention to towns which do not lie upon the bank of the river but stand at a great distance from it — towns which were about to fall in ruins for the most part — and he encircled them with walls which are practically impregnable.

  [33] Κάστρα Μάρτις τε καὶ Ζητνουκόρτου καὶ Ἰσκὸς τὰ χωρία ἐπικαλεῖται ταῦτα. παρὰ δὲ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὴν ὄχθην φρούριον παλαιόν, Οὕννων ὄνομα, ἐπιμελείας ἠξίωσε τά τε ἄλλα καὶ ἀμφὶ τῷ περιβόλῳ πολλῆς.

  [33] These places are named Castra Martis and Zetnucortou and Iscus. And an ancient fort named Hunnôn, on the bank of the river, he treated as worthy of attention in all respects and particularly in the matter of its circuit-wall.

  [34] ἔστι δέ τις χῶρος ]οὐ πολλῷ ἄποθεν τούτου δὴ τοῦ Οὕννων φρουρίου, ἔνθα δὴ ὀχυρώματα δύο Ἴστρου ποταμοῦ ἐφ᾽ ἑκάτερα ἦν, ἐν μὲν Ἰλλυριοῖς Παλατίολον ὄνομα, ἐπὶ θάτερα δὲ Συκίβιδα.

  [34] There is a certain place not far removed from this fort of Hunnôn where there are two fortresses, one on either side of the Ister River, the one in Illyricum named Palatiolum, and the one on the other side, Sycibida.

  [35] ταῦτα καθῃρημένα τῷ χρόνῳ ἀνανεωσάμενος Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς τῶν ταύτῃ βαρβάρων τὰς ἐπιδρομὰς ἀνεχαίτισεν, ἐπέκεινά τε φρούριον ᾠκοδομήσατο, παλαιὸν ἔρυμα, ὅπερ Οὔτως ὠνόμασται.

  [35] These, which had been ruined by time, the Emperor Justinian restored and thereby checked the incursions of the barbarians of that region; and beyond them he built a fort at an ancient stronghold which was named Utôs.

  [36] ἐν ὑστάτῳ δὲ τῶν Ἰλλυρικῶν ὁρίων φρούριον ἀνῳκοδομήσατο, Λαπιδαρίας ὄνομα, καὶ πύργον ἕνα ἑστῶτα μόνον, Λουκερναριαβούργου καλούμενον, ἐς φρούριον ἀξιοθέατον μετεστήσατο.

  [36] And at the extremity of the Illyrian territory he built a fort named Lapidarias, and he transformed into a notable fortress a single tower which had stood alone, called Lucernariaburgou.

  [37] ταῦτα μὲν Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς ἐν Ἰλλυριοῖς διαπέπρακται. οὐ μόναις δὲ ταῖς οἰκοδομία
ις τὴν χώραν ἐτειχίσατο ταύτην, ἀλλὰ καὶ στρατιωτῶν φρουρᾶς ἐν τοῖς ὀχυρώμασι πᾶσιν ἀξιολογωτάτας καταστησάμενος τὰς τῶν βαρβάρων ἐπιβουλὰς ἀπεκρούσατο.

  [37] These then were the works executed by the Emperor Justinian in Illyricum. Yet it was not with buildings alone that he fortified this land, but he also established very considerable garrisons of troops in all the strongholds and thereby warded off the assaults of the barbarians.

  [7] [7] [1] Τὰ μὲν οὖν Ἰλλυριῶν ὀχυρώματα παρὰ ποταμὸν Ἴστρον ταύτῃ πη ἔχει. ἐπὶ Θρᾴκης δὲ νῦν ἰτέον ἡμῖν τὰ ἐρύματα, ὅσα δὴ παρὰ τὴν ἐκείνῃ ἀκτὴν Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ εἴργασται.

  [1] Such, then, are the strongholds of Illyricum along the Ister River. But we must now go on to the fortified towns of Thrace, those namely which were built by the Emperor Justinian along the river-bank there.

  [2] οὐ γάρ μοι ἀπὸ τρόπου ἔδοξεν εἶναι, ἅπασαν πρότερον περιηγησαμένῳ τὴν ταύτῃ ἠϊόνα οὕτω δὴ ἐπελθεῖν καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν μεσόγαιαν αὐτῷ πεπραγμένα.

  [2] For it has seemed to me not improper, after first describing the coast of that region, then to take up also the record of what he did in the interior.

  [3] πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ Μυσοὺς ἐνθένδε ἴωμεν, οὕσπερ ἀγχεμάχους οἱ ποιηταὶ καλοῦσιν· ἐπεὶ καὶ χώραν τὴν Ἰλλυριοῖς ὅμορον ἔχουσι.

  [3] First, then, let us proceed to Mysia, the home of men whom the poets call hand-to-hand fighters, for their country borders upon Illyricum.

  [4] μετὰ τὸν χῶρον οὖν ὅνπερ Λουκερναριαβοῦργον καλοῦσι, Σεκούρισκα τὸ φρούριον ᾠκοδομήσατο Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεύς, καινουργήσας αὐτός.