Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  [2] There is no need at this point in my account to write a description of that region because everything has been set forth in the Books on the Wars, where I gave a full description of the Red Sea and what is called the Arabian Gulf, as well as of the Ethiopians and Auxomitae and the tribes of the Homerite Saracens. At that point I shewed also in what manner the Emperor Justinian added the Palm Groves to the Roman Empire.

  [3] ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τούτου δὴ ἕνεκα λέγειν ἀφίημι, ὡς μὴ ἀπειροκαλίας ἀνενέγκοιμι δόξαν.

  [3] Therefore I omit mention of these things, that I may not acquire a reputation for bad taste.

  [4] ἐν τούτῳ δὲ τῷ Σινᾷ ὄρει μοναχοὶ ᾤκηνται, οἷς ἐστιν ὁ βίος ἠκριβωμένη τις μελέτῃ θανάτου, ἐρημίας τῆς σφίσι φιλτάτης ἀδεέστερον ἀπολαύουσι.

  [4] On this Mt. Sina live monks whose life is a kind of careful rehearsal of death, and they enjoy without fear the solitude which is very precious to them.

  [5] τούτοις δὴ τοῖς μοναχοῖς Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς (ἐπεὶ οὐκ εἶχον οὐδὲν ὅτου ἐφεῖντο, ἀλλὰ κρείσσους τῶν ]ἀνθρωπείων ἁπάντων εἰσίν, οὐδέ τι κεκτῆσθαι οὐδὲ θεραπεύειν τὰ σώματα, οὐ μέντοι οὐδὲ ἄλλου ὁτουοῦν ὀνίνασθαι ἐν σπουδῇ ἔχουσιν) ἐκκλησίαν ᾠκοδομήσατο, ἥνπερ τῇ θεοτόκῳ ἀνέθηκεν, ὅπως δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐνταῦθα ἐξῇ εὐχομένοις τε καὶ ἱερωμένοις διαβιῶναι.

  [5] Since these monks have nothing to crave — for they are superior to all human desires and have no interest in possessing anything or in caring for their bodies, nor do they seek pleasure in any other thing whatever — the Emperor Justinian built them a church which have dedicated to the Mother of God, so that they might be enabled to pass their lives therein praying and holding services.

  [6] ταύτην δὲ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν οὐ κατὰ τοῦ ὄρους ἐδείματο τὴν ὑπερβολήν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ πολὺ ἔνερθεν·

  [6] He built this church, not on the mountain’s summit, but much lower down.

  [7] ἀνθρώπῳ γὰρ ἐν τῇ ἀκρωρείᾳ διανυκτερεύειν ἀμήχανά ἐστιν, ἐπεὶ κτύποι τε διηνεκὲς καὶ ἕτερα ἄττα θειότερα νύκτωρ ἀκούσονται, δύναμίν τε καὶ γνώμην τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ἐκπλήσσοντα.

  [7] For it is impossible for a man to pass the night on the summit, since constant crashes of thunder and other terrifying manifestations of divine power are heard at night, striking terror into man’s body and souls.

  [8] ἐνταῦθά ποτε τὸν Μωσέα φασὶ πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοὺς νόμους παραλαβόντα ἐξενεγκεῖν.

  [8] It was in that place, they say, that Moses received the laws from God and published them.

  [9] ἐς δὲ τοῦ ὄρους τὸν πρόποδα καὶ φρούριον ἐχυρώτατον ὁ βασιλεὺς οὗτος ᾠκοδομήσατο, φυλακτήριόν τε στρατιωτῶν ἀξιολογώτατον κατεστήσατο, ὡς μὴ ἐνθένδε Σαρακηνοὶ βάρβαροι ἔχοιεν ἅτε τῆς χώρας ἐρήμου οὔσης, ᾗπέρ μοι εἴρηται, ἐσβάλλειν ὡς λαθραιότατα ἐς τὰ ἐπὶ Παλαιστίνης χωρία.

  [9] And at the base of the mountain this Emperor built a very strong fortress and established there a considerable garrison of troops, in order that the barbarian Saracens might not be able from that region, which, as I have said, is uninhabited, to make inroads with complete secrecy into the lands of Palestine proper.

  [10] Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τῇδε πεποίηται. ὅσα δὲ κἀν τοῖς μοναστηρίοις πεποίηται τοῖς τῇδέ τε καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἄλλην ἑῴαν οὖσιν, αὐτίκα δή μοι ὡς ἐν κεφαλαίῳ γεγράψεται.

  [10] Thus, then, were these things done. All that he did in the monasteries of this region and throughout the rest of the East I shall now record in the form of a summary.

  [9] [9] [1] Μοναστήρια μὲν οὖν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἀνενεώσατο τάδε.

  [1] These, then, were the monasteries restored in Jerusalem:

  [1] τὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Θαλελαίου.

  [1] The Monastery of St. Thalelaeus.

  [2] τὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Γρηγορίου.

  [2] The Monastery of St. Gregory.

  [3] τὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Παντελεήμονος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου.

  [3] Also St. Panteleëmon’s in the Desert of Jordan.

  [4] Ξένωνα ἐν Ἰεριχῷ.

  ] [4] A hospice in Jerichô.

  [5] ἐκκλησίαν τῆς θεοτόκου ἐν Ἰεριχῷ.

  [5] A Church of the Mother of God in Jerichô.

  [6] τὸ τῶν Ἰβήρων ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις.

  [6] The Monastery of the Iberians in Jerusalem.

  [7] τὸ τῶν Λαζῶν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Ἱεροσολύμων.

  [7] The Monastery of the Lazi in the Desert of Jerusalem.

  [8] τὸ τῆς ἁγίας Μαρίας ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῶν Ἐλαιῶν.

  [8] The Monastery of St. Mary on the Mount of Olives.

  [9] τὸ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Ἐλισσαίου ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις.

  [9] The Monastery of the Spring of St. Elissaeus in Jerusalem.

  [10] τὸ Σιλέθεως.

  [10] The Monastery of St. Siletheus.

  [11] τὸ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ῥωμανοῦ.

  [11] The Monastery of the Abbot Romanus.

  [12] ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τὸ τεῖχος ἀνενέωσε.

  [12] At Bethlehem he restored the wall.

  [13] τὸ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου ἐν Βηθλεέμ.

  [13] The Monastery of the Abbot John in Bethlehem.

  [14] Φρέατα δὲ ἢ δεξαμενὰς ᾠκοδομήσατο οὕτως·

  [14] He also built wells or cisterns as follows:

  [15] εἰς τὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Σαμουὴλ φρέαρ καὶ τεῖχος.

  [15] at the Monastery of St. Samuel, a well and a wall;

  [16] εἰς τὸ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ζαχαρίου φρέαρ.

  [16] at that of the Abbot Zacharias, a well;

  [17] εἰς τὸ Σωσάννης φρέαρ.

  [17] at that of Susanna, a well;

  [18] εἰς τὸ Ἀφελίου φρέαρ.

  [18] at that of Aphelius, a well;

  [19] εἰς τὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάννου ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ φρέαρ.

  [19] at St. John’s on the Jordan, a well;

  [20] εἰς τὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Σεργίου ἐν ὄρει καλουμένῳ Κισσερῶν φρέαρ.

  [20] at St. Sergius’ on the mountain called Cisserôn, a well;

  [21] τὸ τεῖχος Τιβεριάδος.

  [21] the wall of Tiberias;

  [22] τὸ ἐν Βόστρᾳ πτωχεῖον.

  [22] the Poor-house in Bostra.

  [23] Φοινίκης·

  τὸν οἶκον τῆς θεοτόκου ἐν Πορφυρεῶνι.

  [23] In Phoenicia, the following:

  the House of the Virgin in Porphyreôn;

  [24] μοναστήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Φωκᾶ ἐν ὄρει.

  [24] the Monastery of St. Phocas on the Mount;

  [25] τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἁγίου Σεργίου ἐν Πτολεμ
αΐδι.

  [25] the House of St. Sergius in Ptolemaïs;

  [26] ἐν Δαμασκῷ οἶκον τοῦ ἁγίου Λεοντίου.

  [26] in Damascus, the House of St. Leontius;

  [27] ἀπὸ Ἀπάμειαν πτωχεῖον τοῦ ἁγίου Ῥωμανοῦ ἀνενεώσατο.

  [27] near Apamea, he restored the Poor-house of St. Romanus;

  [28] τεῖχος τοῦ μακαρίου Μάρωνος.

  ] [28] the wall of the Blessed Marôn;

  [29] ὑπὸ Θεούπολιν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν Δάφνης ἀνενέωσεν.

  [29] near Theopolis, he restored the Church of Daphnê;

  [30] ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ τὸν ἁγίου Ἰωάννου ἀνενέωσε.

  [30] in Laodicea, he restored St. John’s.

  [31] Μεσοποταμίας·

  μοναστήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάννου ἀνενέωσε.

  [31] In Mesopotamia: he restored a Monastery of St. John;

  [32] μοναστήρια Δέλφραξις, Ζηβίνου, Θεοδότου, Ἰωάννου. Σαρμαθῆς, Κυρήνου, Βεγαδαίου.

  [32] the Monasteries of Delphrachis, Zebinus, Theodotus, John, Sarmathê, Cyrenus, Begadaeus;

  [33] μοναστήριον εἰς τὸ Ἀπάδνας ἐν Ἰσαυρίᾳ.

  [33] A Monastery of Apadnas in Isauria;

  [34] πόλεως Κουρίκου λουτρὸν καὶ πτωχεῖον ἀνενέωσε.

  [34] At the city of Curicum, he restored a Bath and a Poor-house;

  [35] τὸ πτωχεῖον τοῦ ἁγίου Κόνωνος.

  [35] the Poor-house of St. Conôn;

  [36] τὸν ἀγωγὸν αὐτοῦ ἀνενέωσεν ἐν Κύπρῳ.

  [36] He renewed the aqueduct of the same in Cyprus;

  [37] οἶκον τοῦ ἁγίου Κοσμᾶ καὶ Δαμιανοῦ ἐν Παμφυλίᾳ.

  [37] The House of Sts. Cosmas and Damian in Pamphylia;

  [38] πτωχεῖον τοῦ ἁγίου Μιχαὴλ ἐν Ἐμπορίῳ ἐπίκλην ἐπινείου πόλεως Πέργης τῆς Παμφυλίας.

  [38] The Poor-house of St. Michael in the Emporium, as it is called, of the harbour-city of Perga in Pamphylia.

  BOOK VI.

  [1] [1] Ταῦτα μὲν Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ τῇδε πεποίηται. ἐν δὲ Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ ἐξείργασται τάδε. Νεῖλος ποταμὸς οὐκ ἄχρι ἐς τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν φέρεται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ πόλισμα ἐπιρρεύσας ὃ δὴ Χαιρέου ἐπονομάζεται, ἐπ᾽ ἀριστερὰ τὸ λοιπὸν ἵεται, ὅρια τά γε Ἀλεξανδρέων ἀπολιπών.

  [1] Thus were these things done by the Emperor Justinian. And at Alexandria he did the following. The Nile River does not flow all the way to Alexandria, but after flowing to the town which is named from Chaereüs, it then turns to the left, leaving aside the confines of Alexandria.

  [2] διὸ δὴ οἱ πάλαι ἄνθρωποι, ὡς μὴ ἀμοιροίη τὸ παράπαν ἡ πόλις, διώρυχα ἐκ τῆς Χαιρέου κατορύξαντες βαθεῖάν τινα βραχείᾳ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἐς αὐτὴν ἐκροῇ διεπράξαντο ἐσιτητὰ εἶναι. οὗ δὴ καὶ ]ἄλλας τινὰς ἐκροὰς ἐκ λίμνης Μαρίας ἐσβάλλειν ξυμβαίνει.

  [2] Consequently the men of former times, in order that the city might not be entirely cut off from the river, dug a very deep canal from Chaereüs and thus by means of a short branch made the river accessible to it. There too, as it chances, are the mouths of certain streams flowing in from Lake Maria.

  [3] ἐπὶ ταύτης δὲ τῆς διώρυχος μεγάλαις μὲν ναυσὶ πλώϊμα οὐδαμῇ γίνεται, ἐς λέμβους δὲ τὸν Αἰγύπτιον σῖτον ἐκ τῆς Χαιρέου μεταβιβάσαντες οὕσπερ καλεῖν διαρήματα νενομίκασιν, ἔς τε τὴν πόλιν διακομίζουσιν, ἵνα δὴ ἐξικνεῖσθαι δυνατά ἐστι τῷ κατὰ τὴν διώρυχα ποταμῷ, καὶ κατατίθενται ἐν χώρῳ ὅνπερ Ἀλεξανδρεῖς καλοῦσι Φιάλην.

  [3] In this canal it is by no means possible for large vessels to sail, so at Chaereüs they transfer the Egyptian grain to boats which they are wont to call diaremata, and thus convey it to the city, which they are enabled to reach by way of the canal-route, and they deposit it in the quarter of the city which the Alexandrians call Phialê.

  [4] ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ τῷ δήμῳ ἐς στάσιν πολλάκις καθισταμένῳ ἐνταῦθα διολωλέναι τῷ σίτῳ ξυνέβη, βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς τειχίσματι τόνδε τὸν χῶρον περιβαλὼν τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ σίτῳ ἐπιβουλὴν ἀνεχαίτισε.

  [4] But since it often came about that the grain was destroyed in that place by the people rising in sedition, the Emperor Justinian surrounded this district with a wall and so prevented the damage to the grain.

  [5] ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ ταύτῃ ἐξείργασται.

  Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἐπ᾽ Αἰγυπτίου ἡμᾶς ἤγαγε τῆς Λιβύης ὁμόρου τανῦν ὁ λόγος, φέρε δὴ καὶ ὁπόσα διαπέπρακται αὐτῷ ἐνταῦθα δηλώσωμεν, ἐπεὶ καὶ Λιβύην ξύμπασαν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὗτος ὑπὸ βαρβάροις κειμένην εὑρὼν τῇ ἄλλῃ ἐνῆψε Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῇ.

  [5] Thus were these things done by the Emperor Justinian.

  But inasmuch as our account has now led us to Egypt, the close neighbour of Libya, let us now set forth how many things were done by him there also, since this Emperor found all Libya too lying under the power of barbarians and joined it to the remainder of the Roman Empire.

  [6] Νεῖλος μὲν ὁ ποταμὸς ἐξ Ἰνδῶν ἐπ᾽ Αἰγύπτου φερόμενος δίχα τέμνει τὴν ἐκείνῃ γῆν ἄχρι ἐς θάλασσαν. ἡ δὲ σχιζομένη τῷ ῥείθρῳ καὶ ὀνόμασι διακέκριται τὸ ἐνθένδε δυοῖν.

  [6] The Nile River, flowing out of India into Egypt, divides that land into two parts as far as the sea. The land, thus divided by the stream, is thenceforth designated by two separate names:

  [7] τὰ μὲν ]γὰρ ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ ποταμοῦ Ἀσία ὠνόμασται μέχρι που ἐς Φᾶσιν τὸν Κόλχον, ὅσπερ Ἀσίαν τε διορίζει καὶ γῆν τὴν Εὐρώπην, ἢ μέχρι ἐς πορθμεῖα τὰ Κιμμέρια καὶ ποταμὸν Τάναϊν.

  [7] the region on the right of the river is called Asia as far as Colchian Phasis, which divides Asia from the continent of Europe, or even all the way to the Cimmerian Strait and the River Tanaïs.

  [8] τούτων γὰρ δὴ ἕνεκα διαμάχονται πρὸς ἀλλήλους οἱ ταῦτα σοφοί, ᾗπερ ἐν λόγοις μοι τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν πολέμων δεδήλωται περιηγουμένῳ τὸν Εὔξεινον καλούμενον πόντον.

  [8] In regard to this question those who are learned in these matters are in conflict with one another, as has been made clear in the Books on the Wars in the course of my description of the sea called Euxine.

  [9] τὰ δὲ δὴ ἐν ἀριστερᾷ τοῦ Νείλου Λιβύη ἐκλήθη μέχρι ἐς ὠκεανόν, ὅσπερ ἐς δύοντά που τὸν ἥλιον ἑκατέραν ἤπειρον διορίζει, ἐκροήν τε ἀφιείς τινα καὶ θάλασσαν τήνδε ποιούμενος.

  [9] And the land on the left of the Nil
e bears the name of Libya as far as the Ocean, which on the west marks the boundary between the two continents by sending out a certain arm which opens out into this sea of ours.

  [10] ἡ μὲν οὖν ἄλλη Λιβύη ξύμπασα ὀνόματα κατὰ χώραν ἑκάστην ἕτερα ἄττα διακεκλήρωται, ἐκ τῶν ἐκείνῃ ἐπιγενομένων, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, ἐπικληθεῖσα.

  [10] All the rest of Libya has received several different names, each region being designated, presumably, by the name of the people who dwell there.

  [11] ἣ μέντοι ἐκ τῷ Ἀλεξανδρείας ὁρίων ἄχρι ἐς πόλιν Κυρήνην διήκουσα ἐπὶ Πενταπόλεώς ἐστιν, ἐπὶ τούτου δὴ μόνου τοῦ ὀνόματος Λιβύη καὶ νῦν ἐπικέκληται.

  [11] However, the territory extending from the confines of Alexandria as far as the cities of Cyrenê, comprising the Pentapolis, is now the only region which is called by the name of Libya.

  [12] ἐνταῦθα πόλις ἐστιν ἡμέρας ὁδῷ Ἀλεξανδρείας διέχουσα, Ταφόσιρις ὄνομα, ἵνα δὴ ταφῆναι τὸν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων θεὸν Ὄσιριν λέγουσιν.

  [12] In that territory is a city one day’s journey distant from Alexandria, Taphosiris by name, where they say that the god of the Egyptians, Osiris, was buried.

  [13] ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ πόλει ἄλλα τε πολλὰ καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων καταλυτήρια καὶ λουτρῶνας ἐδείματο Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεύς.

  [13] In this city the Emperor Justinian built many things, and in particular the residences of the magistrates and baths.

  [2] [2] [1] Ταύτης δὲ τῆς Λιβύης ἔρημα μὲν τὰ πολλὰ τετύχηκεν εἶναι, ἀπημελημένα ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον.

  [1] The greatest part of this land of Libya chances to have been desert, which was in general neglected.