Βελισάριος
Belisarius, Belisarios
Translated by Craig Gibson21 Jun 2003Vetting: high9 revisions
Translation
The general, was beautiful and large of body and handsome above all. He showed himself so gentle and accessible to whomever he met that he tended to resemble a very poor and obscure man. There arose a certain unbeatable love for his rule from the soldiers at the time and the rural population, because he had become the most generous of all men to the soldiers. For when they were unlucky in battle, he comforted their wounds with great sums of money and provided to those who distinguished themselves armlets and metal collars as prizes, but when a horse or bow or anything else belonging to a soldier had been lost in battle, another to replace it was immediately supplied by Belisarius. [And he was beloved] among the rural population because he applied such great thrift and forethought that they never in any way suffered violence while Belisarius was serving as general. For they sold all their produce as they wished, and when the crops were ripe for harvest, he maintained strict guard over them, so that the cavalry passing by any of them might not ruin them, and when the fruits were ripe in the trees, it was absolutely forbidden for anyone to touch them. And he was sensible and very virtuous.1
Greek original · Adler’s text
Βελισάριος, ὁ στρατηγὸς, ἦν μὲν τὸ σῶμα καλός τε καὶ μέγας καὶ εὐπρόσωπος πάντων μάλιστα. οὕτω δὲ πρᾶόν τε καὶ εὐπρόσοδον παρεῖχεν αὑτὸν τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν ὥστε ἀνθρώπῳ πένητί τε λίαν καὶ ἀδόξῳ ἐμφερῆ εἶναι. ἔρως δὲ αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀρχῆς πρός τε στρατιωτῶν ἀεὶ καὶ ἀγροίκων ἄμαχός τις ἐγίνετο, ὅτι δὲ ἐς μὲν στρατιώτας φιλοδωρότατος ἐγεγόνει ἀνθρώπων ἁπάντων· τῶν τε γὰρ ἐν ξυμβολῇ ἠτυχηκότων χρήμασι μεγάλοις παρεμυθεῖτο τὰ τραύματα καὶ τοῖς εὐδοκιμήσασι ψέλιά τε καὶ στρεπτοὺς ἆθλα παρείχετο, ἵππου δὲ ἢ τόξου ἢ ἄλλου ὁτουοῦν στρατιώτου ἐν τῇ μάχῃ ἀπολωλότος ἕτερον ἀντ' αὐτοῦ πρὸς Βελισαρίου αὐτίκα ὑπῆρχεν· ἐς δὲ τοὺς ἀγροίκους, ὅτι δὴ τοσαύτῃ φειδοῖ τε καὶ προνοίᾳ ἐχρῆτο ὥστε βιασθῆναι μὲν αὐτοῖς οὐδὲν πώποτε στρατηγοῦντος Βελισαρίου τετύχηκεν. ἀπεδίδοντο γὰρ αὐτοῖς κατὰ γνώμην τὰ ὤνια πάντα, καὶ ἡνίκα ἀκμάζοι τὰ λήϊα, εἰς τὸ ἀκριβὲς διεφύλασσε, μή τινι παριοῦσα ἡ ἵππος λυμήνηται, τῶν δὲ ὡραίων ἐν τοῖς δένδροις ὄντων ἅψασθαι αὐτῶν οὐδενὶ τοπαράπαν ἐξῆν. ἦν δὲ καὶ σώφρων καὶ λίαν ἐνάρετος.
Betacode
*belisa/rios, o( strathgo\s, h)=n me\n to\ sw=ma kalo/s te kai\ me/gas kai\ eu)pro/swpos pa/ntwn ma/lista. ou(/tw de\ pra=o/n te kai\ eu)pro/sodon parei=xen au(to\n toi=s e)ntugxa/nousin w(/ste a)nqrw/pw| pe/nhti/ te li/an kai\ a)do/cw| e)mferh= ei)=nai. e)/rws de\ au)tou= th=s a)rxh=s pro/s te stratiwtw=n a)ei\ kai\ a)groi/kwn a)/maxo/s tis e)gi/neto, o(/ti de\ e)s me\n stratiw/tas filodwro/tatos e)gego/nei a)nqrw/pwn a(pa/ntwn: tw=n te ga\r e)n cumbolh=| h)tuxhko/twn xrh/masi mega/lois paremuqei=to ta\ trau/mata kai\ toi=s eu)dokimh/sasi ye/lia/ te kai\ streptou\s a)=qla parei/xeto, i(/ppou de\ h)\ to/cou h)\ a)/llou o(touou=n stratiw/tou e)n th=| ma/xh| a)polwlo/tos e(/teron a)nt' au)tou= pro\s *belisari/ou au)ti/ka u(ph=rxen: e)s de\ tou\s a)groi/kous, o(/ti dh\ tosau/th| feidoi= te kai\ pronoi/a| e)xrh=to w(/ste biasqh=nai me\n au)toi=s ou)de\n pw/pote strathgou=ntos *belisari/ou tetu/xhken. a)pedi/donto ga\r au)toi=s kata\ gnw/mhn ta\ w)/nia pa/nta, kai\ h(ni/ka a)kma/zoi ta\ lh/i+a, ei)s to\ a)kribe\s diefu/lasse, mh/ tini pariou=sa h( i(/ppos lumh/nhtai, tw=n de\ w(rai/wn e)n toi=s de/ndrois o)/ntwn a(/yasqai au)tw=n ou)deni\ topara/pan e)ch=n. h)=n de\ kai\ sw/frwn kai\ li/an e)na/retos.
Notes (1)
- c. AD 500-565. See generally Michael Whitby in OCD(4) s.v. (p.228) and PLRE IIIa s.v. Belisarius(1). Except for the final sentence (on which see note below) the present material is taken nearly verbatim from Procopius of Caesarea, History of the Wars of Justinian 7.1.6-11 (web address 1).↩
- 1Not in Procopius' account. Probably a summary of Procopius' closing statement: "Furthermore, he possessed the virtue of self-restraint in a marvellous degree; and hence it was that he never would touch any woman other than his wedded wife" (trans. H.B. Dewing, Loeb Classical Library).
References
Ian Hughes, Belisarius: The Last Roman General. Yardley, PA: Westholme Publishing, 2009.
J.R. Martindale, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, vol. IIIa, (Cambridge, 1992)
J.R. Martindale, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, vol. IIIa, (Cambridge, 1992)
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from12 entries
- α112ἈγαθίαςAgathiasA lawyer, of Myrina; the one who wrote the History as a continuation of Procopius of Caesarea, [comprising] the affairs involving Belisarius and the events in Italy and Libya; that is the affairs involving Narses in…
- α249Ἀγκώνelbow"In the royal palace of Gelimer was a building full of darkness, which the Carthaginians used to call [the] Elbow; therein were thrown all toward whom the tyrant was ill-disposed. There, in the time of Belisarius,…
- α287Ἀγνῶταςunknown[Meaning them] not being recognized. "He brought a man unknown to me, who also happened to be unknown to him." "They had just left farming and entered into the danger of war, which was previously unknown to them." And…
- α1492ἉμαρτάδαςsinsFrom the nominative [sc. singular] a(marta/s. Procopius [writes]: "the sins of women do not fall upon their husbands alone, but also especially on their sons; at any rate the latter carry a certain reputation, too, from…
- α1859Ἀναδούμενοςwreathed[Meaning] having a crown placed [on one]. Also [sc. attested is the feminine accusative] a)nadoume/nhn, [meaning her] wreathed, crowned. Procopius [writes]: "thus [she was] wreathed with disgrace great in the eyes of…
- α1935Ἀναλεξάμενοςhaving reviewed, having recovered[Meaning he] having pondered, thought over. "He having reviewed the letter." Also [sc. attested is] a)nalecame/nwn, [meaning] they having gathered themselves together. "With the Carthaginians scarcely having recovered…
- α1993Ἀναξυρίδαςpants[Meaning] trousers, breeches, or thick and unworn sandals. "Although [he saw that] Theodosius' belt had been loosened, the one holding up his pants around his private parts."
- β456ΒουργαώνBourgaônA mountain in the west, where Belisarius waged various wars.
- β532Βρενθύεσθαιto be haughty, to take umbrage[Used] with an accusative. [Meaning] to get carried away by rage or to pretend to be angry. "But he, putting on airs, got far more haughty." Also [sc. attested is] brenqu/etai ["is haughty"], [meaning] is conceited.…
- δ68ΔάραςDarasProcopius [writes]: "the Romans' cavalry were leaders of the cavalry which had previously withstood the battle at Daras".
- δ351Δεινοίclever (ones), terrible (ones)[Meaning] formidable, experienced, wise. "Therefore both swore all the oaths which both are and are called most/very terrible among Christians, never to abandon each other even unto dangers which lead to death."
- δ1346Δόλωνεςjibs[Meaning] small sails. "[He ordered them], after stowing the large fitted [sc. sails], to set the small ones, which they call jibs." And elsewhere [sc. also] "jibs" [sc. are mentioned]. "Having arraying a few warships…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history9 revisions · last 4 Jan 2024
- added bibliography, added link — Ronald Allen
- updated a ref — David Whitehead
- more keywords — David Whitehead
- added bibliography — Catharine Roth
- another keyword — David Whitehead
- added keyword — Catharine Roth
- modified and mildly augmented notes; augmented keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- —
- —
- Translated — Craig Gibson