, but accomplished nothing worth
mentioning because of the strength of the place; for the fortifications
of the city at this point are on a steep elevation and are not
favourably situated for assaults. Paulus was keeping guard there with an
infantry detachment which he commanded in person. In like manner they
made no attempt on the Flaminian Gate, because it is situated on a
precipitous slope and is not very easy of access. The "Reges,"[117] an
infantry detachment, were keeping guard there with Ursicinus, who
commanded them. And between this gate and the small gate next on the
right, which is called the Pincian, a certain portion of the wall had
split open of its own accord in ancient times, not clear to the ground,
however, but about half way down, but still it had not fallen or been
otherwise destroyed, though it leaned so to either side that one part of
it appeared outside the rest of the wall and the other inside. And from
this circumstance the Romans from ancient times have called the place
"Broken Wall"[118] in their own tongue. But when Belisarius in the
beginning undertook to tear down this portion and rebuild it, the Romans
prevented him, declaring that the Apostle Peter had promised them that
he would care for the guarding of the wall there. This Apostle is
reverenced by the Romans and held in awe above all others. And the
outcome of events at this place was in all respects what the Romans
contemplated and expected. For neither on that day nor throughout the
whole time during which the Goths were besieging Rome did any hostile
force come to that place, nor did any disturbance occur there. And we
marvelled indeed that it never occurred to us nor to the enemy to
remember this portion of the fortifications during the whole time,
either while they were making their assaults or carrying out their
designs against the wall by night; and yet many such attempts were made.
It was for this reason, in fact, that at a later time also no one
ventured to rebuild this part of the defences, but up to the present day
the wall there is split open in this way. So much, then, for this.

And at the Salarian Gate a Goth of goodly stature and a capable warrior,
wearing a corselet and having a helmet on his head, a man who was of no
mean station in the Gothic nation, refused to remain in the ranks with
his comrades, but stood by a tree and kept shooting many missiles at the
parapet. But this man by some chance was hit by a missile from