Fame et inopia suorum adductus Iovianus A. pacem cum Sapore necessariam sed turpissimam facit, traditis V regionibus cum Nisibi et Singara.

[1] Quae dum vanis conatibus agitantur, rex Sapor et procul absens et cum prope venisset, exploratorum perfugarumque veris vocibus docebatur, fortia facta nostrorum, foedas suorum strages, et elephantos, quot numquam se regnante¹ meminerat, interfectos, exercitumque Romanum continuis laboribus induratum post casum gloriosi rectoris non saluti suae (ut memorabat) consulere, sed vindictae, difficultatemque rerum instantium aut victoria summa aut morte memorabili finiturum.

[2] Ob quae reputabat multa et formidanda, diffusum abunde militem per provincias, levi tessera colligi posse expertus, et sciens populum suum, post amissam maximam plebem, ultimis terroribus deformatum, simul² comperiens, in Mesopotamia relictum haut baud multo minorem exercitum.

[3] Quae super omnia hebetarunt eius anxiam mentem, uno parique natatu quingenti viri transgressi tumidum flumen incolumes, custodibusque confossis, reliquos consortes suos ad similem fiduciam concitasse.³

[4] Haec inter cum neque pontes compaginari, paterentur undae torrentes, et absumptis omnibus quae poterant mandi,⁴ sine⁵ utilibus ullis, acto miserabiliter biduo, furebat inedia iraque percitus miles, ferro properans quam fame, ignavissimo genere mortis, absumi.⁶

[5] Erat⁷ tamen pro nobis numen dei caelestis aeternum,⁸ et Persae praeter sperata priores, super fundanda pace oratores Surenam et optimatem alium mittunt, animos ipsi quoque despondentes, quos omnibus paene proeliis pars Romana superior gravius quassabat in dies.

[6] Condiciones autem ferebant difficiles et perplexas, fingentes humanorum respectu, reliquias exercitus redire sinere clementissimum regem, si⁹ quae iubet impleverit cum primatibus Caesar.

[7] Contra hos cum Salutio praefecto mittitur Arintheus, et dum¹⁰ deliberatur examinatius, quid finiri¹¹ deberet, dies quattuor sunt evoluti. inedia cruciabiles, et omni supplicio tristiores.

[8] Quo temporis spatio, antequam hi mitterentur, si exabusus princeps paulatim terris hostilibus excessisset, profecto venisset ad praesidia Corduenae, uberis regionis et nostrae, ex eo loco in quo haec agebantur, centesimo lapide disparatae.

[9] Petebat autem rex obstinatius, ut ipse aiebat, sua dudum a Maximiano erepta, ut docebat autem negotium, pro redemptione nostra quinque regiones Transtigritanas: Arzanenam et Moxoenam et Zabdicenam, itidemque Rehimenam et Corduenam cum castellis quindecim, et Nisibin et Singaram et Castra Maurorum, munimentum perquam oportunum.

[10] Et cum pugnari deciens expediret, ne horum quicquam dederetur, adulatorum globus instabat timido principi, Procopii metuendum subserens nomen, eumque affirmans, si redit cognito Iuliani interitu, cum intacto milite quem regebat, novas res nullo renitente facile moliturum.

[11] Hac perniciosa verborum ille assiduitate nimia succensus, sine cunctatione tradidit omnia, quae petebantur, difficile hoc adeptus, ut Nisibis et Singara sine incolis transirent in iura Persarum, a munimentis vero alienandis, reverti ad nostra praesidia Romani permitterentur.

[12] Quibus exitiale aliud accessit et impium, ne post haec ita composita, Arsaci poscenti, contra Persas ferretur auxilium, amico nobis semper et fido. Quod ratione gemina cogitatum est, ut puniretur homo qui Chiliocomum mandatu vastaverat principis, et remaneret occasio, per quam subinde licenter invaderetur Armenia. Unde postea contigit, ut vivus caperetur idem Arsaces, et Armeniae maximum latus, Medis conterminans, et Artaxata, inter dissensiones et turbamenta raperent Parthi.

[13] Quo ignobili decreto firmato, nequid committeretur per indutias contrarium pactis, obsidatus specie viri celebres altrinsecus dantur Nemota¹² et Victor ex parte nostrorum, et Bellovaedius, insignium numerorum tribuni, ex parte vero diversa, Bineses e numero nobilium optimatum, tresque alii satrapae non obscuri.

[14] Foederata itaque pace annorum triginta, eaque iuris iurandi religionibus consecrata, reversi itineribus aliis, quoniam loca contigua flumini ut confragosa vitabantur et aspera, potus inopia premebamur et cibi.

Res Gestae. Ammianus Marcellinus. John C. Rolfe (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1935-1940.

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Current edition Perseus

Res Gestae (Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., editor. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).)

Translations (1)

History Perseus (Ammianus Marcellinus. Ammianus Marcellinus, with an English translation, Vols. I-III. Rolfe, John C., translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; W. Heinemann, 1935-1940 (printing).) — 25.7 focus

[1] While these vain attempts were being made, King Sapor, both when far away and when he had come near, learned from the true accounts of scouts and deserters of the brave deeds of our men and the shameful defeats of his army, accompanied by a greater loss of elephants than he had ever known in his reign; also that the Roman army, inured to constant hardship after the loss of their glorious leader, were looking out (as they said), not for their safety, but for revenge, and would end the difficulties of their situation by either a decisive victory or a glorious death.

[2] This news filled his mind with fear for many reasons: for he knew by experience that the troops scattered in great numbers through the provinces could easily be assembled by one little ticket,¹ and he was aware that his own subjects, after the loss of so many men were in a state of extreme panic, and, besides, that in Mesopotamia a Roman army had been left which was not much smaller.²

[3] More than all, it dulled his anxious mind that five hundred men together in one swim had crossed unharmed the swollen river, had slain his guards, and had roused their comrades who had remained behind to similar boldness.

[4] Meanwhile our men, since the raging waters prevented bridges from being made, and everything edible had been used up, passed two days in wretchedness, deprived of everything useful; excited by hunger and wrath, they were in a state of frenzy and eager to lose their lives by the sword rather then by starvation, the most shameful kind of death.

[5] However, the eternal power of God in heaven was on our side, and the Persians, beyond our hopes, took the first step and sent as envoys for securing peace the Surena and another magnate, being themselves also low in their minds, which the fact that the Roman side was superior in almost every battle shook more and more every day.

[6] Nevertheless, they offered conditions which were difficult and involved, for they pretended that from feelings of humanity the most merciful of kings would allow the remnants of the army to return, if the emperor and his most distinguished generals would comply with his demands.

[7] In reply to this Arintheus³ was sent to him with the prefect Salutius, but, while a deliberate discussion was going on as to what ought to be determined, four days passed by, full of torments from hunger and worse than any death.

[8] If the emperor, before letting these envoys go, had used this space of time to withdraw gradually from the enemy’s territories, he could surely have reached the protection of Corduena,⁴ a rich region belonging to us, and distant only a hundred miles from the spot where all this took place.

[9] Now the king obstinately demanded the lands which (as he said) were his and had been taken from him long ago by Maximianus; but, in fact, as the negotiations showed, he required as our ransom five provinces on the far side of the Tigris: Arzanena,⁵ Moxoëna,⁶ and Zabdicena,⁷ as well as Rehimena⁸ and Corduena with fifteen fortresses, besides Nisibis,⁹ Singara¹⁰ and Castra Maurorum,¹¹ a very important stronghold.

[10] And whereas it would have been better to fight ten battles than give up any one of these, the band of flatterers pressed upon the timid emperor, harping upon the dreaded name of Procopius,¹² and declaring that if he returned¹³ on learning of the death of Julian, he would with the fresh troops under his command easily and without opposition make himself emperor.

[11] Jovian, inflamed by these dangerous hints too continually repeated, without delay surrendered all that was asked, except that with difficulty he succeeded in bringing it about that Nisibis and Singara should pass into control of the Persians without their inhabitants, and that the Romans in the fortresses that were to be taken from us should be allowed to return to our protection.

[12] To these conditions there was added another which was destructive and impious, namely, that after the completion of these agreements, Arsaces, our steadfast and faithful friend¹⁴ should never, if he asked it, be given help against the Persians. This was contrived with a double purpose, that a man who at the emperor’s order¹⁵ had devastated Chiliocomum might be punished, and that the opportunity might be left of presently invading Armenia without opposition. The result was that later this same Arsaces was taken alive,¹⁶ and that the Parthians amid various dissensions and disturbances seized a great tract of Armenia bordering on Media, along with Artaxata.

[13] When this shameful treaty was concluded, lest anything contrary to the agreements should be done during the truce, distinguished men were given on both sides as hostages: from our side Nemota, Victor, and Bellovaedius,¹⁷ tribunes of famous corps, and from the opposite party Bineses, one of the distinguished magnates, and three satraps besides of no obscure name.

[14] And so a peace of thirty years was made and consecrated by the sanctity of oaths; but we returned by other routes, and since the places near the river were avoided as rough and uneven, we suffered from lack of water and food.

Notes on the current edition

Res Gestae

1. se regnante, Pet.; rex ante, G; numquam regnanterm, V.

2. simrulque, sugg. by Clark.

3. concitasse, V; concitasse delati, Novák; concitantes, G.

4. poterant mandi, tr. by Clark, c.c.

5. sine, added by Her.; V omits.

6. absumi, erat, Pet.; absumi. erat, G; absumerit tamen, V.

7. absumi, erat, Pet.; absumi. erat, G; absumerit tamen, V.

8. numen aeternum, transposui, c.c.

9. si, added by G after iubet.

10. dum, added by G; V omits.

11. finiri, V; definiri, Clark; fieri, EBG.

12. Lac. after Nemota, Her. for the name of the fourth Roman hostage; no lac., V.

Ammianus Marcellinus Res Gestae 25.7

John C. Rolfe (Translator)

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Fame et inopia suorum adductus Iovianus A. pacem cum Sapore necessariam sed turpissimam facit, traditis V regionibus cum Nisibi et Singara.

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