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. XI.

THE same night he silently armed his forces, and led them to Porta Asinaria, willing four Goths valiant and strong to mount the Battlements with the I∣saurians, at the houre when they were to watch, and the rest were to go to bed in their turns. They being gotten into the Towne, went to Porta A∣sinaria without meeting any; and with their Battleaxes cut in two the Timber posts upon which the Gates on each side hung, and wrench'd off the iron worke where-into the Watch-men put their keyes to open and shut then: And so having set them open, they received in Totilas and the Army. Totilas drew all to one place, not suffering them to scatter, affraid of some ambush from the Enemy. The City sud∣denly was full of tumult, and most of the Roman Souldiers fled with their Comman∣ders out at another gate. Some took Sanctuary with other Romans in Churches. Of the Patricians, Decius, Basilius, and some others fled out with Bessas, having Hor∣ses; but Maximus, Olybrius, Orestes and others fled into St. Peters Church. Of the commons remained but 500. men, who took Sanctuary also, the rest were all gone away, or starved. Totilas being told in the night, that Bessas and the Enemy were running away, sayd, they brought him very good news, and that they should not follow them; For what should please a man mare then his Enemies running away? In the morning Totilas suspecting now no Ambush, went to St. Peters Church to Prayer: But the Goths killed some in their way, about 26. Souldiers, and sixty Commons.

Totilas being in the Church, Pelagius came a suppliant to him with the Gospels in his hand, crying out, O spare, my Lord! your owne people. Now (quoth Totilas, scoffing) you come an humble Petitioner to me; Because God hath made me your slave, replyed Pelagius. And now, O Master! spare your owne slaves.

Totilas wonne with his supplications, for bad the Goths to kill any more; but to make booty of their Goods, reserving the most precious for himselfe. They found much wealth in the Patricians houses, but most in the lodging of Bessas, who had heaped up those wicked prices of his Corn for Totilas: The Romans, even Senators, and Rusticiana the Widow of Boetius, and daughter of Symmachus (a woman that e∣ver laid out her Revenues upon the poor) went begging their bread of their Ene∣mies; wandring from house to house, knocking at the doors, and craving suste∣nance without blushing.

The Goths indeavoured to put Rusticiana to death, for bribing the Roman Com∣manders to break down Theodericks Images, in revenge of her Husbands and Fathers deaths: But Totilas preserved her, and protected all the Women from the Souldiers insolence, who were eager to ravish them; but not one was abused: For which his modesty Totilas got a great reputation. The next day he assembled the Goths, and spake thus;

Fellow Souldiers! I call you together, not to make any new exhortations, but the same I have given formerly, and by entertayning which, you have found your greatest good: And do not now to this hearken carelesly. Advises conducting you to happinesse should never be tedious, nor many words seeme wearisome, since the fruits springing from them must not weary you. I say then againe, that the other day we had 200000. valiant fighting men together, were masters of in∣finite wealth, had abundance of Horses, and other preparations, and many wise old men, who in Warre are of greatest use. Yet were we beaten by 7000. Greeks, and senselesly deprived of our Empire, and all things else. But now being reduced

to few, and those naked, poore, and unexperienced, we have vanquish'd the E∣nemy; being upward of 20000. men. The cause of this our successe I will tell you, though you know it already. The Goths then not valuing Justice, acted foule wrongs upon themselves, and their Roman Subjects: Which moved God (as could not otherwise be) to fight against them for the Enemie: Whom wee exceeding in numbers, valour, and other preparations, yet were we beaten by an unseen power. It is now in your power to keep your prosperity by keeping your justice. If you change, God will be your Enemy: Who assists not this or that race, or Nation, but the men to whom Justice is precious: In him it is no labour to transferr pros∣perity from one to another. Let man only resolve never to do wrong; To God all things naturally are in his free power. Observe therefore justice, and you shall for ever maintain your happinesse.

Having said thus to the Goths, he called the Roman Senators to him, and bitter∣ly reproacht them; That having received benefits from Theoderick and Atala∣rick, been employed in all offices, managed the whole State, and made them∣selves rich; they had proved ungratefull to their Benefactors, by unworthily re∣volting to their own mischiefe, and had betrayed themselves by bringing Greeks into their Countrey. He urged them to say, what hurt the Goths, or what benefit the Emperour Justinian had done them. They were deprived of almost all com∣mands, wrung and tortured by the publique Tax-gatherers to accompt for their carriages towards the Goths in the Treasury: And being spoiled by the Warr, yet the Greeks made them pay their tributes, as in the times of Peace.

He objected many such things, as angry Masters use to their new made slaves. Then pointing to Herodian, and the four Isaurians:

You, quoth he, having been bred with us, could never yeeld up to us so much as one forsaken Town: but these have received us into Spoletum, and Rome it selfe. Be you therefore in the condition of slaves, and these who have been friends, and as Countrey-men to us, shall have your offices.

The Patricians stood silent at these words: But Pelagius interceded for them, as men ruined and unfortunate, till Totilas promised mercy, and let them goe. He sent Pelagius, and Theodorus, an Orator of Rome, to Justinian, his Ambassadors, making them sweare to deale fairly, and to return into Italy so soon as they could: He in∣structed them to perswade the Emperour to make peace, otherwise hee should be compelled to lay Rome flat with the ground, to kill all the Senate, and to bring the War into Illyrium; And he wrote letters to the Emperor; who had the news alrea∣dy of the successes in Italy. When they came to him, they declared their instructions from Totilas, and presented his letter, of this tenor.

You are fully advertised what hath happened to Rome, I doubt it not. But my reason of this Embassage is, to crave of you to entertaine the blessings of Peace your selfe, and to permit them to us. Whereof we have a faire precedent in A∣nastasius and Theodericke: Who reigned together not long since; but they filled their Reigns with Peace and good things. If you be pleased to do the like, I will call you my Father, and you shall have the Goths your Auxiliaries against whom you please.

Justinian read the Letter, and heard the Ambassadors, but instantly sent them a∣way with this answer in writing to Totilas:

That he had made Belisarius absolute Generall in this Warr, who had ful pow∣er to manage all things concerning Totilas as he pleased.

During this voyage of the Ambassadors to Constantinople, and back again, Tullianus in Lucania leavyed some Peasants, and guarded the Straits there, to hinder the Enemies entring to infest Lucania; With him were 300. Antians, left with him by John; being of all Barba∣rians the aptest to fight in a fastnesse. Totilas thought it not fit to employ all the Goths against them; But he sent numbers of Peasants in the company of some Goths, whom he commanded to attempt the passage. They fought, and much stirring there was, but by the valour of the Antians, and favour of the fastnesse, Tullianus in the end routed them.