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. XV.

THE Horse sent by Belisarius met Forces of the Enemy sent by Totilas to attempt that Castle: With these they fought, and though much inferiour in numbers, they routed them, and killed above 200. The rest ran away to Totilas with the newes. The Romans encamped in the place; and being ill governed, and victorious, lived carelesly, neither lying together in one body, nor keeping guards upon the two passages; but lodging too securely farr asunder, and all the day stragling for Provisions, without sending out Scouts, or advising upon any course of safety. Totilas being thereof advertised, went against them with 3000. chosen Horsemen: And coming unlooked for upon them, being in no order to fight, but stragling, he amazed and routed them. Pharas encountred the Ene∣my, and did valiantly; whereby some escaped, but himselfe, and his company were slain. This the Romans took grievously, having their hopes in these, being extraor∣dinary good men. Barbation, of the Life-guard to Belisarius, ran away to Croton with the newes, reporting that the Goths would be instantly there. Belisarius ex∣ceedingly grieved, ran to his Ships, weighed anchor, and with a faire wind came the same day before Messina in Sicily, distant from Croton 87. miles, being right over against Rhegium.

About this time an Army of Slavonians passed the River Ister, and did infinite mischiefe in Illyrium, even to Epidamnus, killing and captivating all and of all ages they found, and taking the spoile. They took many strong Castles, none to defend them, and ranged about every where without controule. The Commanders of Illy∣rium waited upon them with 15000. men, but never durst come neer them.

In that Winter were many terrible Earth-quakes in Constantinople and else-where, all in the night; that the Inhabitants feared to be over-whelmed, but no hurt was done. The Nile also swelled 18. cubits, drowning all Egypt: In the Co••trey of Thebais, and the up-lands, the waters abated in the seasonable time, and gave the people meanes to sow, and husband the ground as was usuall. But they retired not

from the lower grounds at all, but covered them all the seed-season, which never happened so before: To some grounds the water returned again, and rotted all the seed put into the ground during the abatement. So that the people were much trou∣bled with the strangenesse of it, and most of their cattle perished for want of food. The great Whale was then also taken, which the Constantinopoli••ans called the Por∣phyrion. It had troubled them, and the Townes about them above fifty years at times; drowning Ships, and catching men from aboard, and carrying them away. Justinian could by no endeavour get this Monster taken. But now a great number of Daulphins coming upon the mouth of the Euxine Sea, and espying the whale, fled from him, the most of them to the mouth of Sangaris, where the Whale overtook some of them, and devoured them: But either hunger or anger provoking him to pursue neer the shore, he fell into the mud, where tumbling and striving, hee was more engaged; and the Inhabitants hearing of it, ran downe, and hewed him with their Axes; but not being able to kill him, they drew him ashore, with great ropes, laying him upon Waynes, and found him thirty cubits long, and ten broad. They cut him in pieces, and some presently eate them, others pickled them up. The newes of the over-flowing of Nile, and this Whale, added to the Earth-quake which they had felt, filled the Constantinopolitans with prophesies of strange events; Men using still in present perplexities, and disturbances to make groundlesse conjectures of things to come.

But leaving sooth-sayings, and the interpretation of prodigies; doubtlesse the flood lying so long upon Egypt, caused for the present much calamity; and the kill∣ing of the Whale was the riddance of a great mischiefe; But some say it was not the Porphyrion, but some other Whale.

But to return to my matter. Totilas understanding that the Romans in Rusciana were very scarce of Victuall, sate down close by it, to take it before it could be re∣leived. And then ended the Winter, and the 13. yeare of this Warr, written by Procopius.

When the Emperour sent 2000. Foot into Sicily, and commanded Valerianus in∣stantly to repair to Belisarius, He passing the Gulfe, found at Otranto Belisarius and his Wife Antonina, who then sailed to Constantinople, to entreat the Empresse Theodora for some better supplies to her Husband in this Warr. But she found her dead, having lived in the Empire 22. yeares, and three moneths. In the mean time the Garrison in Rusciana capitulated to yeild up the Castle about Midsommer, if in the mean time they were not succoured; provided they have no hurt done them. In it were many Italians, men of quality, and Theopheron, brother to Tullianus, and of the Romans 300. Illyrian Horse-men, whom John had left there under Chalazar a Hunne, one of his Life-guard, and a very good Souldier, and Godilas a Thracian: Belisarius had sent 100. Souldiers to this Castle, who with those appointed by him to guard Rome, killed their Commander Conon, for selling the Corn and other victu∣all at Rome, to their prejudice. They sent some Priests to the Emperour, protest∣ing, that if he granted not abolition of this fault, and payed them their arrears by such a day, they would immediately revolt to Totilas. The Emperour did what they desired.