Κατεσπίλασεν
burst suddenly upon
Translated by Michiel Cock16 Mar 2007Vetting: high6 revisions
Translation
Greek original · Adler’s text
Κατεσπίλασεν· ἀπροσδοκήτως ἐπεφάνη. ὁ δὲ ἀδοκήτως τοῖς βαρβάροις ἑωθινὸς κατεσπίλασε καὶ εὐδοκίμει τῷ δόρατι.
Betacode
*katespi/lasen: a)prosdokh/tws e)pefa/nh. o( de\ a)dokh/tws toi=s barba/rois e(wqino\s katespi/lase kai\ eu)doki/mei tw=| do/rati.
Notes (2)
- 1The headword (presumably extracted from the quotation given) is aorist indicative active, third person singular, of
kataspila/zw (in sense II noted by LSJ s.v.). See also under sigma 943. ↩ - 2A condensed version of Theophylact Simocatta, Histories 2.10.10, on the Roman military commander Castus:
a)ta\r a)dokh/tws toi=s barba/rois e(wqino\s katespi/lasen a)fra/ktous te eu(ro/menos e)neudoki/mei tw=| do/rati peri/doco/n te a)pefe/reto tro/paion "But early in the morning he burst suddenly upon the barbarians, and finding them off their guard began to do honorable deeds with his spear and won for himself a glorious trophy." In 587 Castus (Castos, cf. PLRE IIIa s.v. Castus) surprised and overwhelmed a contingent of Avars (see generally alpha 18 note) at Zaldapa (Abrit, in Thrace, Barrington Atlas map 22 grid E5), seizing a large booty; cf. de Boor (90) and Whitby (57). ↩
References
J.R. Martindale, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, vol. IIIa, (Cambridge, 1992)
C. de Boor, ed., Theophylacti Simocattae Historiae, (Leipzig 1887, reprint 2022)
M. Whitby and M. Whitby, eds. and trans., The History of Theophylact Simocatta, (Oxford 1986)
C. de Boor, ed., Theophylacti Simocattae Historiae, (Leipzig 1887, reprint 2022)
M. Whitby and M. Whitby, eds. and trans., The History of Theophylact Simocatta, (Oxford 1986)
Neighbouring entries
Revision history6 revisions · last 24 Mar 2025
- expanded n.2, added bibliography and cross-reference — Ronald Allen
- expanded note — Catharine Roth
- typo — Catharine Roth
- Revised — David Whitehead
- tweaked translation — Catharine Roth
- tweaked headword and tr; rearranged and augmented notes; added more keywords — David Whitehead
- Translated — Michiel Cock