The history of the warres of the Emperour Justinian in eight books : of the Persian, II, Vandall, II, Gothicke, IV / written in Greek by Procopivs of Caesarea ; and Englished by Henry Holcroft, Knight.

CHAP. X.

TRIPOLIS was already put into rebellion against the Vandals by one Puden∣tius, a native there, who sent to the Emperour for an Army to subdue the Province unto him: who sent Tattimuth with some small forces; with whom Pudentius joyning, and finding no Vandals there, he took the Countrey for the Emperour. Gelimer was hindred from chastizing Pudentius, by Godas a Goth and servant of Gelimer, a man pragmatical and couragious, and seeming well af∣fected to his Master. To this Godas Gelimer had committed the Guard of Sardi∣nia, and to collect the tributes there: whose mind not digesting such a fortune, he usurped the Island, and denyed to send the Tributes, keeping them to himself. And understanding that Justinian sought occasions of a war with Gelimer; He wrote thus to him. Not out of ingratitude, not suffering any disfavour from my Master, I have thought upon a revols. But seeing his cruelty both to kindred and subjects; I would not willingly be a partaker of the same. It is better to serve a just Emperour, then a Tyrant who commands things unlawfull. Consider therefore of assisting my enterprize, and send me forces to defend me from an invasion. The Emperour sent Eulogius to him, and wrote him an answer, commending his wis∣dom

and zeal to justice; and promising aides, and a General sufficient to keep the Island, and assistance otherwise, that the Vandals should not hurt him. Eulogi∣us being come into Sardinia, found Godas had put on the title and habit of a King, and gotten a Guard about him. And to the Emperours Letters he said, That for souldiers he desired them, but had no need of a General. Which he wrote to the Emperour, and dismist Eulogius.

But before, the Emperour had prepared 100 mens commanded by Cyrillus, to guard the Island for Godas. And with them he had in readiness for Carthage 10000 foot, and 5000 horse levied of the Legionaries and Confederates. Here∣tofore such Barbarians only were enrolled Confederates, as were admitted into the Roman State, not to be slaves (as having not been vanquisht by the Romans) but upon equal terms; the Romans calling foedera; their Treaties with those they have had war with: but now all take that name; time not deigning to keep names upon the things they were first put, and things being called as men please; not as they were before their times. The Commanders of the Confederates were, Dorotheus General of Armenia, and Solomon, who was assistant to the Ge∣neral Belisarius; the Romans call such an Officer, Domesticus;* 1.1 (he was an Eunuch, but not purposely cut, but upon an accident in his swathing clouts) Cyprianus also, and Valerianus, Martinus, Altheas, John, Marcellus, and Cyrillus afore men∣tioned! Of the Legionaries, Ruffinus and Aigan (who had been of the retinue of Belisarius) and Barbatus, and Rappus, were Commanders of horse; and of foot, Zaedus, Martianus, Sarapis and Theodorus, sirnamed Ctenatus, and Teren∣tius. John who was born at Durazzo, commanded in chief all the foot. Solo∣mon came from the farthest East, belonging to the Romans, near Daras. Aigan was a Hunne; all the rest were Thracians. Pharas also commanded 400 Her∣rulians:* 1.2 and Sinnion and Balas, gallant men, had 600 auxiliary Hunn••; all Arch∣ers on horseback. This Army was transported by 500 ships none being of more burden then 50000 Medimni, nor of less then 3000. They were manned with 20000 Mariners, most Egiptians, Ionians, and Cilicians. The Admiral of the whole Fleet was Calonymus an Alexandrian. They had also 92* 1.3 Pinnaces in case of a sea-fight, with one row of oars, and decks over their heads; not to be sub∣ject to the Enemies shot. They call these Dromones, for their swiftness. They had aboard no passengers, but 2000 rowers, Constantinopolitans. Archelaus, a Patritian, who had been Praefect of the Palace in Constantinople, and Illyrium, went now Praefect of the Camp. So is the Officer called who makes provision for the Army. Over them all, the Emperour placed Belisarius (late Comman∣der of the Oriental Legions) his General with absolute authority; whom many Launciers and Targetiers followed, old tryed Souldiers. The Emperour enabled him by his Letters to do whatsoever seemed best unto him; and the same to be firm, as the Emperours own act. Belisarius was born in Germania,* 1.4 a City which stands in the confines of Illyrium and Thrace.

Gelimer in the mean time having lost Tripolis by Pudentius, and Sardinia by Godas: The first lying far off, and having Roman aids already, he gave over; and sent no forces against it. But to prevent the Emperours succours in the Island, he sent under his brother Trazon 5000 Vandals in 120 good ships. But Justinian having commanded away Valerianus and Martinus, to attend the rest of the Ar∣my in Peloponesus; and being both a ship-board, he had some further direction to give them, which he had resolved, but it was forgotten upon other business inter∣vening. So he sent for them; to tell it; but again thinking it inconvenient to in∣terrupt their passage; he sent to command them not to return to him any more, nor to come ashore. The Messenger called out aloud to them not to come back again at all. The company took it for a bad Omen, that none of them should re∣turn out of Africk to Constantinople. And they thought the Emperour unwit∣tingly had sent them a kind of a curse. If it be interpreted of Valerianus and Martinus, the conceit proved not true. But Stotzas, there a Lancier of Marti∣us, was to rebel against the Emperours and usurp, and never to come back to Constantinople: upon whom it may be conjectured fortune conferred that curse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cassiodorus cals these Do∣mesticos mi∣nistros qui comitibus ad obeunda pub∣lica munera obsequeban∣tur. Why fol∣lowed the Co∣mites or Gene∣rals to execute publick servi∣ces, Lib. 9 ad vilum.
• * 1.2

  Which is a∣mong the 500 ships, 40 to a ship, one with another. I won∣der how the Latine Transla∣tor thought 3000 Mari∣ners could mann 500 wips. But he, though a learned man, had not the Greek Edition now extant; and so his Transla∣tion is full of errors.
• * 1.3

  About 1200. tun, accounting a medimnus for a bushel.
• * 1.4

  Not in Ger∣many, as some Germans would have it; but in Germa∣nia, a City of Thrace in the confines of Illy∣rium. It was a Metropolis, and recited in the Sanctions of the Eastern Bi∣shops, saith, A∣lemannus, in his Historical notes upon the Secret History.