elves, for they had exchanged the power of the Goths for Greeks
who were not able to defend them, although they had never before seen
any men of the Greek race come to Italy except actors of tragedy and
mimes and thieving sailors.[94] Such words and many like them were
spoken by Vacis, but since no one replied to him, he returned to the
Goths and Vittigis. As for Belisarius, he brought upon himself much
ridicule on the part of the Romans, for though he had barely escaped
from the enemy, he bade them take courage thenceforth and look with
contempt upon the barbarians; for he knew well, he said, that he would
conquer them decisively. Now the manner in which he had come to know
this with certainty will be told in the following narrative.[95] At
length, when it was well on in the night, Belisarius, who had been
fasting up to this time, was with difficulty compelled by his wife and
those of his friends who were present to taste a very little bread.
Thus, then, the two armies passed this night.

[Illustration: Based upon the plan in Hodgkin's "Italy and her
Invaders." Edward Stanford Ltd. London]

FOOTNOTES:

[89] Having a white spot, "White-face."

[90] See plan opposite p. 185.

[91] See plan opposite p. 185.

[92] For Procopius' description of the wall "across the Tiber," see
chap. xix. 6-10.

[93] See plan opposite p. 185.

[94] Cf. Book IV. xxvii. 38, note.

[95] Chap. xxvii. 25-29.

XIX

But on the following day they arrayed themselves for the struggle, the
Goths thinking to capture Rome by siege without any trouble on account
of the great size of the city, and the Romans defending it. Now the wall
of the city has fourteen large gates and several smaller ones. And the
Goths, being unable with their entire army to envelop the wall on every
side, made six fortified camps from which they harassed the portion of
the wall containing five gates, from the Flaminian as far as the one
called the Praenestine Gate; and all these camps were made by them on
the left bank of the Tiber River. Wherefore the barbarians feared lest
their enemy, by destroying the bridge which bears the name of Mulvius,
should render inaccessible to them all the land on the right bank of the
river as far as the sea, and in this way have not the slightest
experience of the evils of a siege, and so they fixed a seventh camp
across the Tiber in the Plain of Nero, in order that the bridge might be
between their two armies. So in this way