and at the pit going few in rank came clear to the Army The Persians not imagining the plot pursued furiously upon full speed it being in an open Plain and so fell into the pit not onely the foremost of them but the rear also for pursuing furiously they perceived not the mischief of those in the front but falling on them with Horses and Lances killed them and were destroyed for company Among whom was Perozes and all his Sons They say being ready to fall into this pit he took a Pearl hanging at his ear a most fair one and of infinite value and cast it away that none might hereafter wear so beautifull a Piece as no King was ever master of the like but to me the report seems not probable for one in such a suddain distress to have his mind upon ought else I rather think his car was cut off and the Pearl conveighed away The Roman Emperor endeavoured to buy it of the Ephthalites but they could not find it though they took much pains in the search Some say they found it and sold another to Cabades for it The Persians story of this Pearl is remarkable and not altogether incredible They report that this Pearl lying in a Scallop-fish not far from the Sea-shore in Persia both the shels opened and in the midst lay the Pearl a most goodly spectacle No where was found any thing to resemble it in bigness or beauty since the world was Upon this beauty doted a huge fierce Dog-fish following without quitting it day or night Being to seek his food he would hunt for it and having found it snatch it up and hastily devour it then to his Scallop-fish again to fill himself with that beloved sight Which a Fisherman once observing but fearing the Fish he durst not venture on it but made the relation to King Perozes who thereupon long'd to have the Pearl importuning the Fisherman with fair words and great hopes and he yeelding to the requests of his Lord is reported to have sayd to him O my Liege 't is true Wealth is desirable and life more but above all a mans children are precious for whose sake nature forces a man to do any thing I will venture upon this fish and hope to make you master of this Peal If I come off victorious 't is likely I shall be ranked among the happy men of the time Doubtless you being a King of Kings will bestow great wealth on me And should I get no reward it is enough I have been my Prince's benefactor If I be devoured be it your part Sir to recompence my children for their fathers death So shall I have my reward in those nearest to me and your glory will be greater doing good to me in my children for which I cannot give you thanks That onely is pure gratitude which is shewen to the dead Having thus said he departed Being at the place where the Scallop used to swim and the Dog-fish to follow he sate upon a Rock watching to get the Pearl alone from her Lover At last the Dog-fish finding a fish for his repast fell aboard The Fisherman left those who attended him and making after the Scallop caught it and hasted to shore which the Dog-fish perceiving came to the rescue The Fisherman though not far from shore finding he should be surprised threw the Scallop on land and presently was caught and devoured His attendants ashore took the Pearl and brought it to the King relating what happened Thus the Persians report of this Pearl But to return to my former discourse Perozes and his Army thus overthrown for who escaped the pit fell into the enemies hand the Persians made a Law Not to follow the chase upon the full speed though the enemy run away in that kind As for the rest that went not in this expedition they chose for their King * Cabades began in Anno Domini 486. Cabades the yonggest Son of Perozes onely surviving And they were under the Ephthalites two yeares and paid them tribute untill Cabades more confirmed in his kingdome refused it who afterwards governed Tyrannically and made many Alterations and a Law That the Persians should have their women in common which the Commons misliked and taking arns deposed him and kept him in prison and chose Blasses King the brother of Perozes all his other Sons being dead For of a private race the Persians might not chuse a King if the blood Royal were not quite extinct Blasses succeeding assembled the chief men of Persia and propounded in counsell touching Cabades whom the multitude would not endure to be put to death Many severall opinions being spoken Gusanastades a principall man and by Office a Chanaranges which with them is a Generall who had his government bordering upon the Ephthalites shewing his knife such as the Persians use to pare their nails with as long as a mans finger and the third part of an inch thick See this knife said he a very short one yet can it doe that now which within a while twenty thousand armed men will not be able Intimating that if they did not kill Cabades now he would get abroad and trouble them again But they thought it not fit to kill one of the blood Royall but rather to keep him in the Tower of Oblivion where if a man be imprisoned it is not lawfull to mention him once to name him is death from whence the Persians gave it that name CHAP. IV. THe Armenian Histories report that once this Law of the Tower of Oblivion was broken thus There was a cruel War between the Persians and Armenians for thirty two years in the Reigns of Pacurius King of Persia and Arsaces King of Armenia of the race of the Arsacides This war continuing both were brought low especially the Armenians But being both distrustfull neither sent Heralds to his adversary In the mean time the Persians fell into a war with other Barbarians inhabiting near the Armenians who to make demonstration of their affections to a peace invaded those people acquainting the Persians therewith and coming unexpected slew most of their men Pacurius pleased with the proceeding sent to invite Arsaces giving him his faith And being come he entertained him with much curtesie and as a brother used him with all terms of equality and having mutually sworn amity and confederacy between the Persians and Armenians he dismist him A while after Arsaces was accused to attempt innovations and Pacurius beleeving it again sent for him to communicate of their common affairs He without delay went and with him the gallantest Armenians and Basicius his chief Captain and Counsellor eminent for valour and wisdom Pacurius reproached them both for forgetting their Oath and plotting a revolt They denyed constantly with oaths never to have any such thought At first Pacurius put them in hold with disgrace but after demanded of the Magi what was to be done They thought it not fit to condemn men denying and not evidently convinced
leading his proper Regiment And in the middle stood Tzazon and in the rear the Moors Gelimer himself rode about from place to place to encourage his soldiers Whom he warned in this fight not to use Javelins nor any weapons but their swords It was long ere they began Then John by Belisarius his direction with a few chosen men passed the brook and charged those in the middle where Tzazon repulsed him back towards the main Army pursuing him to the brooks side but not going over Again John drawing out more Targetiers of Belisarius rode against Tzazon and being again repulsed retired He renewed the charge the third time with almost all Belisarius his Targetiers and Lanciers and the Generals Ensigne shouting and clashing their arms The Barbarians valiantly received them using their swords only and the fight grew stiff where many Vandals and of the best were slain and Tzazon himself Then came on the whole Roman Cavalry and passing the brook charged the enemy And the defeat beginning in the middle appeared clearly each one routing their opposites with ease Which the Massagetes perceiving according to their resolution they followed the execution with the Roman Army which lasted not long the Vandals recovering their Camp and the Romans not holding themselves able to fight with them in their entrenchment stript such dead bodies as had any gold upon them and retired to their Camp In this fight were slain of Romans 50. and of Vandals 800. But Belisarius about the evening his foot being come up marcht with his whole Army to the Vandals Camp Gelimer seeing Belisarius with his foot and all marching without one word speaking or giving any direction leapt on horseback and fled the way into Numidia his kinsmen and some few houshold servants following him amazed and concealing what it was for Some time the Vandals knew not of Gelimers flight but when they found it and saw the enemy the men were in a tumult the women howled the children cryed none sought to save their goods nor regarded the lamentations of their dearest friends But every man in confusion ran away The Romans took the Camp with all the wealth in it and destitute of men And following the chase all night killed the men they overtook and made slaves of the women and children They found in the Camp so great a mass of wealth as was never together in a place For the Vandals had long ransackt the Roman Provinces and brought much wealth into Africk which being also good land and most plentifull of all commodities the revenues in mony were not spent in other Countrys but put up by the owners for the space of 95 years An. Dom. 533. Just 70. in which the Vandals had the dominion of Africk From whence their wealth now grown into a great bulk was that day restored to the Romans This overthrow and taking the Vandals Camp happened three months after the coming of the Roman Army to Carthage in the middle of December CHAP. III. BUt Belisarius was troubled to see the Romans disorder and all night was afraid lest the Vandals making head again might ruine them If they had come not one Roman had escaped to enjoy their booty For the soldiers being of a sudden become masters of so great wealth and of personages extreamly beautifull could not contain nor find any satiety in their booty They were drunk with their prosperity and would have every man returned to Carthage carrying all along with them And they stragled by one and by two as their hope of gain led them searching in woods and fastnesses and in caves and such places subject to danger and ambushes fearing no enemy nor respecting Belisarius being affected with nothing but the desire of booty Which Belisarius seeing he knew not what order to take And so soon as it was day he stood upon a hillock by the high way calling upon them for order and chiding the soldiers and commanders Such as came that way sent their booty and captives with their Comrades to Carthage and themselves repaired to the General and obeyed his directions He commanded John the Armenian to follow Gelimer without intermission and to take him alive or dead And he wrote to his friends in Carthage to take the Vandals out of the Churches in Towns thereabout giving them assurances and to disarm them that they might not stir and to keep them safe in the City till his coming With the troops he had he went about recollecting the Army and giving assurances to such Vandals as he found there being none but in Churches whom he disarmed and sent under guards to Carthage giving them no time to make head All being setled he marcht with the rest of his Army against Gelimer John following the chace five days together came very near to Gelimer who being not ordained to be taken by John this cross chance happened Among the pursuers with John was one Vliaris a Lancier of Belisarius valiant and of an able body but not serious his greatest delight being wine and jests The sixth day of their pursuit being in drink he spied about Sun-rising a bird upon a tree and let fly an arrow at it He mist the bird but shot John behind in the neck who soon after dyed of the wound leaving a great miss both to the General and Emperour and all both Romans and Carthaginians He was a valiant and a virtuous man and bore himself mildly and moderately to all men Thus John the Armenian died But Vliaris coming to himself fled into the Church of a Village near hand And the soldiers pursued no further but attended the cure of John and being dead performed his funeral rites and acquainted Belisarius with the accident staying in the place Who came immediately to the Sepulchre mourning the misfortune and honoured the same with a yearly Revenue and many other things To Vliaris he did no harm hearing from the soldiers that John had made them swear that he should not be punished for the fact being unwittingly done Thus Gelimer escaped his enemies hands that day Belisarius still pursued â—im and at Hippo Regia a City upon the sea in Numidia ten days journy from Carthage he learnt how he was gone up to the mountain of Pappua and not possible to be taken This mountain is steep and very ill way high rocks standing round about it In it inhabit Barbarian Moors friends and confederates of Gelimer and on the utmost border of it stands an antient City named Medenos Here Gelimer with his company rested But Belisarius being not able to attempt the mountain in the winter and holding it unsafe to be absent from Carthage the state being unsetled he left Pharas with some forces to besiege the mountain This Pharas was a valiant prudent and virtuous man though an Herulian And for an Herulian not to be false and a drunkard but to pretend to virtue is rare and much to be commended But he was both himself an affecter of discipline and all the
dull men not ashamed to leave to posterity such a mark of their disposition And of all Cities under the Sun Rome is confest to be the greatest and most famous being not the work of one mans virtue nor arrived to this beauty and bignesse in a small time Many Emperours and excellent men length of time and excesse of wealth have drawn together materialls from all countries and rare artificers and having so by little and little built the City as you now see it they have filled it with monuments of all their virtues and the violence done to the same is an injury committed against all mankind taking from our progenitors the memorialls of their worth and from posterity the sight of such goodly works Know then that one of the two must be either you will be vanquisht by the Emperour or get the better If you be victorious by having destroyed Rome you have ruined Great Sir not anothers but your own by preserving which you will be rich in the goodliest possession in the world But if you draw the loosing lot having preserved Rome you have reserved abundant thanks from the conquerour But by destroying it bereft your self of all pretence to favour And you will get nothing by it but a fame in the world sutable to such a proceeding which attends your Resolution herein either way Whatsoever the actions of Princes be such are necessarily the name they must bear from them Totilas upon often reading this Letter and pondring the advise forbare further harme to Rome and signifying to Belisarius his determination he dismist the Ambassadors He encamped most of his army at Algidum 15 miles from Rome to the Westward to ly there and keep Belisarius fast in Portus and himself and the rest went against John and the Lucanians Some Roman Senators he led with him and the rest with their wives and children he sent to Campania leaving not a man in Rome John hearing of Totilas coming would stay no longer in Apulia but ran into Otranto The Patricians confined in Campania sent commands by Totilas direction to their husbandmen of Lucania to leave John and to manure their Lands as formerly which were declared to belong to their Landlords Whereupon they forsook John and went and lived peaceably at home Tullianus also ran away and his 300 Antians retired to Johns army So all on this side the Jonian Gulfe save Otranto became again subject to Totilas and the Goths grown bold stragled about in small parties John sent forces out and kill'd many of them which caused Totilas to unite his army about mount Gargarus almost in the middle of Apulia where he encamped in Hanniballs Entrenchment In the mean time Martianus a Constantinopolitan born one of the souldiers that escaped out of Rome with Conon when it was taken desired Belisarius that he might go to the Enemy pretending himself a run-away and he would do good service Belisarius approving it Martianus went to Totilas who was glad of him having heard much of the young man and seen him do bravely in some single combats Presently he restored to him his wife a captive and one of his children there being two but reserved the other for a hostage and he sent them with some others to Spoletum whereof the Goths had demolisht the walls after their taking it by Herodians Treason and put a Garrison there of Goths and Romans fugitives into the place used for the hunting of wild beasts called the Amphitheater which they had fortified Martianus got some Associates whom he perswaded to do some remarkable service and so to return to the Roman army and to the Roman Commander in Perusia he sent for forces discovering his designe to him Oldâ—gandon a Hunne the commander there Cyprianus Being murder'd by one of his own life-Guard as aforesaid marcht with some forces to Spoletum whom Martianus seeing with the 15 Souldiers he had got to joyn with him he killed the Captaine of the Goths Garrison and received the Romans into the Fort they kill'd most of the Enemies and brought the rest to Belisarius Who resolved thereupon to enter Rome and with a thousand Souldiers he marcht to it The Enemy at Algedon was advertized hereof by a Roman and layed an Ambush neer Rome which seeing Belisarius set upon his troops and a hot fight being the Romans valour routed the Enemy who after the killing of most of them retired to Portus Upon the sea-coast of Calabria stands Tarentum two daies journy from Otranto in the way to Thurium and Rhegium John invited by the Tarentines went thither with some few leaving the rest in Otranto the city he found great unfortified conceived it impossible to man it But finding to the northward of the City the sea to embay it self on both sides the Land and to make it an Isthmus between of two miles and a half broad he cut the said Isthmus from the city with a wall and a deep ditch and put in it the Tarentines and the inhabitants of some other Townes with a good Garrison The Calabrians having gotten this refuge thought of revolting from the Goths In the mean time Totilas surprized Acherontis a strong Castle in Lucania upon the confines of Calabria and put into it a Garrison of 400 men Then himself with his army went toward Ravenna leaving some Goths in Campania to Guard the Senators there confined CHAP. XIII BUt Belisarius undertook a design provident and bold which seemed a kinde of madnesse at first but proved a gallant work He left a small Garrison in Portus and with the rest of his army he went into Rome with a resolution to hold it He could not in so short a time repaire the walls demolished by Totilas but he heaped stones one upon another rudely without lime or the like between only to give it the form of a wall without it he pitcht good store of stakes And a ditch he had formerly made round about as I said before The whole army working cheerfully in five and twenty daies the breaches were filled up The Romans from the townes about flocked thither aswell desiring to dwell in Rome again as to be supplyed with Victuall which they wanted and found there in abundance imported by Belisarius up the River Totilas at the newes went instantly thitherward Belisarius having not yet set up the Gates which Totilas had broken down and he for want of Artificers could not build them again The Barbarian Army encamped by the River of Tiber and there lodged that night the next morning they marcht furiously to the City-walls Belisarius placed where the Gates had stood some of his best men and commanded the rest from the Walls to maintain fight against the Assailants and it was hotly fought For the Goths who hoped to take the Town at the first on-set finding the businesse prove tough and the Romans powerfully defending grew angry and their anger made them more ventrous The Romans also held out beyond expectation the danger inducing them
cannot want or by divine Inspiration For by his Testament he declared his Son his Successor and Isdegerdes K. of Persia his Protector whom he besought with his whole power and providence to preserve both his Empire and Son And thus Arcadius having disposed of the Empire and his private Affairs * Anno Domini 398. died Isdegerdes before renowned for Nobleness now shewed it more than ever to deserve wonder and praise For not neglecting the Injunctions of Arcadius he kept perfect peace with the Romans and preserved the Empire to Theodosius by his Letters to the Roman Senate accepting the Protectorship and threatning War against any that should rise against Theodosius Who grown a man and Isdegerdes dead * Vararanes begin 〈◊〉 in Anno Dom. 423. Vararanes King of Persia invaded the Roman Territories with a great Army but did no hurt returning in this manner Anatolius was sent the Emperors Ambassador to the Persian who being come near the Army leaped from his Horse and alone and afoot went towards Vararanes who demanded of the company who this was they said it was the Roman General The King amazed at the excessive honour turned his horse and rode away and after him his Army Being in his Country he entertained the Ambassador with much curtesie and yeelded to the terms of peace he desired That neither should erect any new Fortification near the others boders which if it were done gave either side opportunity of doing what they pleased Afterwards Perozes King of Persia * Perozes began in Anno 457. with a great Army warred against the Ephthalites a Nation of Hunnes called white Hunnes about their Boundaries These Ephthalites are a Hunnish Nation but not mingled with other Hunnes having no part of their Country bordering upon them their dwelling being to the North of Persia where is a City called Gorgo and some skirmishing about bounds they have being no * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called because they have no fixt habitation but move from place to place carrying their families in waggons and driving their flocks heards before them as the need of fresh pasture requires Creaghters as other Hunnes but are seated in a good Land Neither make they any Inroads into the Roman Territories but onely with the Persian Armies These onely Hunnes have white bodies and visages not uncomely and their course of life is not as of the rest brutish being under one King in a lawfull government and dealing justly with themselves and neighbours no less than the Romans or any other people Their Rich men have each twenty or more companions to be their perpetual Camerades and to partake in a community of their goods When any Principals die the Retainers use to be put into the same grave with them Perozes invading these Ephthalites Eusebius then Ambassador from the Emperor Zeno was with him The Ephthalites made shew to be much affraid and betook themselves to flight and with much hast ran into a place compassed with steep mountains and covered with thickets between the mountains is a broad way reaching far with no way out but still continuing in the same circle Perozes suspecting no fraud nor considering he went in a strange Country pursued without looking afore him some few of them flying before him but the most hiding themselves in the Fastnesses who now had the back of the Enemy and would not yet appear that the Persians might be so far engaged within their Ambushes and the Mountains that they should not be able to retreat Which the Persians apprehending the danger now beginning to appear were silent for fear of Perozes but they desired Eusebius to admonish the King who saw not the ill terms he was come to rather to advise upon some way to escape than to hazard thus impertinently Eusebius told not Perozes the danger but this tale That a Lion once spyed a Goat bleating and tyed upon a bank and ran to make his dinner of him but fell into a deep hole which had in it a round narrow path without any way out framed purposely by the owners of the Goat which they set over it to bait the Lion into a snare Perozes at this tale grew affraid lest the Persians pursued their own mischief and so went no further but called a Council what to doe The Hunnes now in sight had guarded the entrance that none might goe out The Persians then cleerly seeing the disaster lamented no hope appearing to avoid the danger The King of the Ephthalites sent to reproach Perozes for his sensless rashness in thus foolishly ruining himself and his people but promised the Hunnes should grant them their lives if Perozes would adore him being now his Lord and swear his Country oath that the Persians should no more invade the Ephthalites Perozes consulted with the Magi whether these conditions were to be yeelded to Who answered that for the Oath he might doe what he pleased but in the other he should delude the Enemy by a trick They had a custom each morning to adore the rising Sun that he observing duly the hour should meet the King of the Ephthalites with his face to the rising Sun and so adore avoyding by this the disgrace Perozes accordingly swore the peace and adored his Enemy and then went home with his Army CHAP. III. BUt not long after Perozes neglecting his Oath resolved to revenge this scorn and assembling from all his Dominions both Persians and Confederates he went against these Hunnes of his thirty Sons leaving onely Cabades behind him then grown a man The Ephthalites hearing of it and grieving to be so deceived reviled their King for betraying their Affairs to the Persians He smiling demanded what Affairs he had betrayed whether their Country or Arms or Goods They replyed Nothing but our opportunity upon which all other things depend urging him presently to goe meet the Enemy But the refused the Invasion being yet not certain and the Persians still in their own Country and staying where he was he did this Upon a Plain through which the Persians were to enter his Country he digg'd in a great space of ground a deep pit extreme broad leaving in the middle a narrow passage for ten Horse a breast over the pit he laid Reeds and upon the Reeds Turfs which concealed the superficies And he directed his people running from the Enemy to keep close and few in rank upon the firm ground and to beware of the pit On his Royal Palace also he hung out his Halas or Gods by whom Perozes swore and breaking his Oath invaded now the Hunnes While the Enemy were in their own Country he stirred not but hearing by his Scouts they were come to Gorgo being in the utmost border of Persia and marching toward him himself with most of his Army stayd short of the pit sending out some to shew themselves upon the Plain at a good distance and no sooner seen by the Enemy but to retreat amain remembring the pit They did so
Iland of the Nile neer Elephantina built a strong Castle with Temples and Altars for the Romans and these people appointing Priests of each Nation and thinking by a participation in the same devotions to make a sure amity between them And upon this he called the place Philae Both the Blemmyes and the Nobates worship the Gods esteemed by the Graecians and Isis and Osiris and Priapus too and the Blemmyes sacrifice men to the Sunne The Temples in Philae these Barbarians held to my time but by direction of the Emperour Justinian Narses the Persarmenian who revolted to the Romans as I said commanding the forces in those parts demolished them keeping the Priests in restraint and sending the Images to Constantinople CHAP. XVI BUt during this warre with Persia Hellisthaeus King of Ethiopia a very devout Christian hearing how the said Homerites of the opposite continent were many of them Jewes and many Heathen and laid excessive burdens upon the Christians he sent out a Navy and Army against them and fighting with them routed them and slew their King and much people And having made Esimiphaeus King of them a Homerite and a Christian and imposed a tribute upon them he went home In the Ethiopian Army were many both slaves and leud persons that would not follow the King home but staid with the Homerites being in love with the Country as being very good land But not long after the people imprisoned Esimiphaeus and made one Abramus their King a Christian who had been a slave to a Roman Merchant residing for his traffique in the Ethiopian City of Adulis Hellisthaus to punish Abramus and his complices for the wrong done to Esimiphaeus sent against them under the command of a kinsman 3000. men These also desiring to remaine in that good land liad secret conference with Abramus unknown to their Commander and in the battell kill'd him and joyned with the enemies and continued there Hellisthaeus angry sent another Army which coming to a battell returned with much losse and then afraid to meddle any more with Abramus he forbare warr But he being dead Abramus was content to pay the tribute to his successour and so confirmed his governement These things happened afterward But then during the raignes of Hellisthaeus and Esimiphaeus Justinian sent his Ambassadour Julian to desire their confederacie against the Persians the Romans and they consenting in one religion and that the Ethiopians would make themselves masters of a rich trade by dealing with the Indians for their silke and selling it to the Romans who should have this onely advantage therein that they should carry out their mony to their enemies for it Of this silke are made the anciently called Persian now Serick or silke garments The Homerites were prayed also to make chiefetaine of the Maadeni Saracens one Caisus a banisht man who having kill'd a kinsman of Esimiphaeus was fled into a wilderness being of the race of the Phylarchi and a very good Souldier and that together with those Saracens they would invade the Persians Both dimist the Ambassador with promise to effect the Emperours desires but neither performed the Ethiopians not being able to buy the silke because the Persian Merchants ever come first to the havens where the Indians unlade being their next borderers and buy up all And the Homerites thought it hard to travell through a desert many dayes journy to fight with a people more warlike then themselves Afterward Abramus having setled his Kingdome promised oft to Justinian but onely once began the journey and turned home againe Thus the Romans spedd with these people In the meane time Hermogenes came to Cabades in Ambassage after the battell of Euphrates but could not effect the peace finding him much enraged and so came away Belisarius also the Emperour sent for discharging him of that command to make warre upon the Vandales and Sittas was sent to guard the East The Persian Army led by Chanaranges Aspevedes and Mermeroes againe entred Mesopotamia and none encountring them sate downe before Martyropolis where were garrison'd Buzes and Bessas It stands in the Province of Sophanene thirty miles to the North of Amida upon the river of Nymphius which bounds the Roman and Persian territories The Persians assaulted and were valiantly receaved by the besieged who could not thinke long to hold out the walls being very assaultable and easie for the Persians works and they having neither provisions nor engines nor any other thing within of importance to defend Sittas with the Roman army came to Attachas twelve miles from Martyropolis where he encamped not daring to march further with him was Hermogenes in another Ambassage In the meane time this happened The Romans and Persians have anciently had spies defrayed at the publique charge who secretly passe among the enemy informing themselves of all occurrences and advertising their owne Princes Many of these as affectionate Patriots doe their best some betray their Countries secrets to the enemy One of the Persian spies then discovered to Justinian much of their affaires and how a Nation of Massagetes was coming into Persia and from thence were to invade the Romans with the Persian army The Emperour had experience of the mans truth and persuades him with mony to goe and report to the Persians before Martyropolis that these Massagetes were hired by the Emperour and instantly to come against them Who according went to the Persian Camp and told them that an armie of Hunnes their enemies were coming to ayde the Romans which made them afraid and doubtfull what to doe CHAP. XVII IN the meane time Cabades fell mortally sicke and calling to him Mebodes a Persian his chief favourite opened his resolution concerning Chosroes and the Kingdom and that he feared the Persians would seek to frustrate it Mebodes prayed him to leave his resolution in writing and to assure himself the Persians would not disrespect it Cabades thereupon declared Chosroes King by his testament written by Mebodes himself and soon after died His usuall funerall ceremonies being performed Caoses presuming upon the Law took upon him the dignity Mebodes forbad him alledging that none of himself might take the Kingdome but by the votes of the principall Persians Caoses referred to the great Officers the cognisance of the matter not suspecting opposition from thence So the principall Persians being assembled and set down Mebodes by reading the testament manifested the determination of Cabades Anno Domini 531. Justiniani 5. whose great vertues they all remembring forthwith declared Chosroes King of Persia And thus Chosroes got the Kingdom But Sittas and Hermogenes having no meanes to relieve Martyropolis sent to the enemies Generalls to tell them That they were hinderanoes to the King their master to the blessings of peace and to both their common-wealths That Ambassadors are sent from the Emperour to their King to end all differences and to make a truce That therefore they should quit the Roman territory and give the Ambassadours leave
Amida would have also gotten Edessa and Constantina And being before Edessa he demanded of the Magi if it were to be wonne pointing with his right hand to the place They told him no. For by stretching his right hand to it he gave a symbole not of taking or of hurting the city but of preservation He was satisfied with this and led his army against Constantina and encamped with purpose to besiege the town Baradotus then Bishop of the city an upright godly man mighty with God in prayer whose very countenance shewed him to be indeed gracious with God came to Cabades with a present of wine dry â—iggs hony and fine manchets and besought him not to attempt a town of no importance neglected by the Romans without garrison or other defence but the poore miserable inhabitants Cabades upon this not onely bestowed the city upon him but gave him all the store-victualls of the army for the siege and then departed out of the Roman territory Hereupon Chosroes claimed the city to belong to him from his Father Being come to Daras he sate down before it Within the Romans and the Generall Martinus prepared for their defence The city hath two walls the innermost large and faire and sixty foot high with turrets all one hundred foot high The outward wall is much lesse but strong and of good importance The ground between is about fifty foot broad where upon the approach of an enemy the Darenians put their cattle At first Chosroes with multitude of arrows forced upon the walls to the West-ward and set fire to the gates of the lesser wall but none durst enter Then he wrought a Mine closely on the East-side of the town the rest of it being built upon a rock The Persians beginning from the town ditch being very deep were neither seen nor at all discovered by the enemy And now they were under the foundation of the outter wall and in the ground between the walls and shortly to pass the great wall and take the town when from the camp of Chosroes about noon came a man or more than a man all alone to the wall seeming to gather up the scattered arrows and withall warding with his shield to flout those upon the battlements Then discovering the businesse he bade them watchfully provide for their safety and went his way The Romans immediately dig'd for life in the ground between the walls which the Persians not discerning went on with their work in a streight line to the wall and the Romans by the advise of Theodorus a famous Ingineer traversed with their Mine very deep that in the end the Persians in the ground between the walls fell suddainly into the Romans cross Mine who killed the first comers but the rest escaped to the camp The Romans would not pursue them in the dark Chosroes failing in this and seeing no hope of taking the town capitulated for a thousand pound weight of silver which he had from the besieged and went home Justinian for this attempt of Chosroes upon Daras during the truce refused to ratifie the Treaty And this was the successe of Chosroes first Invasion and so the summer ended In Assyria he built a City a dayes journey from Ctesiphon and named it Antioch of Chosroes planting there the Antiochian captives He built them a publique Bath and a Circus and fitted it for other delights bringing from Antioch and other Roman Cities Charioters and skilfull Musicians He kept these Antiochians at the publique charge not like captives and termed them Basilici as exempt from all Magistrates but the King If a Roman captive ranne from his Master and fled to this Antioch of Chosroes being there avowed by an inhabitant for his Kinsman he might not be led away by his master though a very principall Persian The Prodigy which befell the Antiochians in the reign of Anastasius was now consummated A strong wind then and a suddain blew up by the rootes the goodly tall Cypresses in Daphne the suburb of Antioch it being not lawfull to cut them Shortly after this prodigy in the reign of Justine an Earthquake shook the City so that it overthrew most of the buildings and destroyed three hundred thousand men But in this last destruction the City as I have related was even ruined And now Belisarius the Emperour sent for to Constaentinople where having wintred at the beginning of the spring he sent him Generall against Chosroes with the Commanders who came with him out of Italy Anno Dom. 541. Justiniani 15. Of whom Valerianus was made Generall of the Cohorts in Armenia Martinus being formerly sent into the East so that as I said Chosroes found him at Daras Of the Goths Vitigis stayd at Constantinople the rest served with Belisarius against Chosroes At this time the Ambassadour of Vitigis who called himself a Bishop dyed in Persia The other stayd awhile with them for an Interpreter then retired into Roman land where John commander of the forces in Mesopotamia took him near Constantina and imprisoned him and being questioned he told him all his negotiation Belisarius made haste to prevent any new Invasion of Chosroes But CHAP. XI IN the mean time Chosroes led an army into Lazica Second Invasion of Chosroes the said Anno Dom. 541. upon this ground invited by the Lazians The Lazians first inhabited Cholchis and were subject to the Romans not to payment of tribute Onely upon decease of their King the Roman Emperour sent to the Successor the Ensignes of Majesty and they guarded the marches of their country that the Hunnes might not by Mount Caucasus which borders with them passe through Lazica and invade the Romans Neither for this received they money nor army from the Romans nor served in their wars only they trafficked in Merchandise with the Romans of Pontus bartring skins hides and slaves for corn salt and other commodities they want But upon the accident formerly recited by me to Gurgenes King of Iberia some Roman forces were lodged in Lazica with whom the Barbarians were discontented and chiefly with Peter the General a man naturally mischeivous He was born in Arzanéne a country beyond the river of Nymphius subject to the Persians Being a child he was taken captive by Justine invading Persia with Celers army after the taking of Amida who used much humanity to him and sent him to a Grammar school Then was he Scribe to Justine who comming to the Empire upon the death of Anastasius made him a Generall wherein he grew infinitely covetous and lewd to all men Justinian afterward sent Commanders into Lazica and at last Iohn Tzibus a man raised from mean condition and advanced to this Generalship onely for being the wickedest of all men and very sufficient to find unjust revenues And he ruined and confounded the affairs of the Romans and Lazians He perswaded Justinian to build a Sea-town in Lazica called Petra Where sitting as in a Cittadell he made booty of Lazica He prohibited
immediately to visit the Empress Eudoxia She obeyed and some acquainted with the secret waited upon her in the Court into a room far from the Empresses chamber Here the Greek continues There Valentinian met her and ravisht her She extreamly afflicted with the dishonour went home all blubber'd with tears and reviled Maximus for giving the opportunity Who being infinitely grieved at it conspired against the Emperour But seeing the great power of Aetius who lately had defeated Artilas invading the Roman Empire with a mighty Army of Massagetes and other Scythians and fearing him for an obstacle of his proceedings he determined first to remove him not considering that in Actius was the whole hope of the Romans So by the artifices of some Eunuchs about the Emperour his friends he infused into the Emperour that Aetius was plotting a revolt And Valentinian judging the information by no other argument but by the worth and power of Aetius put him to death When a Roman was famous for a word spoken being askt by the Emperour if the killing of Aetius were not well done and answering That he could not tell whether it were well done or how it was done but this he knew that he had cut off his right hand with his left Aetius being dead Attilas having none to match him forraged at his ease all Europe and made both the Empires tributary both the Emperours sending him annual taxes Then they say Attilas besieging Aquileia a great and populous maritime City within the Ionian gulf and not being able by force nor otherwise to get the town and wearied with a long Siege put his Army in readiness to rise the next day by sun-rising and the Barbarians were busie in their retreat accordingly When a Stork having his nest upon one of the turrets where he had bred his young suddenly with his young flew from the same the young ones sometimes flying even with him sometimes getting upon his back and thus they fled far from the town Attilas seeing it being a very cunning Diviner commanded his Army to stand still telling them that the Bird with his young ones was not fled away for nothing but prophesied some mischief to the Town Upon this they say the Barbarians renewed their siege and that the wall by the Storks nest fell down of it self making the Town open to the enemy and that so Aquileia was taken by assault But afterward Maximus killed the Emperour and married Eudoxia by force his wife being newly dead And in bed he spake a word once how for her love he had done what he did Eudoxia before offended with Maximus and desirous to revenge the wrong done to Valentinian by this word was more incensed to plot against him hearing thus from Maximus himself how her husbands disaster came for her sake So that no sooner day but she sent to Carthage entreating Genserick to revenge Valentinian ruined by a wicked man in a manner unworthy of himself and the Empire and to redeem her suffering things abominable from the Tyrant She urged him as his Friend and Allie and that it were impious such a villany should be acted in a Kings house without a revenger And from Constantinople she expected no revenge Theodosius being dead and Martianus in possession of the Empire Genserick for no other respect but finding he should get wealth by it sailed into Italy with a great Navy marcht up to Rome and none resisting was Master of the Imperial palace Maximus running away the Romans stoned to death and cut off his head and rent his other members in pieces Eudoxia with her two daughters by Valentinian Eudocia and Placidia Genserick made prisoners and carried away to Carthage infinite wealth of gold and silver and spared neither Brass nor any thing in the palace He robbed the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus and took away half the covering of it being of the richest brass with much gold melted in it and very admirable and magnificent They say the ship where the Images were was cast away but with the rest the Vandals landed at Carthage Eudocia Genserick married to his eldest son Honoricus The other daughter was married to Olybrius a principal Senator of Rome whom with the mother Eudoxia at the Emperours request he sent to Constantinople The Empire of the East Leo then held Aspar placing him therein after the death of Martianus CHAP. VI. GEnserick afterward took down the wals of all the Cities of Africk save Carthage That the Africans siding with the Romans might have no strong places to gather head nor the Emperours forces by taking towns and by garrisons in them think to trouble the Vandals His counsel seemed a good one then to secure the Vandals But afterward when these Towns without walls were so easily taken by Belisarius Genserick was laught at and his wise counsel judged folly Thus men ever change their opinions of counsels with the fortunes of them The rich and eminent men of Africk he gave as so many bond-men with their lands and goods to his sons Honoricus and Genson Theodorus being dead without issue From the rest he took their lands and bestowed them on the other Vandals which are yet called the Vandals Heritages All the Towns he gave his sons and others he called the Kings land freeing the same perpetually from tributes The ancient possessors the while had the fortune to be poor and free men and had permission to go whither they would * Lat. vers Some held or claimed their lands to no purpose Many were banished and put to death upon no cause specially such as were thought to have hid money in their houses Thus Africk was overwhelmed with miseries Genserick also in convenient places had garrisons under 80 Colonels whom he called Chiliarchs as if his Army were so many thousands being in truth but 50000. At first he enrolled only Vandals and Alans afterward he admitted under the name of Vandals all other Barbarians except Moors and at last he received them also into the Army After the death of Valentinian he made every Spring a voyage to rob Sicily or Italy sacking some Cities and some laying flat with the ground When he had made havock in those parts turning upon the Eastern Empire he infested Illyrium and Peloponesus and the Ilands adjacent with the rest of Greece Then to Italy and Sicily again if ought were left to pillage it Once hoyâ—ng sail from the Port of Carthage his Ship-master askt him whither he would go for pillage His answer was Whither God shall drive me Making war thus at random The Emperour Leo to restrain this insolence prepared an Army of 100000 men to send against the Vandals and a great Navy collected from all parts of Greece This war they say cost him a huge treasure and to no purpose His General was Basiliscus brother to his wife Verina the trustiest man he had and safest for him friendship continuing yet between him and Aspar who being an Arian could not get the Empire
but with his power made Leo against whom afterward he conspired And now fearing lest the victory of the Vandals might make him proud both to his particular and in the government he instructed Basiliscus at his departure to prolong the war Leo also sent Anthemius a Senator great in blood and estate to be Emperour of the West that he might be aiding to him in the Vandalick war And Genserick promised the Western Empire to Olybrius Placidia's husband to joyn with him upon which confidence he had higher thoughts and more vexed the Roman dominions * The Greek again In the mean time Marcellianus a friend of Aetius who after the murder of Aetius entred into action against Valentinian and got the dominion of Dalmatia none opposing Leo courted and gained and then sent him to the Iland of Sardinia subject to the Vandals whom Marcellianus presently drave out and got the Iland From Constantinople also was sent Heraclius into Tripolis in Africk who took all the Towns therein left his ships there and led his Army by land to Carthage These were the entrances into this war But Basiliscus arrived with his Army at a small Town 35 miles from Carthage called Mercurium from an ancient Temple of Mercury And if he had not treacherously dallied but marcht instantly to Carthage he had taken the Town instantly and made the Vandals his Captives So much afraid was Genserick of Leo seeing Tripolis and Sardinia taken and so brave a Navy as the Romans had not set out of a long time But this the Generals either cowardly or traiterous delay hindred But Genserick made this good use of Basiliscus his negligente He armed his Subjects manned most of his ships and made ready of the rest the swiftest of sail without men in them then sent Ambassadors to Basiliscus desiring a five days cessation that he might advise upon the means of doing the Emperours pleasure They say he sent him closely a great sum of money which bought this truce supposing which came to pass that he should get in that time a wind to bring his ships about And Basiliscus either to comply with his promise to Aspar or selling his opportunity or whether he thought it so best lay stil attending the enemies advantage But the Vandals the wind serving hoist sail against the enemy towing after the ships without men When they came near they put fire into the empty ships whose sails spreading to the wind they let them run upon the Roman Navy They falling in among a multitude of Vessels suddenly consumed with themselves those they fell foul with In the mean time the Roman fleet was in confusion with cries equalling the winds and the whizzing of the flames and with the Soldiers and Mariners calling and thrusting the fire-ships with long poles from their own pittifully perishing The Vandals also shot and sunk the rest taking the flying Soldiers with Arms and all Some in this over-throw did bravely specially John Lieutenant General to Basiliscus but not acquainted with his Treason His ship being boarded he slew many upon the deck and when he saw the ship taken by the enemy he leapt into the sea with all his Arms. Genson the son of Genserick wooed him and gave him his faith to save his life but he plunged into the sea using this word only That John should never come into the hands of dogs And this was the end of this war Heraclius returned home Marcellianus perisht by the Treason of one of his fellow-Commanders But Basiliscus in Constantinople took sanctuary in the great Church dedicated to Christ the Constantinopolitans call it the Church of St. Sophia holding the attribute of wisdom most becoming God and the Empress Verina obtained his pardon But the Empire he could not then get what he endeavoured for Leo shortly after killed Aspar and Ardaburius in his Palace suspecting them to conspire his death Anthemius also Emperour of the West was slain by Recimer who married his daughter And Olybrius succeeding him had not long after the same fate Leo deceasing in Constantinople Leo the son of Zeno and of Ariadne daughter to Leo received the Empire being very young And his father being chosen his partner in the Empire the child was quickly rid out of the way CHAP. VII THen Majorinus had the Western Empire a man worth the remembring as excelling in virtue all the Roman Emperours that ever were He could not with patience endure the disaster of Africk but raised a great Army in Liguria to go against the Vandals himself being industrious and very ventrous of his person He thought best first to discover the Vandals power and the humour of Genserick and how the Moors and Africans stood affected towards them And resolving to put this in execution himself he took his journey to Genserick with a feigned name and as an Ambassador from the Emperor And further to avoid mischief and the overthrow of his business by discovery he died his hair which was as yellow as the finest gold into a perfect blew for the time Genserick to fright him took him in a friendly way into his Armory where was much good Arms. They say the Arms then of themselves moved and clashed together that Genserick thought it an Earthquake but being without and upon enquiry finding no notice taken of any Earthquake he thought it a miracle not guessing the meaning Majorinus dispatcht to his desire returned into Liguria lead his Army over land purposing to cross the Straits at Hercules Pillars and so to march to Carthage Genserick informed thereof and how he was deceived by Majorinus was heartily afraid and made preparation for the war and the Romans from the virtues of Majorinus conceived hope of recovering Africk In the mean time Majorinus died of a dyssentery a man moderate to his Subjects and to his enemies terrible newly come to the Empire and living in it too short a time * An. dom 471. Glycerius succeeded him and had the 〈◊〉 fortune Then Augustulus received the Empire Other Emperors there were in the West whose names though I know I omit they living a very short time in the Government and so doing nothing worth mentioning But Basiliscus in Constantinople passionately in love with the Empire attempted to usurp and prevailed Zano with his Empress fled into Isauria his native Country And Basiliscus usurped a year and eight months generally hated by all men and by the very Guards of his Palace for his extream avarice Zeno therof advertised went against him with an Army to whom Basiliscus opposed another under Aâ—â—â—dius his General But being encamped near Armatus delivered his Army to Zeno upon condition he should make his son Basiliscus Caesar being very young and make him his successor Basiliscus forsken by all the world fled to the Church of St. Sophia but Acacius the Bishop of the City put him into Zeno's hands objecting against him impiety in much embroiling and innovating the Christian Doctrin as inclining to
they came but toward the plains of Bule and the way to Numidia About evening John and the Massagets also came to us and relating and hearing the several adventures lodged with us that night in Decimum CHAP. XVII THe next day our foot coming up with Belisarius his wife we marcht toward Carthage and arriving within night lodged abroad near the City No man would have opposed our entrance the Carthaginians opening their gates and the City shining all night with lights and bonfires and the Vandals remaining were fled into the Churches But Belisarius feared in the night some ambush and the soldiers disorder lest in the dark they might fall to pillage The same day also the fleet came up to the Promontory and the Carthaginians had opened the iron Chain of Mandracium their haven to let it in In the Palace is a dark prison called Ancon or the Elbow for such as the Tyrant was offended with Here at that time were many Eastern Merchants whom the Tyrant accused to sollicite the Emperour to invade him and the same day that Ammatas was slain in Decimum he had given order for their execution The keeper of the prison hearing the accident at Decimum and seeing the fleet within the Promontory went to the men who had heard nothing but sate in the dark expecting death and askt them what they would give to be saved from thence They promising to pay any thing he said he would none of their money but prayed them to swear if they escaped and he came into danger to assist him to their power they did so And he taking out a board shewed them the fleet sailing in and then set them lose and went along with them The fleet first doubted hearing nothing then sending to Mercurium they were advertised of all and with great joy sailed on with a strong gale Which bringing them within 18 miles of Carthage Archelaus and the land-men commanded to cast anchor according to the Generals instructions But the Mariners alleadged the coast to be without harbour and that there was likelyhood of a storm which kind of storms the natives call Cypriana which falling in that place they should not be able to save a ship And so it was indeed Wherefore striking sail and consulting they thought not fit to attempt the haven of Mandracium fearing to break Belisarius's direction and suspecting Mandracium to be chained up and besides not able to hold the whole fleet but they thought the Pool to be for their purpose being but five miles from Carthage and capable of the whole fleet and to find there no stop So coming thither about evening they cast anchor all save Calonymus with some mariners who not regarding the General put into Mandracium and there robbed some Merchants strangers and Carthaginians dwelling upon the sea-side The next day Belisarius commanded the men a ship-board to land and with the Army in order of battel rode towards Carthage fearing the enemies ambushes Here he put the soldiers in mind of their good fortunes since their moderation to the Africans admonishing them to continue their good order especially in Carthage That the Africans were formerly Roman subjects and unwillingly brought under the Vandals from whom they had suffered abominable things That for this the Emperour made war with the Vandals and that it were impious now to abuse them whose liberty was the cause of this expedition Then he entred Carthage none opposing went to the Palace and sate down in Gelimers Throne Here the Merchants and the other Carthaginians who dwelt upon the sea came in a multitude and with clamour to Belisarius complaining that Mariners the last night had robbed them of all they had He made Calonymus swear to produce the goods but he neglecting his oath went away with the goods then but afterward at Constantinople by a terrible judgement he fell mad bit out his own tongue and died Belisarius then commanded his dinner to be where Gelimer used to feast his great men The Romans from the Greeks call the place Delphica from a three-footed Table standing in the Palace at Rome upon which the Emperours Cup-bearers set the cups which they call Delphica a three-footed table and first used at Delphos and so in Constantinople and wheresoever the Emperours Table stands they call the room Delphica The Emperours house also they call Palatium of one Pallas a Grecian who dwelt in that place before the sack of Troy and built in it a good handsome house where Augustus having got the Empire first lodged and thence they called the Emperours house the Palace Thus Belisarius dined in the Delphica and with him the Commanders of the Army The day before a dinner was provided for Gelimer and we feasted upon the meats Gelimers servants brought in our dinner filled our wine and in all things else attended us Here a man might see fortune in her bravery shewing all things to be hers and that none can call any thing his own And that day Belisarius attained a glory which never happened in his own time nor to any of the ancients For the soldiers using not to enter no not into any Roman City and but 500 together without some disorder specially upon the sodain This General had his men in such order that there was not the least insolence or menace used There was no interruption of Trade but in a City newly taken in a state changed and upon the alteration of their King not an Officer of Justice had his house shut up The publick notaries dispatcht their writings at the Courts and took the soldiers home with them as is the manner and the soldiers bought what they liked in the market place using no unquietness CHAP. XVIII THen Belisarius gave assurances to the Vandals fled into the Churches and took care of the walls of Carthage which had been so neglected that in many places they were easily to be mounted and a great part was quite faln down which the Carthaginians told us caused Gelimer not to stay in the City as not able in so short a time to secure the walls We heard also of an old Prophesie that had been among the boys in Carthage That Gamma should expell Beta and again Beta should expell Gamma It was then acounted as an idle riddle among sporting boys but now it was clear for Genserick expelled Bonifacius and now Belisarius Gelimer Then also the meaning of a dream was manifested which many had dreamt and often not guessing at the event The Carthaginians above all reverence St. Cyprian and by the sea-side have dedicated a Church to him close to the City where they use many devotions and yearly celebrate a feast which they call Cypriana and from thence those storms I mentioned are named which happened about that feastival This Church in the reign of Honoricus the Vandals got forcing out the Christians and their Priests with much indignity and officiating there themselves as now appertaining to the Arrians The Africans being much grieved at
Herulians that followed him Belisarius commanded him to lie all the winter at the foot of the hill exactly guarding that neither Gelimer get down nor have provisions brought to him Then taking the Vandals out of the Churches in Hippo upon his faith given them being of the best he sent them with a guard to Carthage and he had this fortune here One Bonifacius an African of Byzacium Secretary to Gelimer was by Gelimer furnished with a good ship having in it all the royal treasures and he was commanded to lie at anchor in the Port of Hippo and if he saw the affairs go ill to sail with the mony to Theudis Prince of the Visigoths in Spaiâ— where himself upon the ruine of the Vandals intended to save himself Bonifacius staid while there was any hope but hearing of the battel of Tricamarus and the rest formerly related he hoists sail according to Gelimers appointment But a contrary wind brought him back into the Port of Hippo and understanding the enemy to be near he wooed the Mariners with large promises to get to some other Land But they could not a storm coming and the Tyrrhene sea being grown high so they resolved that God certainly meant to give the Romans that treasure not suffering them to put to sea and with much adoe getting clear of the harbour they lay off at sea in some danger Bonifacius sent to Belisarius being come to Hippo some whom he directed to get into a Church saying that they were sent by Bonifacius who had Gelimers Treasures but concealing where he was before oath given that delivering the Treasures he shall have no hurt done him but keep such moneys as are his own They performed these directions And Belisarius glad of the news made no scruple to swear But sent some who received the Treasures and dismissed Bonifacius with his own moneys having stollen a mass of wealth from Gelimer CHAP. IV. BEing returned to Carthage he made the Vandal prisoners ready to send to Constantinople with the first of the spring and sent forces to take in what had been under the Vandals and to Sardinia Cyrillus with the head of Tzazon the Islanders not yet yielding nor believing the report of the Vandals il fortune at Tricamarus And he directed him to send part of his forces to take in Corsica antiently called Cyrnus not far from Sardinia which had been under the Vandals also Cyrillus accordingly shewed the head of Tzazon to the Islanders of Sardinia and made both the Islands tributary Belisarius sent also John with the foot company under his leading unto Caesarea in Mauritania being 30 days journey from Carthage in the way to Caliz and Hercules Pillars and a populous maritine City Another John one of his targetiers he sent to the Straits of Caliz to possess the Castle of Septum one of the Pillars To the Isles of Ebusa Majorica and Minorica he sent Apollinarius an Italian who went young into Africk and there being grown rich by the bounty of Ilderick after his deposing and imprisonment he went a sutor for Ilderick to Justinian with some other Africans And in this voyage with the Romans he did valiantly and at Tricamarus the best of any For which service Belisarius gave him the command of those Islands He re-enforced also the Romans under Pudentius and Tattimuth in Tripolis the Moors pressing sore upon them He sent some likewise to receive the Castle at Lilybaeum in Sicily as belonging to the Vandals dominion but was repulsed by the Goths refusing to yeeld any part of Sicily and denying the Castle to have been the Vandals Whereupon he wrote thus to the Governours there You deprive us of Lilybaeum a Castle of the Vandals the Emperours slaves wherein you deal both unjustly and unwisely without your Princes mind and privity to put the Emperour into a war with him whose favour he hath so laboured to purchase How strange a proceeding is it to suffer Gelimer to hold the Castle and from the Emperour Gelimers Master to take away his slaves possessions Take heed consider how friendship covers many grievances but an enemy endures not the least injury but looks back and will not wink at his foe grown rich whence he should not But then he alleadges the wrongs done to his Ancestors then he fights wherein though he fail yet he loses no possession but prospering makes the vanquished ask forgiveness Do you therefore do us no farther ill nor suffer any Make not the Emperour an enemy to the Goths whom you wish propitious For know that if you dispute this Castle you will have a war not only for Lilybaeum but for all you hold without just title The Goths imparted these Letters to Atalaricus his mother and by her direction made this answer Excellent Belisarius your exhortation may be pertinent to some other men but not Goths We are not so mad as to detain any thing from the Emperour Sicily we challenge all to be ours whereof that Castle is one of the head Lands If Theodorick gave his sister married to a Vandal King the use of a Mart Town in Sicily this can give no pretence of title But noble General do us right and decide this controversie not as an enemy by a battel but as a friend at an Arbitrament We refer it to the Emperour himself to do as to him shall seem legal and just And we wish you to be advised and to attend the determination of your Emperour Belisarius herewith acquainted the Emperour and staid till he should further direct him In the mean time Pharas being weary of a winter-siege and supposing the Moors unable to oppose him he undertook the ascent unto Pappua with his troops well armed But the Moors defended it so that those who went up the Hill being steep and bad way were easily ruined and Pharas being obstinate lost 110 men and with the residue was beaten back But he set very diligent guards that they might be put to yield for hunger permitting none to scape away nor any thing to be brought them from without Where the sufferings of Gelimer and his kindred and others with him delicately bred no relation can equal The Vandals being of all the known Nations the most effeminate and these Moors the hardiest They first since their possession of Africk have used their daily baths and plentiful tables of the best and pleasantest things the earth and sea afford most of them wore gold and silk and past their times in Theaters horse-races and other delights and principally huntings They had their Masques and Playes Musiques and gallant sights many had gardens furnished with waters and trees used much feasting and were as much addicted to venerie But those Moors are choaked up in close cabbins never removing for heat of summer or any inconvenience and lying upon the ground or happily with a sheeps-skin under them They never change apparel but all the year wear a thick coarse mantle and a Freese-coat They have no bread nor wine eating
all the Goths Whose Ambassadors being arrived at Constantinople Liberius who was a very honest man and carefull to speake no untruth and the rest acquainted the Emperour with the whole matter onely Opilio protested that Theodatus had not wronged the person of Amasuntha But before Peter came into Italy Amalasuntha was murdered The kinsmen of those put to death by her alledging to Theodatus that neither he nor they could be safe if shee were not made out of the way So with his permission they went to the Island and killed her Which much greived the rest of the Goths and all the Italians For as I sayd before shee was a woman strongly bent to all kinde of virtue Peter protested openly to Theodatus and the Goths that for this foule fact there should be implacable war between the Emperour and them Theodatus was so absurd as albeit he graced Amalasuntha's Murderers yet he would perswade Peter and the Emperour that the villany was committed by no allowance of his but much against his will At the same time Belisarius had newly conquered Gelimer and the Vandales and the Emperour advertized of Amalasuntha's mis-fortune presently entred into this war in the †Anno 9. Just Thâ— Gothick warre now begins and is Annus 1 bel Goth. begin Anno Domini 535. ninth yeare of his Raigne He commanded Mundus Generall of Illyrium to march into Dalmatia which was subject to the Goths and to attempt Salonae Mundus was a Barbarian borne but much affected to the Emperour and a good Souldier Belisarius he sent with a fleete having 4000 Legiâ—naries and Confederates and 3000 Isaurians Commanders of marke there were Constantinus and Bessas Thracians and Peranius of the Iberia next to Media but he revolted from the Persian and was now of the Emperours side Captaines of Horse were Valentinus Magnus and Innocentius Of foote Herodian Paulus Dâ—metrius Vrsicinus of the Isaurians Ennes was Leader There were also 200 auxiliary Hunnes and 300 Moores Generall with absolute power was Belisarius who had with him many Lanciers and Targettiers of his guard tryed men With him went also Photius the Sonne of his wife Antonina by a former Husband a discreet young man and shewing an Ability above his years The Emperours instructions to Belisarius were to pretend the voyage for Carthage but upon some pretext to attempt Sicily and if he found it feasible and easie to subdue it and not to quit it upon any tearms but if he found Impediment to sayle away to Affrick without discovering his intent He wrote likewise this Letter to the Princes of the Francks The Goths have by force taken from us Italy which they not onely refuse to restore but adde unsâ—fferable injuryes which constrayne us to send an Army against them and you have reason to joyne with us in the war which our Orthodoxe Religion rejecting Arrianisme and our equall Enmity with the Goths makes common to us both The Emperour accompanied this Letter with liberall gifts and promise of more when they came to the businesse they readily promised to joyn with him But Mundus in Dalmatia had a battell with the Goths was victorious and got Salonae And Belisarius landing in Sicily tooke Catana and from thence got Syracuse by composition and the other townes without any difficulty The Goths onely in Panormus presuming upon their walls and strong Towne refused to yeild Belisarius finding it by Land impregnable sayled with the fleete into the Haven which reaches to the walls none being there neither without nor within to oppose him therein The ships being at Anchor had their Masts higher then the Battlements Belisarius filled his Cock boates with Archers which he hung fast to the Mast tops and the Enemy being thereby shot upon their heads their hearts fainted and they surrendred Panormus to him by composition then all Sicily became tributary to the Emperour where Belisarius had a fortune beyond expression He had received the consulship upon his conquest of the Vandales and in the last day of it he conquered Sicily and rode into Syracuse applauded by the Army and Sicilians and throwing peices of gold among them This was not so appointed but it was his fortune that very day to recover the Island to the Romans and to ride into Syracuse and there to lay down his Consulship at the end of his yeare and not as the use is in the Senate house of Constantinople Peter upon the newes of these successes of Belisarius urged Theodatus and frighted him And he his heart fayling came to a secret conference with Peter and to this accord That Theodatus should surrender the whole Island of Sicily to the Emperour and should yearly send him a crowne of Gold of three hundred pound weight and three thousand fighting Goths when ever he should require them And that he should not kill or confiscate the goods of any Priest or Senatour without the Emperours assent Nor make any Patrician or Senatour by his owne authority but be a Sutor for it to the Emperour That the common people in their acclamations shall alwayes name the Emperour first In the Theaters Circus or elsewhere he must not erect any Statue to himselfe alone but ever another to the Emperour which is to stand to the right hand of his owne CHAP. V. THeodatus subscribed the accord and dismist the Ambassadour but presently his cowardize drave him to endlesse feares and the thought of a Warre vexed him which he instantly expected if the Emperour should not allow the sayd conditions He sent for Peter being gone as far as into Albania secretly to communicate something to him and ask't him if he thought the Emperour would like the accord who answered that he thought so But if he do not said the other what will follow A warre Noble Sir quoth Peter And is that just replyed he Why not just quoth Peter for every man to be constant in his own addictions Theodatus askt what he meant by that Because quoth he your addiction is to Philosophy and the Emperour Justinians to be Noble The difference is that for you professing Philosophy and that from the Schoole of Plato to cause the death of so many men is not decent but wicked not to be absolutely cleere of murder But for him to challenge the ancient appurtenances of his Empire is not unreasonable Theodatus perswaded by the advice agreed to quit the Kingdom to Justinian and to that effect himselfe and his Wife took their Oaths and he bound Peter by oath not to discover this to the Emperour before he perceived him not to accept the former accord and with him he sent Rusticus a Priest a Roman borne and his Favourite These at Constantinople acquainted the Emperour with the first accord who not accepting the conditions they shewed the second agreement contained in a letter written by him thus I am no stranger to a Court O Emperour I being born in the Palace of the King mine Unkle and bred as became my birth Indeed
Romans singing their Paeans upon the walls extolling Belisarius with acclamations and some stripping the dead bodies and the Goths curing their wounded and mourning for their dead Belisarius also wrote to the Emperour this letter We are come into Italy according to your commands and have gained a great part of the Country and taken Rome expelling the Goths whose Commander Leuderis we send Belisarius defended Rome with 5000 against 150000. Goths But in the strong places of Sicily and Italy which we took by siege we have left the greatest part of our Armie that it is now reduced to 5000 men the Enemie assailing us with 150000. First going out to discover the Enemy neer the Tiber we were put to fight beyond our determination and were almost overwhelmed with the multitude of their Lances Afterward they made a generall assault with men and Engines on all sides and failed little of taking Rome at the first assault if fortune had not rescued us Hitherto what hath been done by fortune or valour hath succeeded well But now I must entreat what may conduce to your future service I will never conceale what it behoves me to say and you to do I know affaires goe as God guides them but the Governours of them get blame or commendation by the actions they perform So that Armes must be sent us and such numbers of Men as that we may encounter the Enemy with aequivalent powers We must not ever trust to fortune which runs not always one way And consider O Emperour That if the Goths now beat us we shall loose Italy now yours and our Army too besides the disgrace for our ill carriage of the businesse And we shall also undoe the Romans who have preferred their faith to your Empire before their safety and so will our prosperity prove the occasion of our calamity For if we had been repulsed from Italy or before from Sicily the lightest of misfortunes would have troubled us only not to be rich with other mens goods You are to consider also that Rome was never before kept so long with many thousands it compasses so much ground and being not upon the Sea it is excluded from necessaries The Romans yet are well affected to us but the prolongation of their miseries will make them choose the best for themselves New freinds to any men keep faith not when they suffer but when they prosper by them Besides the Romans will by famine be forced to do things they would not I know I owe my death to your Majesty so that none shall ever pull me out of this place alive But think what glory such a death of Belisarius will bring you The Emperour upon this letter gathered an Army and Ships and sent direction to Valerianus and Martinus who were dispatch'd with an Army about the Winter Solstice to saile for Italy with all speed but not able to keep the Sea further went on Land and wintred in Aetolia and Aâ—arnania The Emperour advertised Belisarius thereof which much comforted him and the Romans In the mean time in Naples this happened The Image of Theodorick King of the Goths stood in the Market-place made of small peeble stones dyed into all colours In his life time the stones of the head of this Image peeled and shed off and presently after he dyed Eight years after the peebles forming the Images belly dropt off and instantly Atalarick dyed Theodoricks daughters son soon after fell off the pebles upon the privities and then his daughter Amalasuntha was murthered And now the Goths besieging Rome the limbs down to the Images feet were in the same manner spoiled and the whole out-side defaced and the Romans divining upon it were confident of the Emperours prevailing in this Warr taking Theodoricks feete for his Subjects the people of the Goths In Rome also some Patricians produced Oracles of Sibylla that the Cities danger would last but till July when the Romans should have a King through whom they should no more feare Geticke Nations And the Goths they say are a Nation of Getes In the Oracle it is the fifth moneth which they interpreted July some because the siege began in the beginning of March from which July is the fifth others because before Numa March was the first moneth there being but ten in all whence July was called Quintilis But this was mistaken all For the Romans had no such King and the siege was raised after that time and another siege was under Totilas King of the Goths as shall be said hereafter I conceive the Prophesie to intend not this but some other invasion of Barbarians happened already or to come And to find the meaning of Sibylla's Oracles before the event is not possible for a cause I shall tell you having read them all over Sibylla utters not things in order nor with any congruity Having said a few words of the calamities of Africa instantly she leaps into Persia Then talks of the Romans then comes to the Assyrians Then having prophesied again of the Romans she fore-tels the miseries of the Brittons that it is not possible to understand her before the event of her Oracles when time having made the tryall proves the only exact Interpreter thereof But to return to my matter CHAP. XX. THE Goths were thus repulsed and both parts past that night as I have sayd The next day Belisarius commanded the Romans to send away their Wives and Children to Naples and such servants as were not usefull for defence of the City to save victuals and he willed the Souldiers to send away their women servants telling them he should not be able to feed such but must be constrained to put themselves to half victuals every day to take the remainder of their entertainments in money They did so and multitudes went into Campania some getting shipping at the Port of Rome and the rest going by Via Appia by Land And neither that way nor to the Port feared they danger the Enemie being not able to encompasse Rome with their Entrenchments nor daring in small parties to be far from their Camp for feare of the Romans excursions That the besieged had meanes enough for a time to remove out of the Citie and to bring in provisions especially by night For the Goths were affraid and attending their Guards kept in and the Moores often sallyed and finding them either asleep or in small companies upon the wayes to pasture their Cattell or to get necessaries for themselves as is usuall in great Armes they killed and stript them and if they saw numbers of Enemies charging them they ran home being naturally swift of foot lightly apparelled and beginning to fly in time Thus the uselesse multititude got away out of Rome some into Campania some into Sicily or whether they could with most ease But the Souldiers being few and not sufficient for so great a circuit of wall and some being to take their rest while others guarded and the common people being poor handi-crafts men
bad lives The cheif Goths upon this speech of Totilas ceased to intercede for the offender and left him to him who soon after put him to death and bestowed his Estate upon the ravished maid In this mean time the Roman army preyed upon the Subjects leaving no insolence unacted Their commanders in their Garrisons with their Mistresses lived riotously having the Souldiers disobedient and full of all kind of disorders between both the armies the Italians suffered the hardest measures the Enemy took their lands from them and the Emperours army their goods they were basely beaten for nothing and perished for want of food The Souldiers could not defend them from the Enemy and were so far from blushing to see their miseries that by their wrongs they made the Barbarians dear unto them Constianus troubled at this wrote to Justinian professing his disability to incounter the Goths and the Commanders signed the Letter being a confession of their base fear to fight Totilas also sent this Letter to the Roman Senat. When men ignorantly or upon forgetfullnesse do wrong the wronged are to be easie to grant pardon The cause of the offence concurring in such excuseth the heaviest of the accusation But a man that does wrong upon malice is not to be admitted so much as to plead seeing he is to bear the blame not only of his fact but of his intent Which being so what can you apologize for your actions against the Goths Can you be ignorant of the favours of Theoderick and Amalasuntha or can time wear them out of your remembrance neither is possible The benefits have not been mean nor are of an ancient date but in the most important things and lately done For the Greeks Goodnesse to their subjects your selves have heard of it and you have had triall of it and you have known how the Goths and Italians have sped under them What Guests and freinds they have been to you the Audits of Alexander may inform you to say nothing of their Souldiers and Captaines you have injoyed their noble usage by which their affaires are come into this case now Think not this to be the reproaches of an insolent young man nor the vaunts of a Barbarian Prince I say not that our subduing of these men is a work of my valour but that due vengeance for the injuries done to you hath overtaken them And how absurdly it shewes that God should punish them for you and yet you adhere to their folly and refuse deliverance from the miseries arising from thence Make therefore some introduction of an apologie and of our pardoning you which will be if while you have some hope though a poor one you chuse what is best for you and repaire what you have done amisse against us Totilas gave this letter to some prisoners to deliver to the Senators in Rome which they did but John forbade them to answer it Totilas wrote many other Letters to them wherein were strong oathes that no Roman should receive hurt from the Goths I cannot say who were the Messengers all of them were in the night set up in the most publick places of the City and discovered in the morning The Roman Commanders suspected the Arian priests and put them out of Rome Totilas hereupon sent part of his army into Calabria to summon the Castle of Otranto and the Garrison refusing to yeild to besiege it Himself with his main forces went against the towns about Rome CHAP. V. THE newes of these things troubled the Emperour and though the Persian War lay heavily upon him he was constrained to send Belisarius against Totilas and the Winter ended and the ninth yeare of this War written by Procopius when Belisarius went the second time into Italy †Incipit Annus 10. Bell. Goth. in anno 18. reg Justiniani Anno Dom. 544. Having but few Souldiers as being not able to withdraw his own Forces from the Army in Persia he levied with his own money Voluntaries in Thrace being assisted by the Emperours direction with Vitalius Generall of Illyrium lately returned from Italy where he had left the Illyrian Cohorts they both raised 4000. men and came to Salona determining to go to Ravenna and thence to make the War For about Rome they found they could not land unespyed the Enemy being in Campania and Calabria nor yet force their landing being inferiour in powers In the mean time the Garrison in Otranto the Victuall being absolutely failed capitulated about the surrender of the Castle by a day assigned Belisarius put a yeares Victuall aboard Ships and commanded Valentinus to transport it to Otranto and to take out the former Garrison pined with Sicknesse and Famine and put in the Souldiers he had with him aboard being fresh and well supplyed Valentinus with a faire wind got to Otranto four daies before the time assigned and finding the Harbour unguarded was Master of it and entred the Castle without resistance The Goths being carelesse and lying still under their confidence in the Capitulation and imagining no opposition and then seeing the Fleet enter ran away in feare and encamped themselves some distance from the Town and advertised Totilas of what happened Some Troops of Valentinus from Otranto made in-roads into the Country and meeting the Enemy upon the Sea shoare they fought were beaten and most of them fled into the Sea where having lost 170. men the rest retired into the Castle But Valentinus as Belisarius commanded took out the old Garrison being men halfe dead and leaving fresh men with a yeares Victuall he went to Salonae with the rest Belisarius from thence came with the Fleet before Pola where he staid and ordered the Army Totilas hearing of his coming and being desirous to know his Forces he wrote Letters to him in the name of one Bonus Nephew to one John and Commander of the Garrison in Genoa entreating his speedy repaire to him as being in much distresse and danger This Letter he delivered to five witty fellowes directing them to spy what Forces Belisarius had and to give out that they came from Bonus Belisarius used the men courteously as his manner was perused the Letter and bad them tell Bonus that he would be with him with his Army They having spyed into every thing returned to the Camp to Totilas assuring him that Belisarius powers were not considerable In the mean time Totilas took Tibur which had in it a Garrison of Isaurians Some of the Townes-men guarding the Gates with the Isaurians fell into an idle brable with them and upon that ground drew in the Enemy by night The Isaurians rallyed themselves seeing the Town taken and almost all got away but of the Townes-men the Goths spared not a man and killed the Bishop of the Town in a fashion which I will conceale not to leave to Posterity Monuments of Inhumanity And one Catellus a man much esteemed in Italy perisht also Thus the Goths having Tibur the Roman Citizens could no more import Provisions
into the middle but further Now all to the right hand of the Euxine is attributed to Asia Moreover the River Tanais springing from the Riphaan mountaines which are confest by themselves and the ancients to be in Europe and the Ocean being far distant froÌ„ these mountains the land behind them on both sides must necessarily be Europâ—an Where then begins the River Tanais to distinguish the continents If some River must divide them it can be no other then the river Phasis which descending directly oposite to the straits of Caliz cuts between those two continents as those straits also have them on each side of it opening from the Ocean to the midland Seas And the Phasis likewise entring at the end of that part of the midland Seas called Pontus Euxinus manifestly receives from the Sea the continuation of dividing the Earth This last opinion challenges antiquity aswell as the other For indeed men possest of some ancient learning in a thing commonly have not the patience to search long touching the truth of it nor will endure new opinions To them ever the ancienter the things are the truer they seem and they deride all of their own time as despicable But the question now is not about Intelligences and Intelligibles nor such obscurites but of a River and a country which time could neither change nor conceal Neither herein is there any thing can hinder a diligent searcher from finding the truth And yet Herodotus an ancient writer L. 4. saies that the Earth is in one peice but distinguisht in three parts and names viz Affrick Asia Europe and that the Aegyptian Nile cuts Asia Africk and the Colchian Phasis Asia and Europe and he taking notice also of the other opinion concerning Tanais hath these words I cannot guesse from whence three names are given to the Earth being one peice and those of women Nor why the bounds thereof are set to be the Egyptian Nile and the Colchian Phasis or as some say the River of â—anais Lake of Maeotis and Cimmerian straits The Tragedian Aelcylus also in beginning of his Tragedy called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calls Phasis the boundary of the land of Asia and Europe Another opinion there is among the Learned that the Lake of Maeotis doth make the Euxinâ— sea spreading part to the right side of it part to the left and is therefore called the mother of the Euxine The ground of their conjectureis because a current of this sea comes from the place called Hieron like a River to Constantinople and so they thinke the Euxine to end at Hieron But against this down is alledged that the Ocean is still the same and ends no where before it arrive at Lazica unlesse men will argue from variety of names the one being called Pontus the other Thalassa both signifying the Sea And the current from Hieron to Constantinople is no proof many things happen in Straits of the Sea not subject to common reason and none can expresse the causes of them Aristotle himself a most learned man went purposely to Chalchis in Euboea to consider the straits called Euripus and the naturall reason why the tyde there comes sometimes from the west and sometime from the East according to which all ships made their course and if with a tyde from the East the ships steer'd on and then the stream came against them as often happens there instantly they were driven back again and others came on from the West with the tide though they had no wind at all The Stagirite revolving this long in his mind grew weary of his life and there they say ended it In the straits likewise between Italy and Sicily with a seeming contrariety to reason a current puts in from the Adriatique sea where as the tyde is from the ocean and Caliz and sudden Eddiâ—s without any apparant reason cast away many ships Whence the Poets fain the swallowing up of ships by Charybdis And all this happens thus strangely in Straits because the tyde is contracted in a narrow passage between two lands and so falls into those necessities whereof no reason appeares And so the coming of a current from Hieron to Constantinople is no argument that the Mediterranean and Euxine Seas have there their endings The said reason hath no naturall foundation but there also the narrownesse of the straits must carry it And the fishermen of that coast find that current to Constantinople to be only upon the upper part of the water which is seen by us and towards the bottome quite contrary Where finking their Drags they find them carried up to Hieron by the tyde below But in Lazica the Land beats the tyde directly back again whereas by all other shores it passes on side-long and there only causes it both to stay its course and to retire as if the Creator had there sets its limits The Sea touching that shore runnes no further and rises no higher though from all sides supplied with numberlesse Rivers and some great ones but back it goes as being extended to its just measure and keeping its bounds and limits in as it were by the awfull necessity of some Law the articles whereof it is carefull not to transgresse These are their arguments whereof every man may judge as he pleases CHAP. IV. BUT why Chosroes was so desiroust of Lazica having sayd something before I will now relate what most induced him having thus described the aforesayd Countries and thereby made my discourse more cleer The Persians often had invaded the Roman Territories under Chosroes and done mischeifes there not to be expressed But they got little by it but came home still with much losse of their men and estates whereupon at their returne into Persia they murmured against Chosroes calling him the ruiner of their Nation Once coming home out of Lazica and being fallen into some desperate extremities they were ready to mutiny and had slaine him if he had not foreseen it and warded it by gaining the principall of them with faire words And being desirous to finde some reall Apologie he was studious to procure some notable advantage to the Persian Empire He attempted the City of Daras but was repulsed as I have sayd and he despaired to get it either by surprize the Guards being well kept or by a siege There being still in Daras all Provisions layd up in store for a long time And besides neer it rises a Spring in a Rocky ground which makes a pretty River descending directly into the City an no Enemy can divert it nor force it another way by reason of the Rocks Being within the City it goes round about it and having filled their Ponds and Cisternes it goes out againe and close unto the Town-wals falls into a bottomlesse pit and is seen no more nor hitherto knowes any man where it rises againe This pit was not alwayes there but it happened thus long after the building of Doras by Anastasius the Emperour By reason of this naturall situation
Lake of Maotis blaming their unjust lying still it being most unjust to neglect their freinds perishing alleadging how the Cuturgurians being their neighbours and receiving great pensions yearly from Constantinople ceased not to wrong them but made daily inroades and spoiles upon them they the Cuturgurians getting no share of the same were carelesse of the Romans their ancient freinds and saw them spoiled and ransackt by the Cuturgurians without vindicating them from those oppressions The Vturgurians upon this remonstrance of the Emperour and of the many presents they had received from him and upon receit of more mony now were won to invade the Cuturgurians country They passed the Tanais accompanied with two thousand Tetraxite Goths who dwelt neer them and the army was commanded by Sandill a wise and a valiant man and experienced in many warrs The Cuturgurians incountred them in a battell long fought but were routed and many were slain And the Vturgurians took their wives and children captives and went home During the battell some thousands of Romans who had been taken captives by the Cuturgurians slipt away and recovered their native countries unfollowed and getting so in that which most concerned them the benifit of the others victory The Emperour sent Aratius to Chinialus Generall of the Cuturgurians to tell him the newes of his own country and to perswade them with mony to quit the Roman territory who hearing what the Vturgurians had done took the mony and came to this accord That without killing or taking prisoners or other hurt doing they should retire home through the Roman Subjects as freinds That if they could continue in their country they should observe saith to the Romans if they could not they should come back and have townes given them by the Emperour in Thrace and being Confederates with the Romans should guard the provinces from all Barbarians whatsoever Of them already two thousand were come into Roman Land with their wives and children after receiving that overthrow from the Vturgurians and were led by Sisinnion who served formerly under Belisarius against Gelimer and the Vandales They became servants to the Emperour and were seated in Thrace Sandill King of the Vturgurians grew angry at this that he should punish the Cuturgurians of the same Race and expell them for wrongs done to the Romans and that now the Emperour should entertain them to live among the Romans and better then ever they did He sent Ambassadors to the Emperour to expostulate but without Letters for the Hunnes know no letters nor Grammer nor breed their Children in the toiles about learning The Ambassadors having accesse to the Emperour told him as they were directed That their King Sandill bade them say that he heard an old saying when hee was a boy how a Woolfe may change the colour of his haire but not his nature which will never be mended that he knew by his own experience also as a rusticall Barbarian could observe it how shepheards breed their Dogs in their houses from little Puppies who have the good nature to remember the kindnesse of them who seed them and the Shepheards do this that they may have the Doggs to chase away the Wolves and to protect the poor sheep That this is used every where no where Dogs invading the stock nor Wolves defending it And he doth not thinke that in the Emperours Dominions though abounding with so many strange things there is any varying from this constant Law of nature which seâ—ing it is universally the same that he conceiveth it not good for the Emperour to harbour this wolvish race of Cuturgurians nor to bring in such turbulent neighbours nor to take them as sojourners whom he could not bear being strangers and that they will shortly snew their nature to the Romans That the Romans shall never want Enemies to destroy them when even those who shall be beaten may hope to be in a better Condition nor will their freinds hinder inreads into their country when the vanquisht shall have more respect from them then they after the best they can do As themselves live now in a barren country while the Cuturgurians have plenty of corn and surset in their Wine sellars and seed upon every dish The wanderers are now admitted to the Bathes and have their Jewells their silkes and imbroyderies of gold to wear and yet they carried innumerable Romans into their country captives where they inflicted on them the basest abuses scourging them nay killing them without any offence committed and in other things acting upon them the humour and power of Barbarian Masters but that the Uturgurians set them at Liberty and restored them to their country by the sweate and â—â—ile of a war And now that the rewards of them both are very unequall while themseives still injoy the miseries of their poor country but the Cuturgurians share a part of the country of those very men who by the valour of the Uturgurians were delivered from thraldome under the other Thus spake the Vturgurian Ambassadors whom the Emperour soothed with store of gifts and shortly sent them home CHAP. XII IN these times was a great Warr between the Varnians and the Islanders of Brittia The Varnians are seated beyond the River Isler and extend to the Northern Ocean and the Rhyne which River divides them and the Francks and the other Nations inhabiting those parts All which Nations on both sides the Rhyne are named Germans Brittia lyes on the Ocean Sea distant from the Continent but twenty five miles opposite to the mouth of the Rhyne and lying between Brittany and * Thule Brittany lyes to the West of Spaine five hundred miles Thule with this Author is Norway and part of Denmarke but Brittia lyes at the bottom of Gaule upon the Ocean Northward to Spaine and Brittany And Thule lyes in the uttermost bounds of the Ocean Northward This Island of Brittia is possest by three populous Nations and over each is a King and they are named Angli Frisons and Brittians The people are so fruitfull that yearely they transport many Families to the Francks who plant them in desert Countries and upon that ground pretend an interest to the Island and lately in an Embassage to the Emperour Justinian sent some Angli in company as if the Island were theirs Over the Varnians one Hermegisâ—lus lately reigned who took to Wife a Sister of Theodebert King of the Francks his former Wife being dead by whom he had a Son named Radisis betroathed to the Sister of the King of the Angli in Brittia This Hermegliscus riding to take the avre a Raven from a tree croaked at him he told his Noble men attending him that the Bird in her language did foretell his death to be within forty dayes after And I quoth he for your peace and security made an allyance with the Francks by mine owne Wife and contracted a Brittian Lady to my Son But now being suddenly to dye without Issue from my now Wife and my Son
being yet without his Bride let me communicate my thoughts to you and when I am dead if you like my advise put it in execution I hold it more advantagious for you to have allyance with the Francks then with the Brittians who being Islanders cannot joyne with you in time nor easily whereas nothing severs the Francks but the Rhyne from you And being so neer and so powerfull they are at hand both to helpe and hurt you and hurt they will if this allyance restraine them not An overgrowne neighbour proves heavy and apt to doe wrong and the meanes of a War are easie against men at the next doore Quit therefore that betroathed Islander and the Money shee hath received restore according to the Law of Nations for a reparation of the refusall of her and let my Son Radisis marry his Mother-in-law which our Lawes permit Hermegisclus gave this advise and at the fortieth day dyed and his Son taking the Kingdome renounced his betroathed Spouse by the perswasion of his Nobles and tooke his Mother-in-law to Wife The contracted Lady could not brook the scorne done her but was eager to revenge it For so tender of their honour are the Barbarians of those parts that after the name onely of a marriage without consummation if the woman be refused shee thinks her selfe profest a Strumpet First shee sent Messengers to demand the reason of this rejection seeing he could not charge her with incontinence nor any other offence but that way prevailing nothing with a manly courage shee resolved upon a Warr Shee got four hundred Ships and an hundred thousand men whom her selfe led with one of her Brothers to assist her The Brittians are the bravest Infantry we know but so unexercised in Horsemanship that they know not what a Horse is nor ever saw in Brittia the Picture of any where never any was bred When upon Ambassages they come abroad among the Romans or Francks and are put to necessity of riding men lift them up and set them upon their Horses and so take them downe againe when they are to alight The Varaians also are all Footmen Aboard the aforesayd Fleet were none but rowers for the Brittians have no Sailes Being landed upon the Continent the Virgin-Generall encamped at the mouth of the Rhyne where staying her selfe shee sent out her Brother against the Enemy He finding the Varnians neer the Sea shore encamped had a battell with them and defeated them where many fell and the rest with their King fled and were followed by the Angles as farr as foot-men could who retyring to the Campe were by the Lady chid and especially her Brother for having nothing worthy such an Army seeing he brought not Radisis to her alive Shee selected then her best men and charged them to bring the man to her who in the end found him concealed in a Wood and brought him bound to the Lady He stood before her trembling expecting some cruell death But shee onely reproaching to him the unjust affront he had done her askt him why he would neglect his Vow and bed another Woman his owne Spouse not having committed whoredome He excused all upon the injunctions of a Father and the importunity of his Nobles mingling his apologie with supplications and imputing the crime to necessity promising now if it were her pleasure to live with her and by his future services to cure his former injury The Lady was pleased and Radisis loosed from his bonds was vouchsafed all manner of courtesie And immediately he sent home the Sister of Theodebert and marryed this Brittian Lady In Brittia also is a Wall dividing a great part of the Island in two the reason of it is because to the Eastward is good ayre according to the seasons and many civill Inhabitants and they have Corne and Fruit-trees in abundance and are well stored with waters But to the Westward all is so contrary that a man cannot live there halfe an houre the Countrey being possest with Adders and Snakes and all sorts of venemous creatures The natives affirme that so soon as a man passes to the other side of the Wall he instantly falls dead with the pestilentiall ayre and the like happens to Beasts In this description I am to mention a Story or rather a Fable I cannot think it true though many men affirme to have seen it and been actors in it neither must I absolutely reject it least professing to write of the particularities of this Island I be thought ignorant of the things done in it They report that to this part of the Island are transported the Soules of the departed by a meanes which though I have heard in very good earnest related yet I conceive that the first rumour of it sprung from some dreaming heads Along the Ocean shore over against Brittia are many Villages inhabited by Fishermen Husbandmen and Boatmen who traffique in the Island subjects they are to the Francks but pay no Tribute the exemption from which is granted unto them for a service which I will now relate They have the employment of conducting Soules departed imposed on them by turnes when any mans turne comes they goe home to bed towards night expecting their fellow conductor and at midnight they finde the door opened and heare a softly voice calling them to the businesse Instantly they rise and go downe to the Sea-side finding themselves constrained to goe on but they perceive not by whom Boats they finde ready with no men in them and aboard they goe and sit to their Oares They perceive the Boats loaded with Passengers even to the Deck and the place of their Oares not an inch from the water They see nothing but after an houres rowing come a Land in Brittia whereas in their owne Boats they have much adoe to passe over in a day and a night having no Sayles but rowing onely They instantly land their Fare and are gone away with their Boats suddenly grown light and swimming with the current and having all save the Keele above water They see no men leaveing the Boat but they heare a voice relating to some who it seemes stayes there for them the names of the Passengers with their Titles and additions of what Fathers they were and if women of what Husbands But to returne to my History and to the Gothick Warr having already spoken of the successes of other Provinces CHAP. XIII THE Emperour as I sayd before had sent for Belisarius home where he held him in honour upon the death of Germanus yet he would not send him into Italy and though he were Generall of the East he made him Commander of the Guards of his body and kept him at Constantinople And Belisarius was the cheife of all the Romans in dignity some indeed had the priority of being made Patricians and Consulls before him but yet they yeilded the precedence to him and were ashamed to make use of the Law and to assume the right which that gave them against so eminent