ger to him opened secret negotiations with him
concerning marriage and the betrayal of the city.

So these two kept sending messengers to each other without the knowledge
of the rest and arranging these matters. But when the Goths learned what
had happened at Ariminum, and when at the same time all their provisions
had failed them, and the three months' time had already expired, they
began to make their withdrawal, although they had not as yet received
any information as far as the envoys were concerned. Now it was about
the spring equinox, and one year had been spent in the siege and nine
days in addition, when the Goths, having burned all their camps, set out
at daybreak. And the Romans, seeing their opponents in flight, were at a
loss how to deal with the situation. For it so happened that the
majority of the horsemen were not present at that time, since they had
been sent to various places, as has been stated by me above,[172] and
they did not think that by themselves they were a match for so great a
multitude of the enemy. However, Belisarius armed all the infantry and
cavalry. And when he saw that more than half of the enemy had crossed
the bridge, he led the army out through the small Pincian Gate, and the
hand-to-hand battle which ensued proved to be equal to any that had
preceded it. At the beginning the barbarians withstood their enemy
vigorously, and many on both sides fell in the first encounter; but
afterwards the Goths turned to flight and brought upon themselves a
great and overwhelming calamity; for each man for himself was rushing to
cross the bridge first. As a result of this they became very much
crowded and suffered most cruelly, for they were being killed both by
each other and by the enemy. Many, too, fell off the bridge on either
side into the Tiber, sank with all their arms, and perished. Finally,
after losing in this way the most of their number, the remainder joined
those who had crossed before. And Longinus the Isaurian and Mundilas,
the guards of Belisarius, made themselves conspicuous for their valour
in this battle. But while Mundilas, after engaging with four barbarians
in turn and killing them all, was himself saved, Longinus, having proved
himself the chief cause of the rout of the enemy, fell where he fought,
leaving the Roman army great regret for his loss.

FOOTNOTES:

[168] Modern Osimo.

[169] Modern Urbino.

[170] Modern Rimini.

[171] Cf. Book V. xi. 27.

[172] Chap. vii.