Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  [6] Now that I have reached this point in the narrative, I cannot pass over in silence the thing which happened in Leptis Magna in our time. When the Emperor Justinian had already taken over the imperial authority, but had not yet undertaken the Vandalic War, the barbarian Moors, those called Leuathae, overpowered the Vandals, who were then masters of Libya, and made Leptis Magna entirely empty of inhabitants.

  [7] ἐν χώροις δὲ λοφώδεσι ξὺν τοῖς ἡγεμόσι διατριβήν τινα ἔχοντες Λεπτιμάγνης οὐ πολλῷ ἄποθεν, φλόγα πυρὸς ἐξαπιναίως ἐν μέσῃ τῇ πόλει τεθέανται.

  [7] While they were tarrying for a time with their leaders on hilly ground not far from Leptis Magna, they suddenly saw a flame of fire in the middle of the city.

  [8] πολεμίους τε ὑποτοπήσαντες ἐνδήμους ἐνταῦθα γενέσθαι, δρόμῳ ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἐβοήθουν πολλῷ.

  [8] Supposing that local enemies had got in there, they ran to the rescue with great speed.

  [9] ἀνθρώπων τε οὐδένα εὑρόντες ἐπὶ τοὺς μάντεις τὸ πρᾶγμα ἦγον, οἳ δὴ τῷ ξυμβεβηκότι τεκμηριούμενοι τὴν Λεπτιμάγναν οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν οἰκισθήσεσθαι προὔλεγον.

  [9] Finding no one there, they took the matter to the soothsayers, who, by an inkling of what has since happened, predicted that Leptis Magna would soon be inhabited again.

  [10] οὐ πολλῷ τε ὕστερον ἀφικόμενος ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως στρατὸς Λιβύην τε τὴν ]ἄλλην καὶ Τρίπολιν ἔσχε, Βανδίλων τε καὶ Μαυρουσίων καθυπέρτερος τῷ πολέμῳ γεγενημένος. ἐγὼ δὲ ὅθεν τὴν ἐκβολὴν τοῦ λόγου ἐποιησάμην ἐπάνειμι.

  [10] Not long after that the Emperor’s army came and occupied both Tripolis and the rest of Libya, gaining ascendancy over both the Vandals and the Moors in the war. However, I shall return to the point at which I digressed from my account.

  [11] Ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ πόλει βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς καὶ λουτρῶνας ἐν δημοσίῳ πεποίηται, τόν τε περίβολον τῆς πόλεως ἐκ θεμελίων τῶν ἐσχάτων ᾠκοδομήσατο, καὶ τοῖς τε βαλανείοις τοῖς τε ἄλλοις πᾶσιν ἐς πόλεως αὐτὴν κατεστήσατο σχῆμα.

  [11] In this city the Emperor Justinian also built public baths, and he erected the circuit-wall of the city from its lowest foundations, and by means both of the baths and of all the other improvements gave it the character of a city.

  [12] τούς τε πλησιοχώρους αὐτῇ βαρβάρους, οἱ Γαδαβιτανοὶ ἐπικαλοῦνται, κατακόρως ἐς τόδε τοῦ χρόνου τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν καλουμένην ἀθεΐαν δοξάζοντας, Χριστιανοὺς διεπράξατο γενέσθαι τανῦν προυθμίᾳ τῇ πάσῃ.

  [12] The barbarians who live close by, those called Gadabitani, who up to that time were exceedingly addicted to what is called the Greek form of atheism, he has now made zealous Christians.

  [13] ἀλλὰ καὶ Σαβραθὰν ἐτειχίσατο πόλιν, οὗ δὴ καὶ λόγου ἀξίαν πολλοῦ ἐκκλησίαν ἐδείματο.

  [13] He also walled the city of Sabrathan, where he also built a very noteworthy church.

  [14] Πόλεις δὲ δύο εἰσὶ ταύτης ἐν ἐσχάτῳ τῆς χώρας, Τάκαπά τε καὶ Γίργις, ὧν δὴ κατὰ μέσον Σύρτεις τὰς μικρὰς ξυμβαίνει εἶναι.

  [14] There are two cities at the extremity of this land, Tacapa and Girgis, between which lie the Lesser Syrtes.

  [15] ἐνταῦθα γίνεταί τι ἐς ἡμέραν ἑκάστην θαυμάσιον ἡλίκον. ἡ θάλασσα ἐν στενῷ θλιβομένη ἀπεργάζεται μηνοειδῆ κόλπον, ᾗπερ γίνεσθαι καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἄλλας Σύρτεις ἐρρήθη.

  [15] There a thing happens every day which is truly wonderful. The sea, compressed into a narrow space, forms a crescent-shaped gulf, just as I have said happens at the other Syrtes.

  [16] ἀναβαίνει δὲ εἰς τὴν ἤπειρον πλέον ἢ ὁδῷ ἡμέρας εὐζώνῳ ἀνδρί, ἀμφί τε τὰ πρὸς ἑσπέραν ἐπάνεισιν αὖθις, ἐπιλιποῦσα ἐπὶ ξηροῦ τὴν ἠϊόνα ταύτην κατὰ ταὐτὰ ταῖς ἄλλαις ἀκταῖς.

  [16] The sea comes up on the mainland more than a day’s journey for an unencumbered traveller, but towards evening it returns again, leaving the shore there dry as on other coasts.

  [17] οἳ τε ναῦται εἰς τὴν ἤπειρον ἀναγόμενοι θάλασσαν ἐπὶ καιροῦ γεγενημένην, τῆς μὲν ἡμέρας ὡς πορρωτάτω τὰ εἰωθότα ναυτίλλονται, ἀμφὶ δείλην δὲ πάντως ὀψίαν ὡς ἐν γῆ αὐλισόμενοι συσκευάζονται, κοντούς τινας ἐν παρασκευῇ μακροὺς ἔχοντες.

  [17] The sailors put out over the mainland, which is temporarily transformed into a sea, and during the day they sail as far as possible by the usual means, but in the late afternoon they make preparations to bivouac as if on land, having certain long poles in readiness.

  [18] ἐπειδάν τε τάχιστα τοῦ ῥοθίου ]αἴσθωνται ὑπόπτως ἐς τὴν ἀναχώρησιν ἔχοντος, οἵδε κοντοὺς ἔχοντες καὶ διαχειρίζοντες ἐκπηδῶσιν ὀκνήσει οὐδεμίᾳ ἐκ τῆς νεώς.

  [18] As soon as they observe that the water is threatening to draw back, with no delay they leap out of the ships holding the poles and dragging them along.

  [19] νηχόμενοι δὲ πρῶτον, εἶτα ἑστήκασιν, ἡνίκα ἂν σφίσι τὸ ὕδωρ οὐχ ὑπεραίροι τὰ πρόσωπα.

  [19] At first they swim, and then they stand as soon as the water does not rise above their faces.

  [20] ἐκ τε τῶν ἄκρων τοὺς κοντοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς προσουδίσαντες ἐν ξηρῷ ἤδη γεγενημένης ἢ ἐσομένης αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα, ὀρθοὺς ἱστᾶσιν, ὑποκεισομένους τῷ πλοίῳ καὶ μετεωρίσοντας ἑκατέρωθεν, ὡς μὴ ἐπικλινᾶν ἐπὶ θάτερα συντριβὲς γένηται.

  [20] And they plant the ends of their poles in the earth as soon as it has become dry or is on the point of becoming so, and they set them upright so as to prop up the boat from both sides and keep it upright, in order that it may not fall over to either side and be crushed.

  [21] τῇ δὲ ὑστεραίᾳ ὄρθρου βαθέος ἡ μὲν ἤπειρος μεταμφιασαμένη τὴν θάλασσαν ἐπικυρτοῦται κυμαίνουσα, τὰ δὲ πλοῖα ἐπαιρόμενα πλεῖ.

  [21] On the following day, at early dawn, the mainland again transforms itself into the sea with its rolling waves, and the boats are lifted and float away.

  [22] οἵ τε ναῦται περιελόντες ἐπικαιριώτατα τοὺς κοντοὺς ναυτίλλονται αὖθις.

  [22] The sailors meanwhile remove the poles at just the right moment and proceed to sail once more.

  [23] παράλλαξίν τε οὐδεμίαν τοῦ ἔργου γενέσθαι ξυμβαίνει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐς ἡμέραν ἑκάστην ἡ τῶν στοιχείων διαδοχὴ ἐπιγίνεται.

  [23] This goes on without any variation, but every day the alternation of the elements takes place.

  [
5] [5] [1] Μετὰ δὲ Τρίπολίν τε καὶ Σύρτεις ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ Λιβύην τὴν ἄλλην ἴωμεν.

  [1] After Tripolis and the Syrtes, let us go on to the rest of Libya.

  [2] ἀρκτέον δὲ ἡμῖν ἐκ Καρχηδόνος, ἣ μεγίστη τε καὶ ἀξιολογωτάτη τῶν τῇδε πόλεων τυγχάνει οὖσα, τοσοῦτον πρότερον ὑπειποῦσιν, ὡς ἡνίκα Γιζέριχός τε καὶ Βανδίλοι Λιβύην ἔσχον, ἐνθύμημα ἐπιγέγονεν αὐτοῖς ἀξιώλεθρόν τε καὶ πρέπον βαρβάροις.

  [2] We must begin from Carthage, which chances to be the largest and the most noteworthy of the cities in this region, prefacing our account with the remark that when Gizericb and the Vandals acquired Libya, a device occurred to them which was both pernicious and worthy of barbarians.

  [3] ἄμεινον γὰρ ἐλογίσαντο σφίσι τὰ πράγματα ἕξειν ἀτειχίστων ὄντων τῶν τῇδε χωρίων, ὡς μή τι καταλαβόντες αὐτῶν Ῥωμαῖοι Βανδίλους κακουργεῖν ἔχοιεν.

  [3] They reasoned that they would be better off if all the towns of the region should be without walls, so that the Romans might not capture any of them and thus be able to harm the Vandals.

  [4] ἅπαντα οὖν τὰ τείχη ἐς τὸ ἔδαφος καθεῖλον εὐθύς. βάρβαροι γὰρ ἅπαντες ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐπὶ πονηρῷ τῷ Ῥωμαίων βουλεύονται μὲν ὡς ὀξύτατα, ἐπιτελοῦσι δὲ ὡς ταχύτατα ὅσα ἂν αὐτοῖς δοκοῦντα εἴη.

  [4] So they immediately tore down all the walls to the ground. All the barbarians, as a general thing, are very keen in planning damage to the Romans, and they are very swift in executing whatever they decide upon.

  [5] μόνον ]δὲ αὐτοῖς τό τε Καρχηδόνος καὶ ὀλίγα ἄττα ἐφ᾽ οὗπερ ἦσαν σχήματος ἔμειναν, ὧνπερ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι ἀπαξιοῦντες, διαφθορεῖν αὐτὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ἀφῆκαν.

  [5] Only Carthage and a few other places were left by them just as they were, for they declined to concern themselves with these, and left them for time to destroy.

  [6] βασιλεὺς δὲ Ἰουστινιανὸς (ἀνθρώπων μὲν οὐδενὸς ἐπαινοῦντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ πεφρικότων τὸ ἔργων ἁπάντων, μόνου δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσηγουμένου τε καὶ ἐπαγγελλομένου καὶ ξυλλαμβάνοντος) Βελισάριόν τε καὶ στράτευμα ἐπὶ Λιβύην πέμψας, Γελίμερά τε καὶ δύναμιν τὴν Βανδίλων καθεῖλε, πολλοὺς μὲν κτείνας τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς δορυαλώτους πεποιημένος, ᾗπέρ μοι ἐν λόγοις τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν πολέμων δεδήλωται.

  [6] But the Emperor Justinian (although no man approved of his purpose and all actually shuddered at the undertaking, and only God furthered the project and promised help and support) sent Belisarius and an army against Libya; and he broke the power of Gelimer and the Vandals, killing many and making the rest captives, as I have recounted in the Books of the Wars.

  [7] καὶ τὰ μὲν καθῃρημένα τῶν ἐν Λιβύῃ ὀχυρωμάτων ἀνενεώσατο ἅπαντα, ἕτερα δὲ παμπληθῆ ἐπετεχνήσατο νεοχμώσας αὐτός.

  [7] He restored all the dismantled strongholds in Libya, every one of them, and he also added a great many new ones himself.

  [8] Πρῶτα μὲν οὖν Καρχηδόνος, τῆς νῦν καὶ Ἰουστινιανῆς, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, καλουμένης ἐπεμελήσατο, διερρυηκότα μὲν τὸν περίβολον ἀνοικοδομησάμενος ἅπαντα, καὶ τάφρον ἐν περιδρόμῳ διορύξας οὐ πρότερον οὖσαν.

  [8] First, then, he cared for Carthage, which now, very properly, is called Justinianê, rebuilding the whole circuit-wall, which had fallen down, and digging around it a moat which it had not had before.

  [9] ἀνέθηκε δὲ καὶ ἱερὰ τεμένη, τῇ μὲν θεοτόκῳ, ὅπερ ἐν Παλατίῳ ἐστί, καὶ τούτου ἐκτὸς τῶν τινι ἐπιχωρίων ἁγίων ἁγίᾳ Πρίμῃ.

  [9] He also dedicated shrines, one to the Mother of God in the palace, and one outside this to a certain local saint, Saint Prima.

  [10] ἔτι μέντοι καὶ στοὰς ἑκατέρωθι τῆς Μαριτίμου ἀγορὰς καλουμένης ἐδείματο, καὶ βαλανεῖον ἐν δημοσίῳ ἀξιοθέατον, ὅπερ ἐπωνύμως τῇ βασιλίδι Θεοδωριανὰς ἐπωνόμασαν.

  [10] Furthermore, he built stoas on either side of what is called the Maritime Forum, and a public bath, a fine sight, which they have named Theodorianae, after the Empress.

  [11] ἐδείματο δὲ καὶ μοναστήριον τοῦ περιβόλου ἐντὸς ἐπιθαλασσίδιον, ἄγχιστα τοῦ λιμένος ὅπερ Μανδράκιον ὀνομάζουσιν, ἐρύματί τε αὐτὸ ἐχυρωτάτῳ περιβαλὼν φρούριον ἀνανταγώνιστον ἀπειργάσατο.

  ] [11] He also built a monastery on the shore inside the circuit-wall, close to the harbour which they call Mandracium, and by surrounding it with very strong defences he made it an impregnable fortress.

  [12] Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ Καρχηδόνος τῆς νέας Ἰουστινιανῷ εἴργασται. ἐν δὲ χώρᾳ τῇ ἀμφ᾽ αὐτήν, ἢ Προκονσουλαρία ὠνόμασται, πόλις ἀτείχιστος ἦν, Βάγα ὄνομα, μὴ ὅτι βαρβάροις ἐπιοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τύχῃ τινὶ παριοῦσιν ἁλωτὴ οὖσα.

  [12] These things, then, were done by Justinian at modern Carthage. In the surrounding region, which is called Proconsularis, there was an unwalled city, Vaga by name, which could be captured not only by a planned attack of the barbarians, but even if they merely chanced to be passing that way.

  [13] ταύτην ἐρύματι ἐχυρωτάτῳ περιβαλὼν Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς πόλιν τε διεπράξατο εἶναι καὶ τοὺς οἰκήτορας ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ διασώσασθαι οἵαν τε εἶναι.

  [13] This place the Emperor Justinian surrounded with very strong defences and made it worthy to be called a city, and capable of affording safe protection to its inhabitants.

  [14] οἳ δὴ τετυχηκότες τῆς χάριτος ἐς τὴν τῆς βασιλίδος τιμὴν Θεοδωριάδα καλοῦσι τὴν πόλιν.

  [14] And they, having received this favour, now call the city Theodorias in honour of the Empress.

  [15] φρούριον δὲ ᾠκοδομήσατο ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χώρα ὃ Τούκκα καλοῦσιν.

  [15] He also built in this district a fortress which they call Tucca.

  [6] [6] [1] Ἐν Βυζακίῳ δὲ πόλις, Ἀδράμυτος ὄνομα, ἐν τῇ παραλίᾳ οἰκεῖται, μεγάλη καὶ πολυάνθρωπος ἐκ παλαιοῦ οὖσα, καὶ δι᾽ αὐτὸ τὸ τῆς μητροπόλεως ὄνομά τε καὶ ἀξίωμα κληρωσαμένη ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χώρᾳ, ἐπεὶ πρώτην αὐτὴν μεγέθει τε καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ εὐδαιμονίᾳ ξυμβαίνει εἶναι.

  [1] In Byzacium there is a city on the coast, Adramytus by name, which has been large and flourishing from ancient times, and for this reason it won the name and rank of metropolis of the region, since it chances to be first in point of size and, in general, of prosp
erity.

  [2] ταύτης Βανδίλοι μὲν τὸν περίβολον ἐς ἔδαφος καθεῖλον, ὡς μή ποτε Ῥωμαῖοι αὐτῆς ἀντιλαβέσθαι δυνατοὶ εἶεν· Μαυρουσίοις τε καταθέουσι τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία ἐν ἐπιτηδείῳ ἀπέκειτο.

  [2] The Vandals had torn the circuit-wall of this city down to the ground, so that the Romans might not be able to use it against them. And it lay conveniently exposed to the Moors when they overran that region.

  [3] Λίβυες δὲ κατὰ ταύτην οἰκήτορες, ὅσα γε δυνατὰ τῆς σφῶν σωτηρίας ἐπιμελούμενοι, τὰ διῃρημένα τῶν τοίχων ἀποτριγχώσαντες τὰς οἰκίας ἀλλήλαις ἐνῆψαν·

  [3] Nevertheless, the Libyans who lived there tried to make provision, so far as they could, for their own safety, and so they made a barricade out of the ruins of the walls and joined their houses together;

  [4] ἐξ ὧν δὴ τοῖς ἐπιοῦσι διαμαχόμενοι ἔν τε τῷ σφαλερῷ τῆς ἐλπίδος καὶ τῷ ἐπικινδύνῳ ἠμύνοντο.

  [4] and from these they would fight against their assailants and try to defend themselves, though their hope was slight and their position precarious.

  [5] ἦν δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ τριχὸς ἡ σωτηρία διηνεκὲς καὶ ἐπὶ θατέρου σκέλους ἑστῶσα, πολεμουμένοις μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν Μαυρουσίων, ὑπὸ δὲ τῶν Βανδίλων ἀμελουμένοις. ]