Stelle ἀλλ’ὁ Καβάδης οὐκ ἐς μακρὰν ἀποδράσ...; (Historiae, Δ.28.3-4 (pp. 158.32-159.14)) [5466]

Basic Information

Keywords	Ethnonym: Hephthalites, [wurzel: Ephtalit]
ID	5466
Text	Historiae (565 - 580) Agathias of Myrina
Quotation	ἀλλ’ὁ Καβάδης οὐκ ἐς μακρὰν ἀποδράσας, εἴτε τῆς γαμετῆς αὐτῷ ξυλλαβομένης τοῦ δόλου, ὡς, Προκόπιίς φησι, καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ ἐκεἰνου θάνατον ὑπελθεῖν ἑλομένης, εἴτε καὶ ἄλλῳ χρησάμενος τρόπῳ, ἀποδράσας δὲ οὖν ὅμως καὶ ὑπεκβὰς τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, ᾤχετο παρὰ τοὺς Νεφθαλίτας καὶ γίνεται τοῦ ἐκείνων βασιλέως ἱκέτης. 4 ὁ δὲ τὰς ἀτάκτους ῥοπὰς τῆς τύχης διανοησάμενος προσίετό γε αὐτὸν μάλα εὐμενῶς καὶ διετέλει παρηγορῶν καὶ παραιρούμενος τῆς γνώμης τὸ ἀνιώμενον, τὰ μὲν πρῶτα θωπείᾳ τε ἀγαθῇ καὶ παραινέσει πρὸς τὰ ἀμείνονα τὸ φρονοῦν ἀναρρωννύσῃ καὶ πρὸς γε τραπέζῃ \| δαψιλεῖ καὶ φιλοτησίᾳ θαμὰ προτεινομένῃ καὶ ἐφεστρίσι τιμίαις καὶ τούτοις δὴ ἅπασι τοῖς εἰς φιλοξενίαν προχειροράτοις· ὀλίγῳ δὲ ὕστερπν καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα κατεγγυᾷ πρὸς γάμον τῷ καὶ στρατιὰν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὴν κάθοδον ἀποχρῶσαν παραδοὺς ἄστειεν αὖθις, τό τε ἀντιστατοῦν καθελοῦντα καὶ τὴν προτέραν εὐδαιμονίαν ἀνακτησόμενον.
Translation	4.28.3-4 (p. 131) But it was not long before Kavad escaped either aided and abetted by his wife who chose to die for his sake as Procopius tells us or by some other means. At any rate the fact remains that he did escape from prison to the land of the Ephthalites where he threw himself on the protection of their king. 4 Mindful of the vicissitudes of fortune the king received him with great kindness and never ceased to comfort him and alleviate his distress of mind, showing him every consideration, addressing him words of encouragement which were calculated to raise his spirits, feasting him at his table and frequently making him drink from his own cup, dressing him in costly garments and in fact omitting none of the niceties of hospitality. Not long afterwards he gave his daughter’s hand in marriage to his guest and having entrusted him with a sufficiently large army to ensure his return sent him back home to crush all opposition and regain his former prosperity.
Summary	Referencing Procopius, Agathias reports the escape of the Sasanian king Kavad I, who seeks protection with the Ephthalites, where he is treated with the greatest honours and receives the king’s daughter in marriage before reclaiming his throne.
Quotation source	Δ.28.3-4 (pp. 158.32-159.14)
Temporal Coverage	496 - 499
Associated use case(s)	Steppe Peoples 2: Eastern Roman Empire (5th-9th c.)
Spatial Coverage Objects	<QuerySet [<Stelle: ἀλλ’ὁ Καβάδης οὐκ ἐς μακρὰν ἀποδράσ...; (Historiae, Δ.28.3-4 (pp. 158.32-159.14)) [5466]>]> - Hephthalites, [wurzel: Ephtalit]
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