butifwerejecttheproffereddeliverance，itdegeneratesintoblindandstupiddespair。""Iamnotinsensible"repliedthekingoftheVandals，"howkindandrationalisyouradvice。ButI
cannotpersuademyselftobecometheslaveofanunjustenemy，whohasdeservedmyimplacablehatred。HimIhadneverinjuredeitherbywordordeed:yethehassentagainstme，Iknownotfromwhence，acertainBelisarius，whohascastmeheadlongfromthethroneintohisabyssofmisery。Justinianisaman；heisaprince；doeshenotdreadforhimselfasimilarreverseoffortune?Icanwritenomore:mygriefoppressesme。Sendme，I
beseechyou，mydearPharas，sendme，alyre，^30asponge，andaloafofbread。"FromtheVandalmessenger，Pharaswasinformedofthemotivesofthissingularrequest。ItwaslongsincethekingofAfricahadtastedbread；adefluxionhadfallenonhiseyes，theeffectoffatigueorincessantweeping；andhewishedtosolacethemelancholyhours，bysingingtothelyrethesadstoryofhisownmisfortunes。ThehumanityofPharaswasmoved；hesentthethreeextraordinarygifts；butevenhishumanitypromptedhimtoredoublethevigilanceofhisguard，thathemightsoonercompelhisprisonertoembracearesolutionadvantageoustotheRomans，butsalutarytohimself。TheobstinacyofGelimeratlengthyieldedtoreasonandnecessity；
thesolemnassurancesofsafetyandhonorabletreatmentwereratifiedintheemperor'sname，bytheambassadorofBelisarius；
andthekingoftheVandalsdescendedfromthemountain。ThefirstpublicinterviewwasinoneofthesuburbsofCarthage；andwhentheroyalcaptiveaccostedhisconqueror，heburstintoafitoflaughter。Thecrowdmightnaturallybelieve，thatextremegriefhaddeprivedGelimerofhissenses:butinthismournfulstate，unseasonablemirthinsinuatedtomoreintelligentobservers，thatthevainandtransitoryscenesofhumangreatnessareunworthyofaseriousthought。^31
[Footnote28:MountPapuaisplacedbyD'Anvilletom。iii。p。
92，andTabul。Imp。Rom。Occident。nearHippoRegiusandthesea；yetthissituationillagreeswiththelongpursuitbeyondHippo，andthewordsofProcopius，l。ii。c。4，。
Note:CompareLordMahon，120。conceiveGibbontoberight—M。]
[Footnote29:ShawTravels，p。220mostaccuratelyrepresentsthemannersoftheBedoweensandKabyles，thelastofwhom，bytheirlanguage，aretheremnantoftheMoors；yethowchanged—
howcivilizedarethesemodernsavages!—provisionsareplentyamongthemandbreadiscommon。]
[Footnote30:ByProcopiusitisstyledalyre；perhapsharpwouldhavebeenmorenational。TheinstrumentsofmusicarethusdistinguishedbyVenantiusFortunatus:—
Romanusquelyratibiplaudat，Barbarusharpa。]
[Footnote31:Herodotuselegantlydescribesthestrangeeffectsofgriefinanotherroyalcaptive，PsammetichusofEgypt，whoweptatthelesserandwassilentatthegreatestofhiscalamities，l。iii。c。14。IntheinterviewofPaulusAemiliusandPerses，Belisariusmightstudyhispart；butitisprobablethatheneverreadeitherLivyorPlutarch；anditiscertainthathisgenerositydidnotneedatutor。]
Theircontemptwassoonjustifiedbyanewexampleofavulgartruth；thatflatteryadherestopower，andenvytosuperiormerit。ThechiefsoftheRomanarmypresumedtothinkthemselvestherivalsofahero。Theirprivatedespatchesmaliciouslyaffirmed，thattheconquerorofAfrica，stronginhisreputationandthepubliclove，conspiredtoseathimselfonthethroneoftheVandals。Justinianlistenedwithtoopatientanear；andhissilencewastheresultofjealousyratherthanofconfidence。Anhonorablealternative，ofremainingintheprovince，orofreturningtothecapital，wasindeedsubmittedtothediscretionofBelisarius；buthewiselyconcluded，frominterceptedlettersandtheknowledgeofhissovereign'stemper，thathemusteitherresignhishead，erecthisstandard，orconfoundhisenemiesbyhispresenceandsubmission。Innocenceandcouragedecidedhischoice；hisguards，captives，andtreasures，werediligentlyembarked；andsoprosperouswasthenavigation，thathisarrivalatConstantinopleprecededanycertainaccountofhisdeparturefromtheportofCarthage。SuchunsuspectingloyaltyremovedtheapprehensionsofJustinian；envywassilencedandinflamedbythepublicgratitude；andthethirdAfricanusobtainedthehonorsofatriumph，aceremonywhichthecityofConstantinehadneverseen，andwhichancientRome，sincethereignofTiberius，hadreservedfortheauspiciousarmsoftheCaesars。^32FromthepalaceofBelisarius，theprocessionwasconductedthroughtheprincipalstreetstothehippodrome；
andthismemorabledayseemedtoavengetheinjuriesofGenseric，andtoexpiatetheshameoftheRomans。Thewealthofnationswasdisplayed，thetrophiesofmartialoreffeminateluxury；richarmor，goldenthrones，andthechariotsofstatewhichhadbeenusedbytheVandalqueen；themassyfurnitureoftheroyalbanquet，thesplendorofpreciousstones，theelegantformsofstatuesandvases，themoresubstantialtreasureofgold，andtheholyvesselsoftheJewishtemple，whichaftertheirlongperegrinationwererespectfullydepositedintheChristianchurchofJerusalem。AlongtrainofthenoblestVandalsreluctantlyexposedtheirloftystatureandmanlycountenance。Gelimerslowlyadvanced:hewascladinapurplerobe，andstillmaintainedthemajestyofaking。Notatearescapedfromhiseyes，notasighwasheard；buthisprideorpietyderivedsomesecretconsolationfromthewordsofSolomon，^33whichherepeatedlypronounced，Vanity!vanity!allisvanity!Insteadofascendingatriumphalcardrawnbyfourhorsesorelephants，themodestconquerormarchedonfootattheheadofhisbravecompanions；hisprudencemightdeclineanhonortooconspicuousforasubject；andhismagnanimitymightjustlydisdainwhathadbeensooftensulliedbythevilestoftyrants。Thegloriousprocessionenteredthegateofthehippodrome；wassalutedbytheacclamationsofthesenateandpeople；andhaltedbeforethethronewhereJustinianandTheodorawereseatedtoreceivehomageofthecaptivemonarchandthevictorioushero。Theybothperformedthecustomaryadoration；andfallingprostrateontheground，respectfullytouchedthefootstoolofaprincewhohadnotunsheathedhissword，andofaprostitutewhohaddancedonthetheatre；somegentleviolencewasusedtobendthestubbornspiritofthegrandsonofGenseric；andhowevertrainedtoservitude，thegeniusofBelisariusmusthavesecretlyrebelled。
Hewasimmediatelydeclaredconsulfortheensuingyear，andthedayofhisinaugurationresembledthepompofasecondtriumph:
hiscurulechairwasbornealoftontheshouldersofcaptiveVandals；andthespoilsofwar，goldcups，andrichgirdles，wereprofuselyscatteredamongthepopulace。
[Footnote32:Afterthetitleofimperatorhadlosttheoldmilitarysense，andtheRomanauspiceswereabolishedbyChristianity，seeLaBleterie，Mem。del'Academie，tom。xxi。p。
302—332，atriumphmightbegivenwithlessinconsistencytoaprivategeneral。]
[Footnote33:IftheEcclesiastesbetrulyaworkofSolomon，andnot，likePrior'spoem，apiousandmoralcompositionofmorerecenttimes，inhisname，andonthesubjectofhisrepentance。
Thelatteristheopinionofthelearnedandfree—spiritedGrotius，Opp。Theolog。tom。i。p。258；andindeedtheEcclesiastesandProverbsdisplayalargercompassofthoughtandexperiencethanseemtobelongeithertoaJeworaking。
Note:Rosenmuller，arguingfromthedifferenceofstylefromthatofthegreaterpartofthebookofProverbs，andfromitsnearerapproximationtotheAramaicdialectthananybookoftheOldTestament，assignstheEcclesiastestosomeperiodbetweenNehemiahandAlexandertheGreatSchol。inVet。Test。ix。
ProemiumadEccles。p。19。—M。]
ChapterXLI:ConquestsOfJustinian，CharactOfBalisarius。
PartIV。
AlthoughTheodatusdescendedfromaraceofheroes，hewasignorantoftheart，andaversetothedangers，ofwar。AlthoughhehadstudiedthewritingsofPlatoandTully，philosophywasincapableofpurifyinghismindfromthebasestpassions，avariceandfear。Hehadpurchasedasceptrebyingratitudeandmurder:
atthefirstmenaceofanenemy，hedegradedhisownmajestyandthatofanation，whichalreadydisdainedtheirunworthysovereign。AstonishedbytherecentexampleofGelimer，hesawhimselfdraggedinchainsthroughthestreetsofConstantinople:
theterrorswhichBelisariusinspiredwereheightenedbytheeloquenceofPeter，theByzantineambassador；andthatboldandsubtleadvocatepersuadedhimtosignatreaty，tooignominioustobecomethefoundationofalastingpeace。Itwasstipulated，thatintheacclamationsoftheRomanpeople，thenameoftheemperorshouldbealwaysproclaimedbeforethatoftheGothicking；andthatasoftenasthestatueofTheodatuswaserectedinbrassonmarble，thedivineimageofJustinianshouldbeplacedonitsrighthand。Insteadofconferring，thekingofItalywasreducedtosolicit，thehonorsofthesenate；andtheconsentoftheemperorwasmadeindispensablebeforehecouldexecute，againstapriestorsenator，thesentenceeitherofdeathorconfiscation。ThefeeblemonarchresignedthepossessionofSicily；offered，astheannualmarkofhisdependence，acrownofgoldoftheweightofthreehundredpounds；andpromisedtosupply，attherequisitionofhissovereign，threethousandGothicauxiliaries，fortheserviceoftheempire。Satisfiedwiththeseextraordinaryconcessions，thesuccessfulagentofJustinianhastenedhisjourneytoConstantinople；butnosoonerhadhereachedtheAlbanvilla，^60thanhewasrecalledbytheanxietyofTheodatus；andthedialoguewhichpassedbetweenthekingandtheambassadordeservestoberepresentedinitsoriginalsimplicity。"Areyouofopinionthattheemperorwillratifythistreaty?Perhaps。Ifherefuses，whatconsequencewillensue?War。Willsuchawar，bejustorreasonable?Mostassuredly:everytohischaracter。Whatisyourmeaning?Youareaphilosopher—JustinianisemperoroftheRomans:itwouldallbecomethediscipleofPlatotoshedthebloodofthousandsinhisprivatequarrel:thesuccessorofAugustusshouldvindicatehisrights，andrecoverbyarmstheancientprovincesofhisempire。"Thisreasoningmightnotconvince，butitwassufficienttoalarmandsubduetheweaknessofTheodatus；andhesoondescendedtohislastoffer，thatforthepoorequivalentofapensionofforty—eightthousandpoundssterling，hewouldresignthekingdomoftheGothsandItalians，andspendtheremainderofhisdaysintheinnocentpleasuresofphilosophyandagriculture。
Bothtreatieswereintrustedtothehandsoftheambassador，onthefrailsecurityofanoathnottoproducethesecondtillthefirsthadbeenpositivelyrejected。Theeventmaybeeasilyforeseen:JustinianrequiredandacceptedtheabdicationoftheGothicking。HisindefatigableagentreturnedfromConstantinopletoRavenna，withampleinstructions；andafairepistle，whichpraisedthewisdomandgenerosityoftheroyalphilosopher，grantedhispension，withtheassuranceofsuchhonorsasasubjectandaCatholicmightenjoy；andwiselyreferredthefinalexecutionofthetreatytothepresenceandauthorityofBelisarius。Butintheintervalofsuspense，twoRomangenerals，whohadenteredtheprovinceofDalmatia，weredefeatedandslainbytheGothictroops。Fromblindandabjectdespair，Theodatuscapriciouslyrosetogroundlessandfatalpresumption，^61anddaredtoreceive，withmenaceandcontempt，theambassadorofJustinian；whoclaimedhispromise，solicitedtheallegianceofhissubjects，andboldlyassertedtheinviolableprivilegeofhisowncharacter。ThemarchofBelisariusdispelledthisvisionarypride；andasthefirstcampaign^62wasemployedinthereductionofSicily，theinvasionofItalyisappliedbyProcopiustothesecondyearoftheGothicwar。^63
[Footnote60:TheancientAlbawasruinedinthefirstageofRome。Onthesamespot，oratleastintheneighborhood，successivelyarose。
1。ThevillaofPompey，&c。；
2。AcampofthePraetoriancohorts；
3。ThemodernepiscopalcityofAlbanumorAlbano。
Procop。Goth。l。ii。c。4Oluver。Ital。Antiqtom。ii。p。
914。]
[Footnote61:ASibyllineoraclewasreadytopronounce—Africacaptamunituscumnatoperibit；asentenceofportentousambiguity，Gothic。l。i。c。7，whichhasbeenpublishedinunknowncharactersbyOpsopaeus，aneditoroftheoracles。ThePereMaltrethaspromisedacommentary；butallhispromiseshavebeenvainandfruitless。]
[Footnote62:Inhischronology，imitated，insomedegree，fromThucydides，ProcopiusbeginseachspringtheyearsofJustinianandoftheGothicwar；andhisfirstaeracoincideswiththefirstofApril，535，andnot536，accordingtotheAnnalsofBaronius，Pagi，Crit。tom。ii。p。555，whoisfollowedbyMuratoriandtheeditorsofSigonius。Yet，insomepassages，weareatalosstoreconcilethedatesofProcopiuswithhimself，andwiththeChronicleofMarcellinus。]
[Footnote63:TheseriesofthefirstGothicwarisrepresentedbyProcopiusl。i。c。5—29，l。ii。c。l—30，l。iii。c。l
tillthecaptivityofVitigas。WiththeaidofSigoniusOpp。
tom。i。deImp。Occident。l。xvii。xviii。andMuratori，Annalid'Itaia，tom。v。，Ihavegleanedsomefewadditionalfacts。]
AfterBelisariushadleftsufficientgarrisonsinPalermoandSyracuse，heembarkedhistroopsatMessina，andlandedthem，withoutresistance，ontheoppositeshoresofRhegium。AGothicprince，whohadmarriedthedaughterofTheodatus，wasstationedwithanarmytoguardtheentranceofItaly；butheimitated，withoutscruple，theexampleofasovereignfaithlesstohispublicandprivateduties。TheperfidiousEbermordesertedwithhisfollowerstotheRomancamp，andwasdismissedtoenjoytheservilehonorsoftheByzantinecourt。^64FromRhegiumtoNaples，thefleetandarmyofBelisarius，almostalwaysinviewofeachother，advancednearthreehundredmilesalongthesea—coast。ThepeopleofBruttium，Lucania，andCampania，whoabhorredthenameandreligionoftheGoths，embracedthespeciousexcuse，thattheirruinedwallswereincapableofdefence:thesoldierspaidajustequivalentforaplentifulmarket；andcuriosityaloneinterruptedthepeacefuloccupationsofthehusbandmanorartificer。Naples，whichhasswelledtoagreatandpopulouscapital，longcherishedthelanguageandmannersofaGreciancolony；^65andthechoiceofVirgilhadennobledthiselegantretreat，whichattractedtheloversofreposeandstudy，elegantretreat，whichattractedtheloversofreposeandstudy，fromthenoise，thesmoke，andthelaboriousopulenceofRome。^66Assoonastheplacewasinvestedbyseaandland，Belisariusgaveaudiencetothedeputiesofthepeople，whoexhortedhimtodisregardaconquestunworthyofhisarms，toseektheGothickinginafieldofbattle，and，afterhisvictory，toclaim，asthesovereignofRome，theallegianceofthedependentcities。"WhenItreatwithmyenemies，"repliedtheRomanchief，withahaughtysmile，"Iammoreaccustomedtogivethantoreceivecounsel；butIholdinonehandinevitableruin，andintheotherpeaceandfreedom，suchasSicilynowenjoys。"Theimpatienceofdelayurgedhimtograntthemostliberalterms；hishonorsecuredtheirperformance:butNapleswasdividedintotwofactions；andtheGreekdemocracywasinflamedbytheirorators，who，withmuchspiritandsometruth，representedtothemultitudethattheGothswouldpunishtheirdefection，andthatBelisariushimselfmustesteemtheirloyaltyandvalor。Theirdeliberations，however，werenotperfectlyfree:thecitywascommandedbyeighthundredBarbarians，whosewivesandchildrenweredetainedatRavennaasthepledgeoftheirfidelity；andeventheJews，whowererichandnumerous，resisted，withdesperateenthusiasm，theintolerantlawsofJustinian。Inamuchlaterperiod，thecircumferenceofNaples^67measuredonlytwothousandthreehundredandsixtythreepaces:^68thefortificationsweredefendedbyprecipicesorthesea；whentheaqueductswereintercepted，asupplyofwatermightbedrawnfromwellsandfountains；andthestockofprovisionswassufficienttoconsumethepatienceofthebesiegers。Attheendoftwentydays，thatofBelisariuswasalmostexhausted，andhehadreconciledhimselftothedisgraceofabandoningthesiege，thathemightmarch，beforethewinterseason，againstRomeandtheGothicking。ButhisanxietywasrelievedbytheboldcuriosityofanIsaurian，whoexploredthedrychannelofanaqueduct，andsecretlyreported，thatapassagemightbeperforatedtointroduceafileofarmedsoldiersintotheheartofthecity。Whentheworkhadbeensilentlyexecuted，thehumanegeneralriskedthediscoveryofhissecretbyalastandfruitlessadmonitionoftheimpendingdanger。Inthedarknessofthenight，fourhundredRomansenteredtheaqueduct，raisedthemselvesbyarope，whichtheyfastenedtoanolive—tree，intothehouseorgardenofasolitarymatron，soundedtheirtrumpets，surprisedthesentinels，andgaveadmittancetotheircompanions，whoonallsidesscaledthewalls，andburstopenthegatesofthecity。Everycrimewhichispunishedbysocialjusticewaspractisedastherightsofwar；theHunsweredistinguishedbycrueltyandsacrilege，andBelisariusaloneappearedinthestreetsandchurchesofNaplestomoderatethecalamitieswhichhepredicted。"Thegoldandsilver，"herepeatedlyexclaimed，"arethejustrewardsofyourvalor。Butsparetheinhabitants；
theyareChristians，theyaresuppliants，theyarenowyourfellow—subjects。Restorethechildrentotheirparents，thewivestotheirhusbands；andshowthembyyou，generosityofwhatfriendstheyhaveobstinatelydeprivedthemselves。"Thecitywassavedbythevirtueandauthorityofitsconqueror；^69andwhentheNeapolitansreturnedtotheirhouses，theyfoundsomeconsolationinthesecretenjoymentoftheirhiddentreasures。
TheBarbariangarrisonenlistedintheserviceoftheemperor；
ApuliaandCalabria，deliveredfromtheodiouspresenceoftheGoths，acknowledgedhisdominion；andthetusksoftheCalydonianboar，whichwerestillshownatBeneventum，arecuriouslydescribedbythehistorianofBelisarius。^70
[Footnote64:Jornandes，deRebusGeticis，c。60，p。702，edit。
Grot。，andtom。i。p。221。Muratori，deSuccess，Regn。p。241。]
[Footnote65:NerosaysTacitus，Annal。xv。35NeapolimquasiGraecamurbemdelegit。Onehundredandfiftyyearsafterwards，inthetimeofSeptimiusSeverus，theHellenismoftheNeapolitansispraisedbyPhilostratus。Icon。l。i。p。763，edit。Olear。]
[Footnote66:TheotiumofNaplesispraisedbytheRomanpoets，byVirgil，Horace，SiliusItalicus，andStatius，Cluver。Ital。
Ant。l。iv。p。1149，1150。Inanelegantepistles，Sylv。l。
iii。5，p。94—98，edit。Markland，StatiusundertakesthedifficulttaskofdrawinghiswifefromthepleasuresofRometothatcalmretreat。]