Hoc extracti periculo, cum ad nemorosum quendam locum vineis arbustisque pomiferis consitum, Meiacarire nomine venissemus, cui fontes dedere vocabulum gelidi, dilapsis accolis omnibus, solum in remoto secessu latentem invenimus militem, qui oblatus duci et locutus varia prae timore, ideoque suspectus, adigente metu qui intentabatur, pandit rerum integram fidem, docetque quod apud Parisios natus in Galliis, et equestri militans turma, vindictam quondam commissi facinoris timens, ad Persas abierat profugus, exindeque morum probitate spectata, sortita coniuge liberisque susceptis, speculatorem se missum ad nostra, saepe veros nuntios reportasse. At nunc se a Tamsapore et Nohodare optimatibus missum, qui catervas ductaverant praedatorum, ad eos redire quae didicerat perlaturum. Post haec, adiectis quae agi in parte diversa norat, occiditur.
Translation :
Saved from this danger, we came to a wooded tract planted with vineyards and fruitbearing orchards, called Meiacarire, so named from its cold springs. There all the inhabitants had decamped, but we found one soldier hiding in a remote spot. He, on being brought before the general, because of fear gave contradictory answers and so fell under suspicion. But influenced by threats made against him, he told the whole truth, saying that he was born at Paris in Gaul and served in a cavalry troop; but in fear of punishment for a fault that he had once committed he had deserted to the Persians. Then, being found to be of upright character, and to have married and reared children, he was sent as a spy to our territories and often brought back trustworthy news. But now he had been sent out by the grandees Tamsapor and Nohodares, who had led the bands of pillagers, and was returning to them, to report what he had learned. After this, having added what he knew about what the enemy were doing, he was put to death.
Edition :
Ammianus Marcellinus. With An English Translation. John C. Rolfe, Ph.D., Litt.D. Cambridge. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1935-1940.
Remark :
topology: Meiacarire seems to have been near Amida, to which the soldiers went next.
