[158] Cf. Book V. i. 10, 11.

[159] The Goths were Christians, but followed the Arian heresy.

VII

But while these negotiations were in progress at Rome, meanwhile the
fleet of the Isaurians put in at the harbour[160] of the Romans and John
with his men came to Ostia, and not one of the enemy hindered them
either while bringing their ships to land or while making their camp.
But in order that they might be able to pass the night safe from a
sudden attack by the enemy, the Isaurians dug a deep trench close to the
harbour and kept a constant guard by shifts of men, while John's
soldiers made a barricade of their waggons about the camp and remained
quiet. And when night came on Belisarius went to Ostia with a hundred
horsemen, and after telling what had taken place in the engagement and
the agreement which had been made between the Romans and the Goths and
otherwise encouraging them, he bade them bring their cargoes and come
with all zeal to Rome. "For," he said, "I shall take care that the
journey is free from danger." So he himself at early dawn rode back to
the city, and Antonina together with the commanders began at daybreak to
consider means of transporting the cargoes. But it seemed to them that
the task was a hard one and beset with the greatest difficulties. For
the oxen could hold out no longer, but all lay half-dead, and,
furthermore, it was dangerous to travel over a rather narrow road with
the waggons, and impossible to tow the barges on the river, as had
formerly been the custom. For the road which is on the left[2] of the
river was held by the enemy, as stated by me in the previous
narrative,[162] and not available for the use of the Romans at that
time, while the road on the other side of it is altogether unused, at
least that part of it which follows the river-bank. They therefore
selected the small boats belonging to the larger ships, put a fence of
high planks around them on all sides, in order that the men on board
might not be exposed to the enemy's shots, and embarked archers and
sailors on them in numbers suitable for each boat. And after they had
loaded the boats with all the freight they could carry, they waited for
a favouring wind and set sail toward Rome by the Tiber, and a portion of
the army followed them along the right[161] bank of the river to support
them. But they left a large number of Isaurians to guard the ships. Now
where the course of the river was straight, they found n