J.M. Barrie - "Auld Licht Idyls"

Victor Appleton - "Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders"

Basil King - "The Letter of the Contract"

Tacitus - "The Germany and the Agricola of Tacitus"

Annual Bibliography of Commonwealth Literature 2007
This paper argues that discourses of love in Ghanaian market literature for youth offer a view into complex negotiations of agency and empowerment. Drawing on Deborah Durham's notion of youth as "social `shifters'" and Francis Nyamnjoh's conception of the "interconnectedness" of agency, I take Ghanaian market literature as one specific case of how African literature for youth foregrounds questions of continuity and change as African societies enter into increasingly complex global relations. In this literature for youth, received notions of love, often constructed out of impressions from American pop and hip hop music, carry new notions of agency that compete with existing "domesticated" forms. Authors like Ike Tandoh and Evelyn Tay employ discourses of love to offer youth alternative avenues for empowerment in a context of socio-economic disenfranchizement. In a creative process of "straddling", this writing both reveals and reproduces the contradictions that obtain in youth configurations of agency.

Procopius

P >> Procopius >> Procopius




But when the Emperor Justinian heard these things and what had taken
place in Dalmatia, he sent Constantianus, who commanded the royal
grooms, into Illyricum, bidding him gather an army from there and make
an attempt on Salones, in whatever manner he might be able; and he
commanded Belisarius to enter Italy with all speed and to treat the
Goths as enemies. So Constantianus came to Epidamnus and spent some time
there gathering an army. But in the meantime the Goths, under the
leadership of Gripas, came with another army into Dalmatia and took
possession of Salones; and Constantianus, when all his preparations were
as complete as possible, departed from Epidamnus with his whole force
and cast anchor at Epidaurus[31] which is on the right as one sails
into the Ionian Gulf. Now it so happened that some men were there whom
Gripas had sent out as spies. And when they took note of the ships and
the army of Constantianus it seemed to them that both the sea and the
whole land were full of soldiers, and returning to Gripas they declared
that Constantianus was bringing against them an army of men numbering
many tens of thousands. And he, being plunged into great fear, thought
it inexpedient to meet their attack, and at the same time he was quite
unwilling to be besieged by the emperor's army, since it so completely
commanded the sea; but he was disturbed most of all by the
fortifications of Salones (since the greater part of them had already
fallen down), and by the exceedingly suspicious attitude on the part of
the inhabitants of the place toward the Goths. And for this reason he
departed thence with his whole army as quickly as possible and made camp
in the plain which is between Salones and the city of Scardon.[32] And
Constantianus, sailing with all his ships from Epidaurus, put in at
Lysina,[33] which is an island in the gulf. Thence he sent forward some
of his men, in order that they might make enquiry concerning the plans
of Gripas and report them to him. Then, after learning from them the
whole situation, he sailed straight for Salones with all speed. And when
he had put in at a place close to the city, he disembarked his army on
the mainland and himself remained quiet there; but he selected five
hundred from the army, and setting over them as commander Siphilas, one
of his own bodyguards, he commanded them to seize the narrow pass[34]
which, as he had been informed, was in the outskirts of the city. And
this Siphilas did. And Constantianus and his whole land army entered
Salones on the following day, and the fleet anchored close by. Then
Constantianus proceeded to look after the fortifications of the city,
building up in haste all such parts of them as had fallen down; and
Gripas, with the Gothic army, on the seventh day after the Romans had
taken possession of Salones, departed from there and betook themselves
to Ravenna; and thus Constantianus gained possession of all Dalmatia and
Liburnia, bringing over to his side all the Goths who were settled
there. Such were the events in Dalmatia. And the winter drew to a close,
and thus ended the first year of this war, the history of which
Procopius has written.

FOOTNOTES:

[29] Proverbial for a victory in which the victor is slain; probably
from the story of the Theban, or "Cadmean," heroes Eteocles and
Polynices.

[30] See Bury's edition of Gibbon, Vol. IV. App. 15, for a discussion of
this oracle.

[31] Modern Ragusa Vecchia.

[32] Near Sebenico.

[33] Modern Lesina.

[34] An important approach to the city from the west.




VIII


And Belisarius, leaving guards in Syracuse and Panormus, crossed with
the rest of the army from Messana to Rhegium (where the myths of the
poets say Scylla and Charybdis were), and every day the people of that
region kept coming over to him. For since their towns had from of old
been without walls, they had no means at all of guarding them, and
because of their hostility toward the Goths they were, as was natural,
greatly dissatisfied with their present government. And Ebrimous came
over to Belisarius as a deserter from the Goths, together with all his
followers; this man was the son-in-law of Theodatus, being married to
Theodenanthe, his daughter. And he was straightway sent to the emperor
and received many gifts of honour and in particular attained the
patrician dignity. And the army of Belisarius marched from Rhegium
through Bruttium and Lucania, and the fleet of ships accompanied it,
sailing close to the mainland. But when they reached Campania, they came
upon a city on the sea, Naples by name, which was strong not only
because of the nature of its site, but also because it contained a
numerous garrison of Goths. And Belisarius commanded the ships to anchor
in the harbour, which was beyond the range of missiles, while he himself
made his camp near the city. He then first took possession by surrender
of the fort which is in the suburb, and afterwards permitted the
inhabitants of the city at their own request to send some of their
notables into his camp, in order that they might tell what their wish
was and, after receiving his reply, report to the populace. Straightway,
therefore, the Neapolitans sent Stephanus. And he, upon coming before
Belisarius, spoke as follows:

"You are not acting justly, O general, in taking the field against men
who are Romans and have done no wrong, who inhabit but a small city and
have over us a guard of barbarians as masters, so that it does not even
lie in our power, if we desire to do so, to oppose them. But it so
happens that even these guards had to leave their wives and children,
and their most precious possessions in the hands of Theodatus before
they came to keep guard over us. Therefore, if they treat with you at
all, they will plainly be betraying, not the city, but themselves. And
if one must speak the truth with no concealment, you have not counselled
to your advantage, either, in coming against us. For if you capture
Rome, Naples will be subject to you without any further trouble, whereas
if you are repulsed from there, it is probable that you will not be able
to hold even this city securely. Consequently the time you spend on this
siege will be spent to no purpose."

So spoke Stephanus. And Belisarius replied as follows:

"Whether we have acted wisely or foolishly in coming here is not a
question which we propose to submit to the Neapolitans. But we desire
that you first weigh carefully such matters as are appropriate to your
deliberations and then act solely in accordance with your own interests.
Receive into your city, therefore, the emperor's army, which has come to
secure your freedom and that of the other Italians, and do not choose
the course which will bring upon you the most grievous misfortunes. For
those who, in order to rid themselves of slavery or any other shameful
thing, go into war, such men, if they fare well in the struggle, have
double good fortune, because along with their victory they have also
acquired freedom from their troubles, and if defeated they gain some
consolation for themselves, in that, they have not of their own free
will chosen to follow the worse fortune. But as for those who have the
opportunity to be free without fighting, but yet enter into a struggle
in order to make their condition of slavery permanent, such men, even if
it so happens that they conquer, have failed in the most vital point,
and if in the battle they fare less happily than they wished, they will
have, along with their general ill-fortune, also the calamity of
defeat. As for the Neapolitans, then, let these words suffice. But as
for these Goths who are present, we give them the choice, either to
array themselves hereafter on our side under the great emperor, or to go
to their homes altogether immune from harm. Because, if both you and
they, disregarding all these considerations, dare to raise arms against
us, it will be necessary for us also, if God so wills, to treat whomever
we meet as an enemy. If, however, it is the will of the Neapolitans to
choose the cause of the emperor and thus to be rid of so cruel a
slavery, I take it upon myself, giving you pledges, to promise that you
will receive at our hands those benefits which the Sicilians lately
hoped for, and with regard to which they were unable to say that we had
sworn falsely."

Such was the message which Belisarius bade Stephanus take back to the
people. But privately he promised him large rewards if he should inspire
the Neapolitans with good-will toward the emperor. And Stephanus, upon
coming into the city, reported the words of Belisarius and expressed his
own opinion that it was inexpedient to fight against the emperor. And he
was assisted in his efforts by Antiochus, a man of Syria, but long
resident in Naples for the purpose of carrying on a shipping business,
who had a great reputation there for wisdom and justice. But there were
two men, Pastor and Asclepiodotus, trained speakers and very notable men
among the Neapolitans, who were exceedingly friendly toward the Goths,
and quite unwilling to have any change made in the present state of
affairs. These two men, planning how they might block the negotiations,
induced the multitude to demand many serious concessions, and to try to
force Belisarius to promise on oath that they should forthwith obtain
what they asked for. And after writing down in a document such demands
as nobody would have supposed that Belisarius would accept, they gave it
to Stephanus. And he, returning to the emperor's army, shewed the
writing to the general, and enquired of him whether he was willing to
carry out all the proposals which the Neapolitans made and to take an
oath concerning them. And Belisarius promised that they should all be
fulfilled for them and so sent him back. Now when the Neapolitans heard
this, they were in favour of accepting the general's assurances at once
and began to urge that the emperor's army be received into the city with
all speed. For he declared that nothing unpleasant would befall them, if
the case of the Sicilians was sufficient evidence for anyone to judge
by, since, as he pointed out, it had only recently been their lot, after
they had exchanged their barbarian tyrants for the sovereignty of
Justinian, to be, not only free men, but also immune from all
difficulties. And swayed by great excitement they were about to go to
the gates with the purpose of throwing them open. And though the Goths
were not pleased with what they were doing, still, since they were
unable to prevent it, they stood out of the way.

But Pastor and Asclepiodotus called together the people and all the
Goths in one place, and spoke as follows: "It is not at all unnatural
that the populace of a city should abandon themselves and their own
safety, especially if, without consulting any of their notables, they
make an independent decision regarding their all. But it is necessary
for us, who are on the very point of perishing together with you, to
offer as a last contribution to the fatherland this advice. We see,
then, fellow citizens, that you are intent upon betraying both
yourselves and the city to Belisarius, who promises to confer many
benefits upon you and to swear the most solemn oaths in confirmation of
his promises. Now if he is able to promise you this also, that to him
will come the victory in the war, no one could deny that the course you
are taking is to your advantage. For it is great folly not to gratify
every whim of him who is to become master. But if this outcome lies in
uncertainty, and no man in the world is competent to guarantee the
decision of fortune, consider what sort of misfortunes your haste is
seeking to attain. For if the Goths overcome their adversaries in the
war, they will punish you as enemies and as having done them the foulest
wrong. For you are resorting to this act of treason, not under
constraint of necessity, but out of deliberate cowardice. So that even
to Belisarius, if he wins the victory over his enemies, we shall perhaps
appear faithless and betrayers of our rulers, and having proved
ourselves deserters, we shall in all probability have a guard set over
us permanently by the emperor. For though he who has found a traitor is
pleased at the moment of victory by the service rendered, yet
afterwards, moved by suspicion based upon the traitor's past, he hates
and fears his benefactor, since he himself has in his own possession the
evidences of the other's faithlessness. If, however, we shew ourselves
faithful to the Goths at the present time, manfully submitting to the
danger, they will give us great rewards in case they win the mastery
over the enemy, and Belisarius, if it should so happen that he is the
victor, will be prone to forgive. For loyalty which fails is punished by
no man unless he be lacking in understanding. But what has happened to
you that you are in terror of being besieged by the enemy, you who have
no lack of provisions, have not been deprived by blockade of any of the
necessities of life, and hence may sit at home, confident in the
fortifications and in your garrison here?[35] And in our opinion even
Belisarius would not have consented to this agreement with us if he had
any hope of capturing the city by force. And yet if what he desired were
that which is just and that which will be to our advantage, he ought not
to be trying to frighten the Neapolitans or to establish his own power
by means of an act of injustice on our part toward the Goths; but he
should do battle with Theodatus and the Goths, so that without danger to
us or treason on our part the city might come into the power of the
victors."

When they had finished speaking, Pastor and Asclepiodotus brought
forward the Jews, who promised that the city should be in want of none
of the necessities, and the Goths on their part promised that they would
guard the circuit-wall safely. And the Neapolitans, moved by these
arguments, bade Belisarius depart thence with all speed. He, however,
began the siege. And he made many attempts upon the circuit-wall, but
was always repulsed, losing many of his soldiers, and especially those
who laid some claim to valour. For the wall of Naples was inaccessible,
on one side by reason of the sea, and on the other because of some
difficult country, and those who planned to attack it could gain
entrance at no point, not only because of its general situation, but
also because the ground sloped steeply. However, Belisarius cut the
aqueduct which brought water into the city; but he did not in this way
seriously disturb the Neapolitans, since there were wells inside the
circuit-wall which sufficed for their needs and kept them from feeling
too keenly the loss of the aqueduct.

FOOTNOTE:

[35] _i.e._ the Goths; cf. Sec. 5 above.




IX


So the besieged, without the knowledge of the enemy, sent to Theodatus
in Rome begging him to come to their help with all speed. But Theodatus
was not making the least preparation for war, being by nature unmanly,
as has been said before.[36] And they say that something else happened
to him, which terrified him exceedingly and reduced him to still greater
anxiety. I, for my part, do not credit this report, but even so it shall
be told. Theodatus even before this time had been prone to make
enquiries of those who professed to foretell the future, and on the
present occasion he was at a loss what to do in the situation which
confronted him--a state which more than anything else is accustomed to
drive men to seek prophecies; so he enquired of one of the Hebrews, who
had a great reputation for prophecy, what sort of an outcome the present
war would have. The Hebrew commanded him to confine three groups of ten
swine each in three huts, and after giving them respectively the names
of Goths, Romans, and the soldiers of the emperor, to wait quietly for
a certain number of days. And Theodatus did as he was told. And when the
appointed day had come, they both went into the huts and looked at the
swine; and they found that of those which had been given the name of
Goths all save two were dead, whereas all except a few were living of
those which had received the name of the emperor's soldiers; and as for
those which had been called Romans, it so happened that, although the
hair of all of them had fallen out, yet about half of them survived.
When Theodatus beheld this and divined the outcome of the war, a great
fear, they say, came upon him, since he knew well that it would
certainly be the fate of the Romans to die to half their number and be
deprived of their possessions, but that the Goths would be defeated and
their race reduced to a few, and that to the emperor would come, with
the loss of but a few of his soldiers, the victory in the war. And for
this reason, they say, Theodatus felt no impulse to enter into a
struggle with Belisarius. As for this story, then, let each one express
his views according to the belief or disbelief which he feels regarding
it.

But Belisarius, as he besieged the Neapolitans both by land and by sea,
was beginning to be vexed. For he was coming to think that they would
never yield to him, and, furthermore, he could not hope that the city
would be captured, since he was finding that the difficulty of its
position was proving to be a very serious obstacle. And the loss of the
time which was being spent there distressed him, for he was making his
calculations so as to avoid being compelled to go against Theodatus and
Rome in the winter season. Indeed he had already even given orders to
the army to pack up, his intention being to depart from there as
quickly as possible. But while he was in the greatest perplexity, it
came to pass that he met with the following good fortune. One of the
Isaurians was seized with the desire to observe the construction of the
aqueduct, and to discover in what manner it provided the supply of water
to the city. So he entered it at a place far distant from the city,
where Belisarius had broken it open, and proceeded to walk along it,
finding no difficulty, since the water had stopped running because the
aqueduct had been broken open. But when he reached a point near the
circuit-wall, he came upon a large rock, not placed there by the hand of
man, but a part of the natural formation of the place. And those who had
built the aqueduct many years before, after they had attached the
masonry to this rock, proceeded to make a tunnel from that point on, not
sufficiently large, however, for a man to pass through, but large enough
to furnish a passage for the water. And for this reason it came about
that the channel of the aqueduct was not everywhere of the same breadth,
but one was confronted by a narrow place at that rock, impassable for a
man, especially if he wore armour or carried a shield. And when the
Isaurian observed this, it seemed to him not impossible for the army to
penetrate into the city, if they should make the tunnel at that point
broader by a little. But since he himself was a humble person, and never
had come into conversation with any of the commanders, he brought the
matter before Paucaris, an Isaurian, who had distinguished himself among
the guards of Belisarius. So Paucaris immediately reported the whole
matter to the general. And Belisarius, being pleased by the report, took
new courage, and by promising to reward the man with great sums of
money induced him to attempt the undertaking, and commanded him to
associate with himself some of the Isaurians and cut out a passage in
the rock as quickly as possible, taking care to allow no one to become
aware of what they were doing. Paucaris then selected some Isaurians who
were thoroughly suitable for the work, and secretly got inside the
aqueduct with them. And coming to the place where the rock caused the
passage to be narrow, they began their work, not cutting the rock with
picks or mattocks, lest by their blows they should reveal to the enemy
what they were doing, but scraping it very persistently with sharp
instruments of iron. And in a short time the work was done, so that a
man wearing a corselet and carrying a shield was able to go through at
that point.

But when all his arrangements were at length in complete readiness, the
thought occurred to Belisarius that if he should by act of war make his
entry into Naples with the army, the result would be that lives would be
lost and that all the other things would happen which usually attend the
capture of a city by an enemy. And straightway summoning Stephanus, he
spoke as follows: "Many times have I witnessed the capture of cities and
I am well acquainted with what takes place at such a time. For they slay
all the men of every age, and as for the women, though they beg to die,
they are not granted the boon of death, but are carried off for outrage
and are made to suffer treatment that is abominable and most pitiable.
And the children, who are thus deprived of their proper maintenance and
education, are forced to be slaves, and that, too, of the men who are
the most odious of all--those on whose hands they see the blood of
their fathers. And this is not all, my dear Stephanus, for I make no
mention of the conflagration which destroys all the property and blots
out the beauty of the city. When I see, as in the mirror of the cities
which have been captured in times past, this city of Naples falling
victim to such a fate, I am moved to pity both it and you its
inhabitants. For such means have now been perfected by me against the
city that its capture is inevitable. But I pray that an ancient city,
which has for ages been inhabited by both Christians and Romans, may not
meet with such a fortune, especially at my hands as commander of Roman
troops, not least because in my army are a multitude of barbarians, who
have lost brothers or relatives before the wall of this town; for the
fury of these men I should be unable to control, if they should capture
the city by act of war. While, therefore, it is still within your power
to choose and to put into effect that which will be to your advantage,
adopt the better course and escape misfortune; for when it falls upon
you, as it probably will, you will not justly blame fortune but your own
judgment." With these words Belisarius dismissed Stephanus. And he went
before the people of Naples weeping and reporting with bitter
lamentations all that he had heard Belisarius say. But they, since it
was not fated that the Neapolitans should become subjects of the emperor
without chastisement, neither became afraid nor did they decide to yield
to Belisarius.

FOOTNOTE:

[36] Chap. iii. 1.




X


Then at length Belisarius, on his part, made his preparations to enter
the city as follows. Selecting at nightfall about four hundred men and
appointing as commander over them Magnus, who led a detachment of
cavalry, and Ennes, the leader of the Isaurians, he commanded them all
to put on their corselets, take in hand their shields and swords, and
remain quiet until he himself should give the signal. And he summoned
Bessas[37] and gave him orders to stay with him, for he wished to
consult with him concerning a certain matter pertaining to the army. And
when it was well on in the night, he explained to Magnus and Ennes the
task before them, pointed out the place where he had previously broken
open the aqueduct, and ordered them to lead the four hundred men into
the city, taking lights with them And he sent with them two men skilled
in the use of the trumpet, so that as soon as they should get inside the
circuit-wall, they might be able both to throw the city into confusion
and to notify their own men what they were doing. And he himself was
holding in readiness a very great number of ladders which had been
constructed previously.

So these men entered the aqueduct and were proceeding toward the city,
while he with Bessas and Photius[38] remained at his post and with their
help was attending to all details. And he also sent to the camp,
commanding the men to remain awake and to keep their arms in their
hands. At the same time he kept near him a large force--men whom he
considered most courageous. Now of the men who were on their way to the
city above half became terrified at the danger and turned back. And
since Magnus could not persuade them to follow him, although he urged
them again and again, he returned with them to the general. And
Belisarius, after reviling these men, selected two hundred of the troops
at hand, and ordered them to go with Magnus. And Photius also, wishing
to lead them, leaped into the channel of the aqueduct, but Belisarius
prevented him. Then those who were fleeing from the danger, put to shame
by the railings of the general and of Photius, took heart to face it
once more and followed with the others. And Belisarius, fearing lest
their operations should be perceived by some of the enemy, who were
maintaining a guard on the tower which happened to be nearest to the
aqueduct, went to that place and commanded Bessas to carry on a
conversation in the Gothic tongue with the barbarians there, his purpose
being to prevent any clanging of the weapons from being audible to them.
And so Bessas shouted to them in a loud voice, urging the Goths to yield
to Belisarius and promising that they should have many rewards. But they
jeered at him, indulging in many insults directed at both Belisarius and
the emperor. Belisarius and Bessas, then, were thus occupied.

Copyright (c) 2007. topboookz.com. All rights reserved.