with food and drink beyond
their wont, they fell into a sweet and gentle sleep, and were
consequently quite unaware of what was going on. So the Persians made
their way through the passage inside the fortifications, a few at a
time, and, mounting the tower, they found the monks still sleeping and
slew them to a man. When Cabades learned this, he brought his ladders up
to the wall close by this tower. It was already day. And those of the
townsmen who were keeping guard on the adjoining tower became aware of
the disaster, and ran thither with all speed to give assistance. Then
for a long time both sides struggled to crowd back the other, and
already the townsmen were gaining the advantage, killing many of those
who had mounted the wall, and throwing back the men on the ladders, and
they came very near to averting the danger. But Cabades drew his sword
and, terrifying the Persians constantly with it, rushed in person to the
ladders and would not let them draw back, and death was the punishment
for those who dared turn to leave. As a result of this the Persians by
their numbers gained the upper hand and overcame their antagonists in
the fight. So the city was captured by storm on the eightieth day after
the beginning of the siege. [Jan. 11, 503 A.D.] There followed a great
massacre of the townspeople, until one of the citizens--an old man and a
priest--approached Cabades as he was riding into the city, and said that
it was not a kingly act to slaughter captives. Then Cabades, still moved
with passion, replied: "But why did you decide to fight against me?" And
the old man answered quickly: "Because God willed to give Amida into thy
hand not so much because of our decision as of thy valour." Cabades was
pleased by this speech, and permitted no further slaughter, but he bade
the Persians plunder the property and make slaves of the survivors, and
he directed them to choose out for himself all the notables among them.

A short time after this he departed, leaving there to garrison the place
a thousand men under command of Glones, a Persian, and some few
unfortunates among the citizens of Amida who were destined to minister
as servants to the daily wants of the Persians; he himself with all the
remainder of the army and the captives marched away homeward. These
captives were treated by Cabades with a generosity befitting a king; for
after a short time he released all of them to return to their homes, but
he pretended that they ha