Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  [15] So they searched through all the woods and forests and every place where they had heard that very tall trees grew, and found a certain dense forest which produced cedars of extraordinary height, and by means of these they put the roof upon the church, making its height in due proportion to the width and length of the building.

  [16] Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν δυνάμει τε ἀνθρωπείᾳ καὶ τέχνῃ βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς ἐξειργάσατο. ἐπέδωκε δὲ καὶ ἡ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐλπὶς ἀμειβομένη αὐτὸν τῇ τιμῇ, καὶ ξυνεπιλαμβάνουσα τὸ σπούδασμα τοῦτο.

  [16] These things the Emperor Justinian accomplished by human strength and skill. But he was also assisted by his pious faith, which rewarded him with the honour he received and aided him in this cherished plan.

  [17] τῷ μὲν γὰρ ἱερῷ πανταχόσε κιόνων ἔδει τό τε εἶδος οὐκ ἀποδεόντων τοῦ ἀμφὶ τὸ τέμενος κάλλους καὶ τοιούτων τὸ μέγεθος οἷοι δὴ ὄντες ἀντέχειν ἐς τὸ ἄχθος τῶν ἐγκειμένων σφίσιν ἔμελλον.

  [17] For the church required throughout columns whose appearance would not fall short of the beauty of the building and of such a size that they could resist the weight of the load which would rest upon them.

  [18] ἡ δὲ χώρα ἐν τῇ μεσογείᾳ κειμένη τῆς θαλάσσης πολλῷ ἄποθεν, ὄρεσί τε πανταχόθεν ἀποπεφραγμένη ἀποτόμοις τισίν, ᾗπέρ μοι εἴρηται, ἄπορον τοῖς τεκταινομένοις τὸ ἔδαφος ἐποίει κίονας ἑτέρωθεν εἰσκομίζεσθαι.

  [18] But the site itself, being inland very far from the sea and walled about on all sides by quite steep hills, as I have said, made it impossible for those who were preparing the foundations to bring columns from outside.

  [19] ἀλλὰ βασιλέως δυσφορουμένου τῇ τοῦ ἔργου ἀμηχανίᾳ, λίθου φύσιν ὁ θεὸς ἐπιτηδείως ἐς τοῦτο ἔχουσαν ἐν τοῖς ἄγχιστα ὄρεσιν ἔδειξεν, ἢ οὖσάν τε καὶ κρυπτομένην τὰ πρότερα, ἢ νῦν γενομένην.

  [19] But when the impossibility of this task was causing the Emperor to become impatient, God revealed a natural supply of stone perfectly suited to this purpose in the near by hills, one which had either lain there in concealment previously, or was created at that moment.

  [20] ἐπ᾽ ἀμφότερα δὲ πιστὸς ὁ λόγος τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπὶ τὸν θεὸν ἀναφέρουσιν.

  [20] Either explanation is credible to those who trace the cause of it to God;

  [21] ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ ἀνθρωπείᾳ δυνάμει πάντα σταθμώμενοι πολλὰ ἐς τὸ ἀδύνατον ἀποκεκρίσθαι οἰόμεθα, τῷ δὲ θεῷ τῶν πάντων οὐδὲν οὔτ᾽ ἂν ἄπορον οὔτ᾽ ἀμήχανον γένοιτο.

  [21] for while we, in estimating all things by the scale of man’s power, consider many things to be wholly impossible, for God nothing in the whole world can be difficult or impossible.

  [22] κιόνων τοίνυν ἐνθένδε μέγα τι χρῆμα ὑπερμεγεθῶν τε καὶ ἀπομιμουμένων τῷ χρώματι πυρός τινα φλόγα, πανταχόθεν ὑποστηρίζουσι τὸν νεών, οἱ μὲν ἔνερθεν, οἱ δὲ ὕπερθεν, οἱ δὲ ἀμφὶ τὰς στοὰς αἳ περιβάλλουσι τὸ ἱερὸν ὅλον, πλὴν τῆς πρὸς ἕω τετραμμένης πλευρᾶς· ὧνπερ δύο ἑστᾶσι πρὸ τῆς τοῦ νεὼ θύρας ὑπερφυεῖς ἄγαν καὶ τῶν ἐν γῇ τῇ πάσῃ κιόνων ἴσως οὐδενὸς δεύτεροι.

  [22] So the church is supported on all sides by a number of huge columns from that place, which in colour resemble flames of fire, some standing below and some above and others in the stoas which surround the whole church except on the side facing the east. Two of these columns stand before the door of the church, exceptionally large and probably second to no column in the whole world.

  [23] στοά ]τις ἐκδέχεται ἐντεῦθεν ἕτερα ἐπὶ τοῦ νάρθηκος ὠνομασμένη, οἶμαι, τῷ μὴ εὐρύνεσθαι.

  [23] Here is added another colonnaded stoa which is called the narthex, I suppose because it is not broad.

  [24] αὐλὴ μετὰ ταύτην κίοσιν ὁμοίοις ἐν τετραπλεύρῳ ἀνεχομένη· θύραι μέταυλοι ἱεροπρεπεῖς οὕτως, ὥστε μηνύουσι τοῖς ἔξω ἰοῦσιν ὁποίῳ ποτὲ θεάματι ἐντυχεῖν μέλλουσι. προπύλαια τὸ ἐνθένδε θαυμασία οἷα, καί τις ἐπὶ κιόνων δυοῖν ἐπαιρομένη ἀψὶς ἐς ἄφατον ὕψος.

  [24] Beyond this is a court with similar columns standing on the four sides. From this there lead doors to the interior (metauloi thyrai) which are so stately that they proclaim to those walking outside what kind of sight they will meet within. Beyond there is a wonderful gateway (propylaia) and an arch (apsis), carried on two columns, which rises to a very great height.

  [25] προϊόντι δὲ πρόσω ἡμίκυκλα δύο, ἀλλήλοις ἀντιπρόσωπα ἑκατέρωθεν τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ ἱερὸν ὁδοῦ ἑστᾶσι· ξενῶνες δὲ τῆς ἑτέρας ἐφ᾽ ἑκάτερα δύο, Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλέως ἔργον· ἅτερος μὲν ξένοις ἐνδημοῦσι καταλυτήριον, ὁ δὲ δὴ ἕτερος ἀναπαυστήριον νοσοῦσι πτωχοῖς.

  [25] Then as one advances there are two semi-circles (hemikykla) which stand facing each other on one side of the road which leads to the church, while facing each other on the other side are two hospices, built by the Emperor Justinian. One of these is destined for the shelter of visiting strangers, while the other is an infirmary for poor persons suffering from diseases.

  [26] τοῦτον δὲ τὸν τῆς θεοτόκου νεὼν Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς καὶ προσόδῳ ἐτίμησε χρημάτων μεγάλων. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ πεπραγμένα ταύτῃ πη ἔσχεν.

  [26] And the Emperor Justinian endowed this Church of the Mother of God with the income from a large sum of money. Such were the activities of the Emperor Justinian in Jerusalem.

  [7] [7] [1] Ἔστι δὲ πόλις ἐπὶ Παλαιστίνης, Νεάπολις ὄνομα· ἐφ᾽ ἧς δὴ ὄρος ὑψηλὸν ἀνέχει, Γαριζὶν ὄνομα.

  [1] In Palestine there is a city named Neapolis, above which rises a high mountain, called Garizin.

  [2] τοῦτο δὲ τὸ ὄρος κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς μὲν οἱ Σαμαρεῖται εἶχον· ὡς εὐξόμενοί τε ἀνέβαινον ἐς τὴν τοῦ ὄρους ὑπερβολήν, οὐδένα ἀνιέντες καιρόν· οὐχ ὅτι νεών τινα ἐνταῦθα ᾠκοδομήσαντο πώποτε, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀκρωρείαν αὐτὴν σεβόμενοι ἐτεθήπεσαν πάντων μάλιστα.

  [2] This mountain the Samaritans originally held; and they had been wont to go up to the summit of the mountain to pray on all occasions, not because they had ever built any temple there, but because they worshipped the summit itself with the greatest reverence.

  [3] ἡνίκα δὲ Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ παῖς ἐν σώματι ὢν τοῖς τῇδε ἀνθρώποις ὡμίλει, ]γέγονεν αὐτῷ πρὸς γυναῖκα τῶν τινα ἐπιχωρίων διάλογος· ταύτῃ τε ἐπὶ τῷ ὄρει πυνθα
νομένῃ ὑπεῖπεν ὡς χρόνῳ ὕστερον οὐχ οἱ Σαμαρεῖται προσκυνήσουσιν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ὄρει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνταῦθα αὐτὸν οἱ ἀληθινοὶ προσκυνηταὶ προσκυνήσουσι, τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς παραδηλώσας· ἐγένετό τε προϊόντος τοῦ χρόνου ἔργον ἡ πρόρρησις.

  [3] But when Jesus, the Son of God, was in the body and went among the people there, He had a conversation with a certain woman who was a native of the place. And when this woman questioned Him about the mountain, He replied that thereafter the Samaritans would not worship on this mountain, but that the true worshippers (referring to the Christians), would worship Him in that place;b and as time went on the prediction became a fact.

  [4] οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε ἦν μὴ οὐχὶ ἀψευδεῖν τὸν ὄντα θεόν.

  [4] For it was not possible that He who was God should not utter truth.

  [5] ἐγένετο δὲ τρόπῳ τοιῷδε· ἐπὶ Ζήνωνος βασιλεύοντος ἀθρόοι ἐξαπιναίως οἱ Σαμαρεῖται γενόμενοι ἐπεισπηδῶσιν ἐν Νεαπόλει τοῖς Χριστιανοῖς ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τὴν Πεντηκοστὴν καλουμένην ἑορτὴν ἄγουσι, καὶ αὐτῶν τε πολλοὺς διαχρῶνται, καὶ ὅσπερ ἦν αὐτοῖς ἐπίσκοπος τότε, Τερεβίνθιος ὄνομα, καταλαβόντες ἐπὶ τῆς ἱερὰς ἑστῶτα τραπέζης, καὶ ἱερουργοῦντα τὰ ἄρρητα ξίφεσι παίοντες, ἄλλως τε συγκόπτουσι καὶ τοὺς τῶν χειρῶν ἀφαιροῦνται δακτύλους, ἔς τε τὰ μυστήρια ὕβρισαν, ὡς δρᾶσαι μὲν Σαμαρείταις προσήκει, σιωπᾶν δὲ ἡμῖν.

  [5] And it came about as follows. During the reign of Zeno, the Samaritans suddenly banded together and fell upon the Christians in Neapolis in the church while they were celebrating the festival called the Pentecost, and they destroyed many of them, and they struck with their swords the man who at that time was their Bishop, Terebinthius by name, finding him standing at the holy table as he performed the mysteries; and they slashed at him and cut off the fingers from his hand; and they railed at the mysteries, as is natural for Samaritans to do, while we honour them with silence.

  [6] ὁ δὲ ἱερεὺς οὗτος αὐτίκα ἐν Βυζαντίῳ γενόμενος, τῷ τότε βασιλεῖ ἐς ὄψιν ἥκων, ἐπέδειξέ τε τὸ πάθος καὶ τὰ ξυνενεχθέντα σημάνας καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς προρρήσεως ὑπομνήσας, τιμωρὸν αὐτὸν ἐφ᾽ ἅπασιν ἐδεῖτο γενέσθαι.

  [6] And this priest straightway came to Byzantium and appeared before the ruling Emperor and displayed what he had suffered, setting forth what had happened and reminding the Emperor of the prophecy of Christ; and he begged him to avenge all that had been done.

  [7] Ζήνων δὲ βασιλεὺς τοῖς ξυμπεπτωκόσι ξυνταραχθείς, κόλασίν τε ἀποχρώντως ἐς τοὺς τὰ δεῖνα δεδρακότας πεποίηται οὐδεμίᾳ ὀκνήσει· ἔκ τε ὄρους τοῦ Γαριζὶν τοὺς Σαμαρείτας ἐξελάσας, εὐθὺς Χριστιανοῖς τε αὐτὸ παραδίδωσιν, ἐκκλησίαν ]τε ἄνω δειμάμενος τῇ θεοτόκῳ ἀνέθηκε, τειχισάμενος τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦτο δῆθεν τῷ λόγῳ, τὸ δὲ ἀληθὲς ἀποτριγχώσας.

  [7] The Emperor Zeno was greatly disturbed by what had happened, and with no delay inflicted punishment in due measure upon those who had done the terrible thing. He drove out the Samaritans from Mt. Garizin and straightway handed it over to the Christians, and building a church on the summit he dedicated it to the Mother of God, putting a barrier, as it was made to appear, around this church, though in reality he erected only a light wall of stone.

  [8] καὶ φρουρὰν στρατιωτῶν κατεστήσατο κάτω μὲν ἐν τῇ πόλει πολλῶν, ἐν δὲ τῷ τειχίσματι καὶ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ οὐ πλέον ἢ δέκα.

  [8] And he established a garrison of soldiers, placing a large number in the city below, but not more than ten men at the fortifications and the church.

  [9] οἷς δὴ Σαμαρεῖται ἀχθόμενοι ἤσχαλλον μὲν ἐς τὰ μάλιστα καὶ δυσφορούμενοι ἀπηξίουν τὰ σφίσι παρόντα, δέει δὲ τῷ ἐκ βασιλέως δυσωπούμενοι σιωπῇ εἴχοντο.

  [9] The Samaritans resented this, and chafed bitterly in their vexation and deplored their condition, but through fear of the Emperor they bore their distress in silence.

  [10] προϊόντος δὲ χρόνου, Ἀναστασίου τὴν αὐτοκράτορα ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος, τοιόνδε τι ξυνηνέχθη γενέσθαι.

  [10] But at a later time, when Anastasius was holding the imperial office, the following happened.

  [11] τινὲς τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν, γυναικὸς ὑποθήκῃ ἀναπεισθέντες, ἀναβαίνουσι μὲν παρὰ δόξαν κατὰ τὸ τοῦ ὄρους κρημνῶδες, ἐπεὶ τῆς ἀνόδου ἣ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐνταῦθα ἄγει ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς φυλασσομένης, ἐνθένδε αὐτοῖς ἀποπειρᾶσθαι τῆς ἀναβάσεως ἀδύνατα ἦν.

  [11] Some of the Samaritans, incited by a woman’s suggestion, unexpectedly climbed the steep face of the mountain, since the path which leads up from the city was carefully guarded and it was impossible for them to attempt the ascent by that route.

  [12] ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐξαπιναίως γενόμενοι κτείνουσι μὲν τοὺς ἐνταῦθα φρουρούς, μετακαλοῦσι δὲ τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει Σαμαρείτας φωνῇ ἐξαισίᾳ.

  [12] Entering the church suddenly, they slew the guards there and with a mighty cry summoned the Samaritans in the city.

  [13] οἱ δὲ τοὺς στρατιώτας δειμαίνοντες συνεπιτίθεσθαι τοῖς ἐγκεχειρηκόσιν οὐδαμῆ ἤθελον.

  [13] They, however, through fear of the soldiers, were by no means willing to join the attempt of the conspirators.

  [14] οὐ πολλῷ τε ὕστερον ὁ τὴν χώραν ἐπιτροπεύειν (Προκόπιος δὲ ἦν ἐξ Ἐδέσσης πόλεως, ἀνὴρ λόγιος) τοὺς τὰ δεῖνα δεδρακότας συλλαβὼν ἔκτεινε.

  [14] And not long afterwards the governor of the district (he was Procopius of Edessa, a man of learning) arrested the authors of the outrage and put them to death.

  [15] τοῦ μέντοι ὀχυρώματος οὐδ᾽ ὥς τις λόγος ἢ πρόνοια παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως τηνικάδε γεγένηται.

  [15] Yet even after that no thought was taken for the fortifications, and no provision for proper defence was made at that time by the Emperor.

  [16] ἀλλὰ νῦν Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεύς, καίπερ τοὺς Σαμαρείτας ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐπὶ τὸ εὐσεβέστερον μεταθέμενος καὶ καταστησάμενος Χριστιανοὺς εἶναι, τὸ μὲν ]παλαιὸν τῆς ἐν τῷ Γαριζὶν ἐκκλησίας τείχισμα ἐφ᾽ οὗπερ ἦν σχήματος εἴασεν ἀποτετριγχωμένον, ᾗπέρ μοι εἴρηται, ἑτέρῳ δὲ αὐτὸ ἔκτοσθεν τείχει περιβαλὼν ἄμαχον διεπράξατο παντάπασιν εἶναι.

  [16] But during the present reign, although the Emperor Justinian has converted the
Samaritans for the most part to a more pious way of life and has made them Christians, he left the old fortifications around the church on Garizin in the form in which it was, that is, merely a barrier, as I have said; but by surrounding this with another wall on the outside he made the place absolutely impregnable.

  [17] ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ ἱερὰ πέντε Χριστιανῶν ἀνενεώσατο πρὸς τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν καταφλεχθέντα. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τῇδε εἴργασται.

  [17] There too he restored five shrines of the Christians which had been burned down by the Samaritans. Thus, then, have these things been done.

  [8] [8] [1] Ἐν δὲ τῇ πάλαι μὲν Ἀραβίᾳ, νῦν δὲ Παλαιστίνῃ τρίτῃ καλουμένῃ, χώρα μὲν ἔρημος ἐπὶ μακρὸν κατατείνει, καρπῶν τε καὶ ὑδάτων καὶ πάντων ἀγαθῶν ἄφορος. καὶ ὄρος ἀπότομόν τε καὶ δεινῶς ἄγριον ἀποκρέμαται ἄγχιστά πη τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς καλουμένης θαλάσσης, Σινὰ ὄνομα.

  [1] In what was formerly called Arabia and is now known as “Third Palestine,” a barren land extends for a great distance, unwatered and producing neither crops nor any useful thing. A precipitous and terribly wild mountain, Sina by name, rears its height close to the Red Sea, as it is called.

  [2] οὐδὲν δέ μοι ἀμφὶ τοῖς ἐκείνῃ χωρίοις ἀναγράψασθαι ἀναγκαῖον ἐνταῦθα τοῦ λόγου, ἐπεὶ ἅπαντά μοι τά τε κατὰ τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν καὶ τὸν Ἀραβικὸν καλούμενον κόλπον, Αἰθίοπάς τε τοὺς Αὐξωμίτας καὶ τὰ τῶν Ὁμηριτῶν Σαρακηνῶν γένη ἀκριβολογουμένῳ ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν πολέμων δεδήλωται λόγοις· ἵνα δὴ καὶ τοῦτό μοι διδιήγηται, ὅντινα τρόπον Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς τὸν Φοινικῶνα προσεποίησε τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῇ.