and Chosroes permitted him to go into the
acropolis. And when he had gone there and learned all that had happened
concerning the spring, weeping he came again before Chosroes, and lying
prone on the ground insisted that no money at all was left to the
Beroeans, and entreated him to grant him only the lives of the men.
Moved by the tearful entreaties of the man Chosroes fulfilled his
request, and binding himself by an oath, gave pledges to all on the
acropolis. Then the Beroeans, after coming into such great danger, left
the acropolis free from harm, and departing went each his own way. Among
the soldiers some few followed them, but the majority came as willing
deserters to Chosroes, putting forth as their grievance that the
government owed them their pay for a long time; and with him they later
went into the land of Persia.

VIII

[June 540 A.D.] Then Chosroes (since Megas said that he had by no means
persuaded the inhabitants of Antioch to bring him the money) went with
his whole army against them. Some of the population of Antioch thereupon
departed from there with their money and fled as each one could. And all
the rest likewise were purposing to do the same thing, and would have
done so had not the commanders of the troops in Lebanon, Theoctistus and
Molatzes, who arrived in the meantime with six thousand men, fortified
them with hope and thus prevented their departure. Not long after this
the Persian army also came. There they all pitched their tents and made
camp fronting on the River Orontes and not very far from the stream.
Chosroes then sent Paulus up beside the fortifications and demanded
money from the men of Antioch, saying that for ten centenaria[5] of gold
he would depart from there, and it was obvious that he would accept even
less than this for his withdrawal. And on that day their ambassadors
went before Chosroes, and after speaking at length concerning the
breaking of the peace and hearing much from him, they retired. But on
the morrow the populace of Antioch (for they are not seriously disposed,
but are always engaged in jesting and disorderly performance) heaped
insults upon Chosroes from the battlements and taunted him with unseemly
laughter; and when Paulus came near the fortifications and exhorted them
to purchase freedom for themselves and the city for a small sum of
money, they very nearly killed him with shots from their bows, and would
have done so if he had not seen their purpose in time