Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  [5] So their safety always hung by a hair and they were kept standing on one leg, being exposed to the attacks of the Moors and to the neglect of the Vandals.

  [6] ἀλλ᾽ ἡνίκα Λιβύης κύριος τῷ πολέμῳ βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς γέγονε, τεῖχός τε τῇ πόλει εὐμέγεθες ἄγαν περιβαλὼν καὶ φρουρὰν ἐνταῦθα στρατιωτῶν καταστησάμενος ἀξιόχρεων θαρσεῖν τε ὑπὲρ ἀσφαλείας τοὺς τῇδε ᾠκημένους πεποίηται ἀφροντιστῆσαί τε πολεμίων ἁπάντων.

  [6] However, when the Emperor Justinian became master of Libya by conquest, he put an exceedingly massive wall about the city and stationed there an adequate garrison of troops, thus giving the inhabitants assurance of safety and enabling them to disdain all enemies.

  [7] διὸ δὴ αὐτὴν καὶ Ἰουστινιανὴν καλοῦσι τανῦν, σῶστρα τῷ βασιλεῖ ταῦτα ἐκτίνοντες, μόνῃ τοῦ ὀνόματος τῇ παρενθήκῃ τὴν εὐγνωμοσύνην ἐπιδεικνύμενοι, ἐπεὶ ἄλλο οὐδὲν ὅτῳ ἂν καὶ βασιλέως τὴν ἀγαθοεργίαν ἀμείβοιντο οὔτε αὐτοὶ εἶχον οὔτε οὗτος ἐβούλετο.

  [7] For this reason they now call the place Justinianê, thus repaying the Emperor for their deliverance and displaying their gratitude simply by the adoption of the name, since they had no other means by which they could requite the Emperor’s beneficence, nor did he himself wish other requital.

  [8] Ἦν δέ τι καὶ ἄλλο ἐν τῇ τοῦ Βυζακίου παραλίᾳ χωρίον ὅπερ ἐκάλουν Καπούτβαδα οἱ ἐπιχώριοι. ἐνταῦθα καταπλεύσας τὰ πρῶτα ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως στόλος Λιβύων τῆς γῆς ἐπεβάτευεν, ἡνίκα ἐπὶ Γελίμερά τε καὶ Βανδίλους ἐστράτευεν.

  [8] There was also a certain other town on the coast of Byzacium which the inhabitants used to call Caputvada. At that point the Emperor’s fleet landed and there the troops first set foot on the land of Libya, when they made the expedition against Gelimer and the Vandals.

  [9] οὒ δὴ καὶ τὸ θαυμάσιον ἐκεῖνο καὶ λόγου κρεῖσσον ἐς τὸν βασιλέα ἐπιδέδεικται ὁ θεὸς δώρημα, ὅπερ μοι ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν πολέμων δεδήλωται λόγοις.

  [9] In that place also God revealed that marvellous and indescribable gift to the Emperor which I have described in the Books on the Wars.

  [10] ἀνύδρου γὰρ τοῦ χωρίου τὰ μάλιστα ὄντος, ὕδατός τε ἀπορίᾳ πολλῇ πιεζομένου τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ, ἡ γῆ, πρότερον ἐπὶ ξηροῦ βεβαιότατα οὖσα, πηγὴν ἀνῆκεν οὗ δὴ τὸ χαράκωμα οἱ στρατιῶται εἰργάζοντο.

  [10] For although the locality was exceedingly arid, so that the Roman army was very hard pressed by lack of water, the ground, which previously had been completely dry, sent up a spring at the place where the soldiers were building their stockade,

  [11] οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὤρυσσον, ἡ δὲ ἀνεβλύστανεν. ἥ τε γῆ αὐχμὸν ἀποβαλοῦσα τὸν ἐπιχώριον καὶ μεθαρμοσαμένη τὴν αὐτῆς φύσιν ὕδατι ποτίμῳ ὑγρὰ ἐγεγόνει.

  [11] for as they dug, the water began to gush forth. So the earth threw off the drought which prevailed there, and transforming its own character became saturated with drinking-water.

  [12] ταύτῃ τε τὸ λοιπὸν ἐν ἐπιτηδείῳ στρατοπεδεύσαντές ]τε καὶ αὐλισάμενοι, καὶ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ὡς ἐς τὴν μάχην συσκευασάμενοι, ἵνα τὰ ἐν μέσῳ συντέμω, Λιβύην ἔσχον.

  [12] Because of this circumstance they built a satisfactory camp in that place and spent that night there; and on the next day they prepared for battle and, to omit what intervened, took possession of Libya.

  [13] μαρτυρίῳ τοίνυν διηνεκεῖ τὸ τοῦ θεοῦ δῶρον πιστούμενος Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεύς, ᾧ δὴ βουλομένῳ τὰ ἀμηχανώτατα εὔκολα γίνεται, ἐς πόλιν αὐτίκα μεταβιβάσαι τὸ χωρίον τοῦτο βεβούλευται, τείχει μὲν ἐρυμνήν, τῇ δὲ ἄλλῃ κατασκευῇ ἐς πόλεως ὄγκον ὑπογεγραμμένην εὐδαίμονος, καὶ γέγονεν ἔργον τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐνθύμημα.

  [13] So the Emperor Justinian, by way of bearing witness to the gift of God by means of a permanent testimony — for the most difficult task easily yields to his wish — conceived the desire to transform this place forthwith into a city which should be made strong by a wall and distinguished by its other appointments as worthy to be counted an impressive and prosperous city; and the purpose of the Emperor has been realized.

  [14] τεῖχός τε γὰρ ἀποτετόρνευται καὶ πόλις, καὶ ἀγροῦ τύχη ἐξαπιναίως ἀμείβεται.

  [14] For a wall has been brought to completion and with it a city, and the condition of a farm land is being suddenly changed.

  [15] οἵ τε ἄγροικοι τὴν ἐχέτλην ἀπορριψάμενοι πολιτικῶς βιοτεύουσιν, οὐκ ἄγροικον δίαιταν ἔτι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀστείαν διαχειρίζοντες.

  [15] And the rustics have thrown aside the plough and lead the existence of a community, no longer going the round of country tasks but living a city life.

  [16] ἐπεὶ καὶ ἀγοράζουσιν ἐνταῦθα διημερεύοντες, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν σφίσιν ἀναγκαίων ἐκκλησιάζουσι, καὶ ἀγορὰν ἀλλήλοις συμβάλλουσι, τἄλλα τε ἅπαντα πράσσουσιν ὅσα δὴ ἐς πόλεως ἀξίωμα ἥκει.

  [16] They pass their days in the market-place and hold assemblies to deliberate on questions which concern them; and they traffic with one another, and conduct all the other affairs which pertain to the dignity of a city.

  [17] Ταῦτα μὲν ἐν Βυζακίῳ τῷ ἐπιθαλασσίῳ πεποίηται. κατὰ δὲ τὴν μεσόγειαν ἐς τῆς χώρας τὰ ἔσχατα, ἵνα δὴ αὐτὴν βάρβαροι προσοικοῦσι Μαυρούσιοι, ἐπιτειχίσματα κατ᾽ αὐτῶν πεποίηται δυνατώτατα, ἐξ ὧν δὴ οὐκέτι οἷοί τέ εἰσι καταθεῖν τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀρχήν.

  [17] This then was done in Byzacium on the sea. In the interior of this land and to its farther parts, where barbarian Moors live hard by, he built very powerful outposts against them, because of which they are no longer able to overrun the Roman dominion.

  [18] πόλεις τε γὰρ τὰς ἐνταῦθα οὔσας ἐν ἐσχατιᾷ τῆς χώρας ἑκάστην τείχεσιν ἐχυροῖς ἄγαν περιβαλών, αἷς αἱ προσηγορίαι Μάμμης τε καὶ Τελεπτὴ καὶ Κούλουλις, καὶ φρούριον τειχισάμενος, ὅπερ καλοῦσιν οἱ ἐπιχώριοι Αὐμέτρα, ἐχεγγύους ἐνταῦθα φρουροὺς στρατιωτῶν κατεστήσατο.

  ] [18] He surrounded each one of the cities with very strong walls, since they stand on the rim of the territory; these bear the names Mammes, Teleptê and Cululis. He also constructed a fort which the natives call Aumetra, and in these places he stationed trustworthy garrisons of troops.

  [7] [7] [1] Τρόπῳ δὲ τῷ αὐτῷ Νουμιδίων τῇ χώρᾳ τειχίσματί τε καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλακτηρ
ίοις τὴν ἀσφάλειαν προσεποίησεν, ὧνπερ ἕκαστα ἐρῶν ἔρχομαι.

  [1] In the same way he assured the safety of the land of Numidia by means of fortifications and garrisons of soldiers, each one of which I shall now mention.

  [2] ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν Νουμιδίᾳ, ὅπερ Αὐράσιον ἐπικέκληται, οἷον δὴ γῆς τῆς οἰκουμένης ἑτέρωθι ὡς ἥκιστα ξυμβαίνει εἶναι.

  [2] There is a mountain in Numidia which is called Aurasius, such as chances to be found nowhere else at all in the civilized world.

  [3] τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ὄρος οὐρανόμηκες μὲν ἐν τῷ ἀποτόμῳ ἀνέχει, ἐς περίμετρον δὲ ἡμερῶν μάλιστα διήκει ὁδῷ τριῶν. καὶ προσιόντι μὲν ἀπρόσβατόν ἐστιν, ἀνάβασιν οὐδεμίαν ὅτι μὴ ἐν ἀποκρήμνῳ ἔχον.

  [3] For this mountain rises steeply to a towering height and its perimeter extends to a distance of about three days’ journey. It offers no path as one approaches it, having no ascent except over cliffs.

  [4] ἄνω δὲ γενομένῳ γεώδης τε ἡ χώρα καὶ ὁμαλὴ τὰ πεδία καὶ ὁδοὶ προσηνεῖς, λειμῶνες εὔνομοι, παράδεισοι κατάφυτοι δένδροις, ἀρόματα πάντα.

  [4] But after one gets to the top there is deep soil and level plains and easy roads, meadows good for pasture, parks full of trees and plough-land everywhere.

  [5] καὶ πηγαὶ μὲν ἀποβλύζουσαι τῶν τῇδε σκοπέλων, γαληνὰ δὲ τὰ ὕδατα, καὶ ποταμοὶ πλήθει ῥοθίου ἐπικυρτούμενοι, καὶ τὸ δὴ πάντων παραδοξότατον, τά τε λήϊα καὶ τὰ δένδρα ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ὄρει διπλάσιον μεγέθους πέρι τὸν καρπὸν φέρουσιν ἢ ἐν Λιβύῃ τῇ ἄλλῃ πέφυκε γίνεσθαι. τὰ μὲν οὖν ὄρους τοῦ Αὐρασίου ταύτῃ πη ἔχει.

  [5] Springs bubble out from the cliffs there, their waters are placid, there are rippling rivers which flow chattering along, and strangest of all, the grain-fields and the trees on this mountain produce crops which are double in size compared with those which are wont to grow in the rest of Libya. Such is the condition of Mt. Aurasius.

  [6] Βανδίλοι δὲ αὐτὸ σὺν πάσῃ Λιβύῃ τὸ κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς εἶχον, οὓς δὴ Μαυρούσιοι ἀφελόμενοι τῇδε ἱδρύσαντο.

  [6] The Vandals held it originally along with the rest of Libya, but the Moors wrested it from them and settled there.

  [7] Μαυρουσίους δὲ καὶ Ἰαῦδαν, ὃς αὐτῶν ἦρχεν, ἐξελάσας ἐνθένδε Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεύς, τῇ ἄλλῃ προσεποίησε Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῇ.

  [7] The Emperor Justinian, however, expelled from there the Moors, and Iaudas who ruled over them, and added this mountain to the rest of the Roman Empire.

  [8] προνοήσας τε ὡς μὴ καὶ αὖθις οἱ βάρβαροι κακουργοῖεν ἐνταῦθα ἰόντες, πόλεις μὲν ἀμφὶ τὸ ὄρος ἐρήμους τε καὶ ἀτειχίστους τὸ παράπαν εὑρὼν ἐτειχίσατο, Πεντεβαγάην τε λέγω καὶ Φλωρεντιανὴν καὶ Βάδην τε καὶ Μήλεον καὶ Ταμουγάδην, ]ἔτι μέντοι καὶ φρούρια δύο Δάβουσίν τε καὶ Γαιανά, φυλακτήρια δὲ στρατιωτῶν διαρκῆ ἐνταῦθα καταστησάμενος, οὐδεμίαν τοῖς ἐκείνῃ βαρβάροις ἐλπίδα τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ Αὐράσιον ἐπιβουλῆς ἀπελίπετο.

  [8] As a precaution in order that the barbarians might not again make trouble by getting a foothold there, he fortified cities about the mountain which he found deserted and altogether unwalled. I refer to Pentebagae and Florentianae and Badê and Meleum and Tamugadê, as well as two forts, Dabusis and Gaeana; also he established there sufficient garrisons of soldiers, thus leaving to the barbarians there no hope of attacking Aurasius.

  [9] καὶ χώραν δὲ τὴν ὑπὲρ τὸ Αὐράσιον ὑπὸ Βανδίλοις ὡς ἥκιστα οὖσαν τοὺς Μαυρουσίους ἀφείλετο. πόλεις τε ἐνταῦθα ἐτειχίσατο δύο, τήν τε Φρίκην καὶ Σίτιφιν.

  [9] The district beyond Aurasius, which had not been under the Vandals at all, he wrested from the Moors. There he walled two cities, Fricê and Sitifis.

  [10] ἐν δὲ δὴ πόλεσι ταῖς ἐπὶ Νουμιδίας τῆς ἄλλης κειμέναις ἀνανταγώνιστα ἐρύματα κατεστήσατο. αἷς αἱ προσηγορίαι αἵδε εἰσί· Λαριβουζουδούων, Παρατουρών, Κιλανά, Σικκαβενερία, Τίγισις, Λαμφουαομβά, Καλαμάα, Μέδαρα, Μέδελα.

  [10] At the cities situated in the rest of Numidia, the names of which follow, he set up impregnable defences: Laribuzuduôn, Paraturôn, Cilana, Siccaveneria, Tigisis, Lamfouaomba, Calamaa, Medara, Medela;

  [11] ἔτι μέντοι καὶ φρούρια δύο, ἡ Σκιλή τε καὶ Φώσαλα. ταῦτα μὲν ὧδέ πη ἔσχε.

  [11] besides these, two forts, Scilê and Foscala. So much, then, for this.

  [12] Πόλις δέ πού ἐστιν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ Σαρδοῖ, ἣ νῦν Σαρδινία καλεῖται, Τραϊανοῦ Φόρον αὐτὴν καλοῦσι Ῥωμαῖοι.

  [12] There is a city on the island Sardô, which is now named Sardinia, called by the Romans Traiani Forum.

  [13] ταύτην τειχήρη πεποίηται Ἰουστινιανός, οὐ πρότερον οὖσαν, ἀλλὰ Μαυρουσίοις τοῖς νησιώταις, οἳ Βαρβαρικῖνοι ἐπικαλοῦνται, ὁπηνίκα ἂν ληΐζεσθαι βουλομένοις ᾖ, ἐν προχείρῳ κειμένην.

  [13] This Justinian has supplied with a wall which it did not have before, but instead it lay exposed to the island Moors, who are called Barbaricini, whenever they wished to plunder it.

  [14] Ἐν δὲ Γαδείροις, κατὰ θάτερα τῶν Ἡρακλέους στηλῶν, ἣ τοῦ πορθμοῦ ἐν δεξιᾷ ἐστι, κατὰ τὴν Λιβύης ἀκτὴν φρούριον ἦν ποτε Σέπτον ὄνομα, ὅπερ ἐδείμαντο μὲν ἐν τοῖς ἄνω χρόνοις Ῥωμαῖοι, Βανδίλων δὲ οὐκ ἐπιμελουμένων καθεῖλεν ὁ χρόνος.

  [14] And at Gadira, at one side of the Pillars of Heracles, on the right side of the strait, there had been at one time a fortress on the Libyan shore named Septum; this was built by the Romans in early times, but being neglected by the Vandals, it had been destroyed by time.

  [15] ὁ δὲ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς τείχει μὲν ἐρυμνόν, φυλακτηρίῳ δὲ ἰσχυρὸν κατεστήσατο.

  [15] Our Emperor Justinian made it strong by means of a wall and strengthened its safety by means of a garrison.

  [16] οὗ δὴ καὶ νεὼν ἀξιοθέατον τῇ ]θεοτόκῳ ἀνέθηκεν, ἀναψάμενος μὲν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς τὰ τῆς πολιτείας προοίμια, παντὶ δὲ ἀνθρώπων τῷ γένει ταύτῃ ἄμαχον τὸ φρούριον τοῦτο ποιούμενος.

  [16] There too he consecrated to the Mother of God a noteworthy church, thus dedicating to her the threshold of the Empire, and making this fortress impregnable for the whole race of mankind.

  [17] Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν τοιαῦτά ἐστιν. ἀμφίλεκτον δὲ οὐδὲν γέγονεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔνδηλον ἀνθ�
�ώποις διαφανῶς πᾶσιν, ὡς ἐκ τῶν ἑῴων ὁρίων ἄχρι ἐς δύοντά που τὸν ἥλιον, ἃ δὴ πέρατά ἐστι τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς, οὐκ ἐρύμασι μόνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλακτηρίοις Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς τὴν πολιτείαν ἐκρατύνατο.

  [17] So much for these things. There can be no dispute, but it is abundantly clear to all mankind, that the Emperor Justinian has strengthened the Empire, not with fortresses alone, but also by means of garrisons of soldiers, from the bounds of the East to the very setting of the sun, these being the limits of the Roman dominion.

  [18] ὅσα μὲν οὖν τῶν Ἰουστινιανοῦ οἰκοδομημάτων μαθεῖν ἴσχυσα ἢ αὐτόπτης γεγενημένος ἢ τῶν θεασαμένων αὐτήκοος, ὅση δύναμις τῷ λόγῳ ἐπῆλθον.

  [18] As many, then, of the buildings of the Emperor Justinian as I have succeeded in discovering, either by seeing them myself, or by hearing about them from those who have seen them, I have described in my account to the best of my ability.

  [19] ἐξεπίσταμαι δὲ ὡς πολλά με καὶ ἄλλα παρῆλθεν εἰπεῖν ἢ ὄχλῳ λαθόντα ἢ παντάπασιν ἄγνωστα μείναντα.

  [19] I am fully aware, however, that there are many others which I have omitted to mention, which either went unnoticed because of their multitude, or remained altogether unknown to me.

  [20] ὥστε εἴ τῳ διὰ σπουδῆς ἔσται διερευνήσασθαί τε ἅπαντα καὶ τῷ λόγῳ ἐνθεῖναι, προσέσται αὐτῷ τά τε δέοντα πεπραχέναι καὶ φιλοκάλου κλέος ἀπενεγκεῖν.

  [20] So if anyone will take the pains to search them all out and add them to my treatise, he will have the credit of having done a needed work and of having won the renown of a lover of fair achievements.