still in him, and one of his
companions entreated him to speak some word to him. But he could not do
even this, for the inside of his body was on fire because of the lack of
food and the thirst caused by his suffering, and so he nodded to him to
put water into his mouth. Then when he had drunk and become himself
again, they lifted and carried him to the camp. And Visandus Vandalarius
won a great name for this deed among the Goths, and he lived on a very
considerable time, enjoying the greatest renown. This, then, took place
on the third day after the battle.

But at that time Belisarius, after reaching safety with his followers,
gathered the soldiers and almost the whole Roman populace to the wall,
and commanded them to burn many fires and keep watch throughout the
whole night. And going about the circuit of the fortifications, he set
everything in order and put one of his commanders in charge of each
gate. But Bessas, who took command of the guard at the gate called the
Praenestine,[91] sent a messenger to Belisarius with orders to say that
the city was held by the enemy, who had broken in through another gate
which is across the Tiber River[92] and bears the name of Pancratius, a
holy man. And all those who were in the company of Belisarius, upon
hearing this, urged him to save himself as quickly as possible through
some other gate. He, however, neither became panic-stricken, nor did he
hesitate to declare that the report was false. And he also sent some of
his horsemen across the Tiber with all speed, and they, after looking
over the ground there, brought back word that no hostile attack had been
made on the city in that quarter. He therefore sent immediately to each
gate and instructed the commanders everywhere that, whenever they heard
that the enemy had broken in at any other part of the fortifications,
they should not try to assist in the defence nor abandon their post, but
should remain quiet; for he himself would take care of such matters. And
he did this in order that they might not be thrown into disorder a
second time by a rumour which was not true.

But Vittigis, while the Romans were still in great confusion, sent to
the Salarian Gate[93] one of his commanders, Vacis by name, a man of no
mean station. And when he had arrived there, he began to reproach the
Romans for their faithlessness to the Goths and upbraided them for the
treason which he said they had committed against both their fatherland
and thems