Silk, Chosroes, and the Sabiri Huns

This Good Works Translation continues the Book 8 Procopius dossier passages from the Greek.

The chapter belongs to the Scythian shelf because Procopius records Chosroes using Roman armistice money to purchase the alliance of a vast horde of Sabiri Huns and send them to Mermeroes in Lazica. The full chapter preserves the silk, truce, Lazic campaign, Sabiri commander, Phasis, Abasgi, and Archaeopolis frame.

The translation is newly made from the Greek source text printed below. Dewing's public-domain English translation was used only as a control.

Translation

Wars 8.17.1-22

About this time certain monks came from India and, learning that the Emperor Justinian was eager that the Romans should no longer buy silk from the Persians, came before the emperor.

They promised to settle the silk matter in such a way that the Romans would no longer buy this article from their enemies, the Persians, nor indeed from any other nation.

For they said that they had spent a long time in the country situated north of the many nations of India, a country called Serinda, and there they had accurately learned by what means silk could be produced in the land of the Romans.

Thereupon the emperor made very diligent inquiries and asked them many questions to see whether their statements were true.

The monks explained to him that certain worms are the makers of silk, nature being their teacher and compelling them to work continually. Although it was impossible to convey the worms there alive, it was practicable and altogether easy to convey their offspring.

The offspring of these worms, they said, consisted of innumerable eggs from each one. Men bury these eggs, long after the time when they are produced, in dung, and after heating them in this way for a sufficient time, they bring forth the living creatures.

After they had spoken in this way, the emperor promised to reward them with large gifts and urged them to confirm their account in action.

They then went once more to Serinda, brought the eggs back to Byzantium, and in the manner described caused them to be transformed into worms, which they fed on the leaves of the mulberry. Thus from that time onward they made possible the production of silk in the land of the Romans.

At that time, then, matters stood thus between the Romans and the Persians, both with regard to the war and with regard to silk.

After the winter season, Isdigousnas arrived at the court of Chosroes with the money and announced the terms agreed upon by them. Chosroes, receiving the money, confirmed the armistice without any hesitation, but he was wholly unwilling to give up Lazica. In fact, he used this very money to purchase the alliance of a vast horde of the Sabiri Huns, and immediately sent them with some Persians to Mermeroes, whom he directed to pursue his task with all the power at his disposal. He also sent him a large number of elephants.

Accordingly Mermeroes, accompanied by the whole army of Persians and Huns, departed from Mocheresis and moved against the strongholds of the Lazi, taking the elephants with him.

The Romans, however, offered no resistance at all; under the leadership of Martinus they made themselves as secure as possible in a naturally strong position near the mouth of the Phasis River and remained quiet there. Gubazes, king of the Lazi, was also with them.

But this Median army, because of a certain chance that befell it, did no harm to anyone, either among the Romans or among the Lazi.

First, Mermeroes, learning that the sister of Gubazes was in a certain fortress, led his army against it, intending to capture it at all costs.

But because the guards of that place offered most valiant resistance, and also because the naturally strong position gave them substantial help, the barbarians were repulsed from the town without accomplishing their purpose and withdrew. Thereupon they quickly directed their course against the Abasgi.

But the Romans guarding Tzibile seized the pass, which was very narrow and precipitous, as I have stated previously, and quite impossible to force; in this way they blocked their route.

Consequently Mermeroes, having no means of dislodging his opponents by force, led his army back and immediately moved on Archaeopolis with the purpose of besieging it.

But when he made trial of the circuit-wall, he met with no success and therefore turned back again.

The Romans followed the retreating enemy and, in a dangerous pass, began to kill many of them. Among those who fell, as it happened, was the commander of the Sabiri.

A fierce battle took place over the corpse, and finally, at dusk, the Persians forced back their opponents and routed them, after which they retired to Cotais and Mocheresis. Such, then, were the fortunes of the Romans and the Persians.

In Libya, on the other hand, affairs had taken an altogether favorable turn for the Romans.

For it happened that John, whom the Emperor Justinian had appointed general there, met with a number of incredible pieces of good fortune. After securing the allegiance of one of the Moorish rulers, named Cutzinas, he first defeated the others in battle, and not long afterward reduced to subjection Antalas and Iaudas, who held sovereignty over the Moors of Byzacium and Numidia; they joined his train in the position of slaves.

As a result, the Romans at that time had no enemy in Libya, at any rate. But because of the previous wars and uprisings, the land remained for the most part destitute of human habitation.

Colophon

This Good Works Translation was prepared for the Scythian shelf by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Greek source text printed below. The Greek text was downloaded from the PerseusDL canonical Greek repository as tlg4029.tlg001.perseus-grc2.xml and inspected locally. Dewing's public-domain English, preserved in the local ToposText capture and Ready archival dossier, was used only as a control.

This is the thirty-sixth unit in the Procopius Wars steppe and Black Sea translation dossier, and the eleventh Book 8 unit.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text: Procopius, Wars 8.17.1-22

Greek source text from Procopius, Wars 8.17. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

Wars 8.17

§ 8.17.1 Ὑπὸ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον τῶν τινὲς μοναχῶν ἐξ Ἰνδῶν ἥκοντες, γνόντες τε ὡς Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ διὰ σπουδῆς εἴη μηκέτι πρὸς Περσῶν τὴν μέταξαν ὠνεῖσθαι Ῥωμαίους, ἐς βασιλέα γενόμενοι οὕτω δὴ τὰ ἀμφὶ τῇ μετάξῃ διοικήσεσθαι ὡμολόγουν, ὡς μηκέτι Ῥωμαῖοι ἐκ Περσῶν τῶν σφίσι πολεμίων ἢ ἄλλου του ἔθνους τὸ ἐμπόλημα τοῦτο ποιήσωνται·

§ 8.17.2 χρόνου γὰρ κατατρῖψαι μῆκος ἐν χώρᾳ ὑπὲρ Ἰνδῶν ἔθνη τὰ πολλὰ οὔσῃ, ἥπερ Σηρίνδα ὀνομάζεται, ταύτῃ τε ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς ἐκμεμαθηκέναι ὁποίᾳ ποτὲ μηχανῇ γίνεσθαι τὴν μέταξαν ἐν γῇ τῇ Ῥωμαίων δυνατὰ εἴη.

§ 8.17.3 ἐνδελεχέστατα δὲ διερευνωμένῳ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ ἀναπυνθανομένῳ εἰ ὁ λόγος ἀληθὴς εἴη ἔφασκον οἱ μοναχοὶ σκώληκάς τινας τῆς μετάξης δημιουργοὺς εἶναι, τῆς φύσεως αὐτοῖς διδασκάλου τε οὔσης καὶ διηνεκῶς ἀναγκαζούσης ἐργάζεσθαι.

§ 8.17.4 ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν σκώληκας ἐνθάδε ζῶντας διακομίζειν ἀμήχανα εἶναι, τὸν δὲ αὐτῶν γόνον εὔπορόν τε καὶ ῥᾴδιον ὅλως. εἶναι δὲ τῶν σκωλήκων τῶνδε τὸν γόνον ᾠὰ ἑκάστου ἀνάριθμα.

§ 8.17.5 ταῦτα δὲ τὰ ᾠὰ χρόνῳ πολλῷ τῆς γονῆς ὕστερον κόπρῳ καλύψαντες ἄνθρωποι ταύτῃ τε διαρκῆ θερμήναντες χρόνον ζῷα ποιοῦσι.

§ 8.17.6 ταῦτα εἰπόντας ὁ βασιλεὺς μεγάλοις τοὺς ἄνδρας ἀγαθοῖς δωρήσασθαι ὁμολογήσας τῷ ἔργῳ πείθει ἐπιρρῶσαι τὸν λόγον.

§ 8.17.7 οἱ δὲ γενόμενοι ἐν Σηρίνδῃ αὖθις τά τε ᾠὰ μετήνεγκαν ἐς Βυζάντιον, ἐς σκώληκάς τε αὐτὰ τρόπῳ ᾧπερ ἐρρήθη μεταπεφυκέναι διαπραξάμενοι τρέφουσί τε συκαμίνου φύλλοις, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ γίνεσθαι μέταξαν τὸ λοιπὸν κατεστήσαντο ἐν Ῥωμαίων τῇ γῇ.

§ 8.17.8 τότε μὲν οὖν τά τε κατὰ τὸν πόλεμον πράγματα Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ Πέρσαις καὶ τὰ ἀμφὶ μετάξῃ ταύτῃ πη ἔσχε.

§ 8.17.9 Μετὰ δὲ τὴν τοῦ χειμῶνος ὥραν ἀφικόμενος παρὰ Χοσρόην σὺν τοῖς χρήμασιν Ἰσδιγούσνας τὰ ξυγκείμενα σφίσιν ἐσήγγελλε. καὶ ὃς τὰ μὲν χρήματα κεκομισμένος τὴν ἐκεχειρίαν μελλήσει οὐδεμιᾷ ἐπεσφράγισε, Λαζικῆς δὲ μεθίεσθαι οὐδαμῆ ἤθελεν.

§ 8.17.10 ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς χρήμασι τούτοις Οὔννων τῶν Σαβείρων ἑταιρισάμενος μέγα τι χρῆμα ξὺν Πέρσαις τισὶ τῷ Μερμερόῃ εὐθὺς ἔπεμψεν. ᾧ δὴ ἐπέστελλεν ἔργου ἔχεσθαι δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ, καὶ μὴν καὶ ἐλέφαντάς οἱ πολλοὺς ἔστειλε.

§ 8.17.11 Μερμερόης δὲ παντὶ τῷ Περσῶν τε καὶ Οὔννων στρατῷ ἐκ Μοχηρήσιδος ἀναστὰς ἐπὶ τὰ Λαζῶν ὀχυρώματα ᾔει, τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἐπαγόμενος.

§ 8.17.12 Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ οὐδαμῆ ὑπηντίαζον, ἀλλ’ ἀμφὶ τὰς ἐκβολὰς Φάσιδος ποταμοῦ, Μαρτίνου ἡγουμένου σφίσι, χωρίου ἰσχύι σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ὡς ἀσφαλέστατα κρατυνάμενοι ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον.

§ 8.17.13 ξυνῆν δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ Γουβάζης ὁ Λαζῶν βασιλεύς. οὗτος δὲ ὁ Μήδων στρατός, τύχης αὐτῷ ξυμβάσης τινός, οὐδὲν ἄχαρι οὔτε Ῥωμαίων οὔτε Λαζῶν τινὰ ἔδρασε.

§ 8.17.14 τὰ μὲν γὰρ πρῶτα ὁ Μερμερόης ἐν φρουρίῳ τῳ μαθὼν τὴν Γουβάζου ἀδελφὴν εἶναι ἐπ’ αὐτὸ ἐπῆγε τὸ στράτευμα ὡς ἐξαιρήσων μηχανῇ πάσῃ.

§ 8.17.15 καρτερώτατα δὲ ἀμυνομένων τῶν ταύτῃ φρουρῶν καὶ χωρίου σφίσι ξυλλαμβανούσης τῆς φύσεως ὀχυρότητι ἄπρακτοι ἐνθένδε ἀποκρουσθέντες οἱ βάρβαροι ἀνεχώρησαν· ἔπειτα ἐπὶ Ἀβασγοὺς σπουδῇ ἵεντο.

§ 8.17.16 Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ οἱ ἐν Τζιβιλῇ φρουρὰν ἔχοντες τὴν δίοδον καταλαμβάνοντες στενοτάτην τε καὶ κρημνώδη οὖσαν, ᾗπέρ μοι ἔμπροσθεν εἴρηται, τὸ παράπαν τε ἀδιέξοδον, ἐμπόδιοι σφίσιν ἐγένοντο.

§ 8.17.17 διὸ δὴ οὐκ ἔχων ὁ Μερμερόης καθ’ ὅ τι τοὺς ἀνθισταμένους βιάζηται, ὑπῆγεν ὀπίσω τὸ στράτευμα ἐπί τε Ἀρχαιόπολιν ὡς πολιορκήσων αὐτίκα ᾔει. τοῦ τε περιβόλου ἀποπειρασάμενος, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲν προὐχώρει, ἀνέστρεφεν αὖθις.

§ 8.17.18 Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ἀναχωροῦσιν ἐπισπόμενοι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐν δυσχωρίᾳ πολλοὺς ἔκτεινον, ἐν τοῖς καὶ τῶν Σαβείρων τὸν ἄρχοντα ξυνηνέχθη πεσεῖν.

§ 8.17.19 μάχης τε καρτερᾶς ἀμφὶ τῷ νεκρῷ γενομένης ὕστερον Πέρσαι περὶ λύχνων ἁφὰς βιασάμενοι τοὺς ἐναντίους ἐτρέψαντο, ἐπί τε Κόταϊς καὶ Μοχήρησιν ἀπεχώρησαν. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Ῥωμαίοις τε καὶ Πέρσαις ἐπέπρακτο τῇδε.

§ 8.17.20 Τὰ μέντοι ἐπὶ Λιβύης ἅπαντα Ῥωμαίοις εὖ τε καὶ καλῶς καθειστήκει. τῷ γὰρ Ἰωάννῃ, ὅνπερ ἐνταῦθα βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς στρατηγὸν κατεστήσατο, εὐτυχήματα λόγου τε καὶ ἀκοῆς κρείσσω ξυνηνέχθη γενέσθαι.

§ 8.17.21 ὃς δὴ ἕνα τῶν ἐν Μαυρουσίοις ἀρχόντων ἑταιρισάμενος, Κουτζίναν ὄνομα, τά τε πρότερα μάχῃ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐνίκησε καὶ οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον Ἀντάλαν τε καὶ Ἰαύδαν, οἳ Μαυρουσίων τῶν ἐν Βυζακίῳ τε καὶ Νουμιδίᾳ τὸ κράτος εἶχον, ὑποχειρίους πεποίηται, εἵποντό τε αὐτῷ ἐν ἀνδραπόδων λόγῳ.

§ 8.17.22 καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ πολέμιον Ῥωμαίοις οὐδὲν ὑπὸ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον ἔν γε Λιβύῃ ἐγένετο. τοῖς μέντοι φθάσασι πολέμοις τε καὶ στάσεσιν ἔρημος ἀνθρώπων ἡ χώρα ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον οὖσα διέμεινεν.

Source Colophon

Greek source text from the PerseusDL canonical Greek repository file tlg4029.tlg001.perseus-grc2.xml, inspected locally for this translation unit.

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