The Wars of Justinian by Prokopios

Author:Prokopios [Dewing (trans.), H. B.;Kaldellis (ed.), Anthony]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 978-1-62466-173-0
Publisher: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
Published: 2014-03-03T16:00:00+00:00

[23] So spoke the Romans. Belisarios replied as follows:

[Belisarios to the Roman populace] As for me, I have been quite prepared for your reaction in every respect, and nothing has happened contrary to my expectation. [24] For long have I known that a populace is a most unreasoning thing, and that by its nature it cannot endure the present or plan for the future, but knows only how to attempt the impossible rashly in every case and to recklessly destroy itself. [25] For my part, I will never, willingly at least, be led by your recklessness either to destroy you or to involve the emperor’s cause in ruin with you. [26] War is not brought to a successful conclusion by irrational haste but rather always tilts this way or that through good counsel and forethought at decisive moments. [27] You act as though you were playing at dice and want to risk all on a single cast, but it is not my policy to choose the short course in preference to the advantageous one. [28] In the second place, you announce that you will help us do battle against the enemy, but when have you ever trained in war? Or, among those who have learned such things by experience of arms, who does not know that battle is no place for an experiment? Nor does the enemy give you the opportunity to practice on him while the struggle is on. [29] I admire your zeal and forgive you for making this disturbance. [30] But I will also explain that you have done this at an unseasonable time and that the policy of waiting that we are following is prudent. The emperor has gathered for us from the whole earth and sent an army too great to number, and a fleet such as was never brought together by the Romans now covers the shore of Campania and the greater part of the Adriatic Sea. [31] In a few days they will come to us and bring all kinds of provisions, to put an end to our starvation and bury the barbarian camps under a multitude of missiles. [32] I have therefore reasoned that it was better to put off the time of conflict until they are present, and thereby prevail safely in the war, than to make a show of daring in irrational haste and so throw away the salvation of our whole cause. I will make sure that they arrive immediately and no longer delay.

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