before, keeping to the bank of the river. The Romans had passed the
night in the city of Sura, and, removing from there, they came upon the
enemy just in the act of preparing for the departure. [Ap. 19, 531] Now
the feast of Easter was near and would take place on the following day;
this feast is reverenced by the Christians above all others, and on the
day before it they are accustomed to refrain from food and drink not
only throughout the day, but for a large part of the night also they
continue the fast. Then, therefore, Belisarius, seeing that all his men
were passionately eager to go against the enemy, wished to persuade them
to give up this idea (for this course had been counselled by Hermogenes
also, who had come recently on an embassy from the emperor); he
accordingly called together all who were present and spoke as follows:
"O Romans, whither are you rushing? and what has happened to you that
you are purposing to choose for yourselves a danger which is not
necessary? Men believe that there is only one victory which is
unalloyed, namely to suffer no harm at the hands of the enemy, and this
very thing has been given us in the present instance by fortune and by
the fear of us that overpowers our foes. Therefore it is better to enjoy
the benefit of our present blessings than to seek them when they have
passed. For the Persians, led on by many hopes, undertook an expedition
against the Romans, and now, with everything lost, they have beaten a
hasty retreat. So that if we compel them against their will to abandon
their purpose of withdrawing and to come to battle with us, we shall win
no advantage whatsoever if we are victorious,--for why should one rout a
fugitive?--while if we are unfortunate, as may happen, we shall both be
deprived of the victory which we now have, not robbed of it by the
enemy, but flinging it away ourselves, and also we shall abandon the
land of the emperor to lie open hereafter to the attacks of the enemy
without defenders. Moreover this also is worth your consideration, that
God is always accustomed to succour men in dangers which are necessary,