soldiers, who were anxious that there should be no punishment for their
offences, Belisarius called together both the Massagetae and the rest of
the army and spoke as follows: "If my words were addressed to men now
for the first time entering into war, it would require a long time for
me to convince you by speech how great a help justice is for gaining the
victory. For those who do not understand the fortunes of such struggles
think that the outcome of war lies in strength of arm alone. But you,
who have often conquered an enemy not inferior to you in strength of
body and well endowed with valour, you who have often tried your
strength against your opponents, you, I think, are not ignorant that,
while it is men who always do the fighting in either army, it is God who
judges the contest as seems best to Him and bestows the victory in
battle. Now since this is so, it is fitting to consider good bodily
condition and practice in arms and all the other provision for war of
less account than justice and those things which pertain to God. For
that which may possibly be of greatest advantage to men in need would
naturally be honoured by them above all other things. Now the first
proof of justice would be the punishment of those who have committed
unjust murder. For if it is incumbent upon us to sit in judgment upon
the actions which from time to time are committed by men toward their
neighbours, and to adjudge and to name the just and the unjust action,
we should find that nothing is more precious to a man than his life. And
if any barbarian who has slain his kinsman expects to find indulgence in
his trial on the ground that he was drunk, in all fairness he makes the
charge so much the worse by reason of the very circumstance by which, as
he alleges, his guilt is removed. For it is not right for a man under
any circumstances, and especially when serving in an army, to be so
drunk as readily to kill his dearest friends; nay, the drunkenness
itself, even if the murder is not added at all, is worthy of punishment;
and when a kinsman is wronged, the crime would clearly be of greater