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. XIX.

IN the meane time Bessas and Peranius (whom Vitigis hotly charged in the Vi∣varium) sent for Belisarius. And he speedily came to their reliefe, fearing the weaknesse of the wall in that part; and leaving at Porta Salaria one of his retinew, He encouraged the Souldiers in the Park, frighted with the assault, and the Enemies multitude. Anciently the Romans finding the ground flat, and fit for invasion, and the bricks of the wall there grown loose, scarce sticking toge∣ther, compassed the same with a Flancker, not so much for safety (for it had no Battlements, nor other Fortification upon it, to resist an Enemy) but for plea∣sure, to keep in it Lions, and other wild Beasts, whereupon it was named Vivari∣um, the Park. Vitigis made ready his Engines against the wall there, and command∣ed the Goths to get through the Flancker into the Park, and then he knew he should be easily master of the Town-walls, being weake. Belisarius seeing the Enemy dig∣ging through into the Park, and in many parts assaulting the walls, suffered not his men to defend, nor stay upon the Battlements, but held them, with their swords and Armour ready neer unto the Gate there. The Goths having now cut through the wall, and entred the Park, he sent out Cyprianus with his company to begin the fight; who killed them all, falling downe for feare, and spoiled by one another, running out at their narrow breach: the whole Enemy being amazed with the sud∣dennesse, and out of their orders, and some carried one way, some another. Belisa∣rius instantly opened the Gate, and sallied with the whole Army; And the Goths having no mind to fight, ranne away every man; whom the Romans followed, and killed them with ease, and had a long execution; the Goths having assaulted there far from their Entrenchments. Belisarius commanded to burn the Enemies Engines, which with the flame (being high) more astonished them. At Porta Sa∣laria also they sallied at the same time unexpectedly, killed the Enemy running a∣way without resistance, and burnt their Engines. The flame rose above the walls, which put them all to a generall retreat: the Romans from the walls shouting to encourage the pursuers, and the others from the Entrenchments wailing the dis∣aster. Thirty thousand Goths were slain that day (as their Commanders affirmed) and more wounded. For from the Battlements shooting at multitudes, they sel∣dome mist; and they who sallied, slew heaps of amazed flying men, and the busi∣nesse lasted from morning to evening. At night they retreated; the Romans singing their Paeans upon the walls, extolling Belisarius with acclamations, and some strip∣ping

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.* 1.1 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 Ene∣my neer the Tiber, we were put to fight beyond our determination, and were al∣most 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 Ene∣my 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 pre∣ferred 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 suf∣fer, but when they prosper by them. Besides, the Romans will by famine be for∣ced 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 A••arnania. The Emperour advertised Beli∣sarius 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 present∣ly 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 pe∣bles 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 O∣racles 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 un∣derstand 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.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Belisarius de∣fended Rome with 5000 a∣gainst 150000. Goths.