The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus - Coptic ...

228
EVAGRIUS
ashes. 74 And so then Chosroes, having failed in all his hopes and
realizing through these deeds that he had incurred great shame for
having supposed that he would prevail over the God who is revered
by us, made his departure to his own parts ingloriously. 75
28 What was done by Chosroes on another occasion against the city of
the Sergiopolitans will also be told, since it is both remarkable and truly
appropriate for its memory to be preserved for ever. Chosroes
approached this city too, eager to besiege it. And so when he made an
attempt on the walls, discussions concerning the saving of the city were
held between the two parties, and they made an agreement that the
sacred treasures should be a ransom for the city; among these was
included also a cross which had been sent by Justinian and Theodora.
When these things had been carried o¡, Chosroes asked the priest and
the Persians who had been sent with him whether there was anything
else. One of those who is not in the habit of telling the truth said to Chosroes
that there were other treasures as well, which had been hidden away
by the citizens, who were few in number. Although from the o¡erings
there had been left no treasure, either of gold or of silver, there was one
of a more e⁄cacious substance that was dedicated once and for all to
God, namely the all-holy relics of the victorious martyr Sergius which
lay in one of the oblong co⁄ns which is covered in silver. But when Chosroes,
convinced by this, released his whole army on the city, suddenly
myriad shields appeared on the circuit wall to defend the city; on seeing
this those sent by Chosroes turned back, astounded at the number and
describing the armament. When Chosroes learnt, on enquiring further,
that extremely few people remained in the city, and they were very old or
very young since those in the bloom of youth had departed, he realized
that the miracle came from the martyr; and in fear and amazement
74 Evagrius returns to Procopius for the account of the destruction of the mound (Wars
ii.27.8^17), though adding the reference to the third day and that Khusro diverted the city
aqueducts against the ¢re. In Procopius the Persians pour on water, but this merely served
to stimulate the bitumen and sulphur inside the mound (ii.27.14); Evagrius has adapted this,
perhaps in£uenced by the parallel story in Theodoret, so that the water becomes like oil in
assisting the combustion.
75 Procopius, Wars ii.27.28^46, describes three further Persian assaults, of which two
came close to penetrating the defences, before Khusro agreed to withdraw in return for a
payment of 500 pounds of gold; Evagrius chose to highlight the divinely assisted destruction
of the mound as the culmination of the siege.