| Keywords |
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| ID |
5823 |
| Text |
Historiarum adversum paganos libri VII (417 - 418) Orosius |
| Quotation |
1. Anno ante urbem conditam CCCCLXXX Vesozes rex Aegypti meridiem et septentrionem, diuisas paene toto caelo ac pelago plagas, aut miscere bello aut regno iungere studens, Scythis bellum primus indixit missis prius legatis, qui hostibus parendi leges dicerent. 2 Ad quae Scythae legatis respondent, stolide opulentissimum regem aduersus inopes sumpsisse bellum, quod timendum ipsi magis uersa uice fuerit propter incertos belli euentus nulla praemia et damna manifesta. porro sibi non exspectandum, dum ad se ueniatur, sed ultro praedae obuiam ituros. 3 Nec mora, nam dicta factis insequuntur. primum ipsum Vesozen territum refugere in regnum cogunt, destitutum uero exercitum inuadunt omnemque belli apparatum capessunt, uniuersam quoque Aegyptum populauissent, ni paludibus inpediti repellerentur. 4 Inde continuo reuersi perdomitam infinitis caedibus Asiam uectigalem fecere; ubi per XV annos sine pace inmorati tandem uxorum flagitatione reuocantur denuntiantibus, ni redeant subolem se a finitimis quaesituras. |
| Translation |
1. 480 years before the foundation of the City, Vesozes, the king of Egypt,
attempted to either embroil in war or add to his kingdom regions which
were divided by almost the entire heavens and sea. He first declared war
on the Scythians, sending ambassadors in front of him to dictate terms of surrender to his enemy. 2. At this, the Scythians stoutly told the ambassadors
that their king, a very wealthy man, was a fool to wage war on
poor people, for he had more to be afraid of than they, given the uncertain
outcome of war, the lack of prizes, and obvious dangers of loss for himself.
They added that they would not wait for him to come to them, but would, of
their own accord, set out on the road to plunder. 3. Nor was there any delay;
deeds followed words. First, they forced the terrified Vesozes to flee back
to his kingdom and then attacked the army that he had deserted, seizing all
its equipment for war. They would have laid waste to all of Egypt had they
not been forced back by the difficulties caused by the marshes. 4. They then
immediately headed back towards their homeland and forced Asia, where
they indulged in endless slaughter, to pay them tribute. They remained there
for fifteen years, during which time there was no peace, and were finally
summoned back to their homeland by the complaints of their womenfolk
who threatened to have children by the men of neighbouring tribes if they
did not return. |
| Quotation source |
Lib. 1, Cap. 14, 1-4 (pp. 62-3, trans. Fear, pp. 64-5) |
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