rocopius reached Syracuse, he unexpectedly met a man who had
been a fellow-citizen and friend of his from childhood, who had been
living in Syracuse for a long time engaged in the shipping business, and
he learned from him what he wanted; for this man showed him a domestic
who had three days before that very day come from Carthage, and he said
that they need not suspect that there would be any ambush set for the
fleet by the Vandals. For from no one in the world had they learned that
an army was coming against them at that time, but all the active men
among the Vandals had actually a little before gone on an expedition
against Godas. And for this reason Gelimer, with no thought of an enemy
in his mind and regardless of Carthage and all the other places on the
sea, was staying in Hermione, which is in Byzacium, four days' journey
distant from the coast; so that it was possible for them to sail without
fearing any difficulty and to anchor wherever the wind should call them.
When Procopius heard this, he took the hand of the domestic and walked
to the harbour of Arethousa where his boat lay at anchor, making many
enquiries of the man and searching out every detail. And going on board
the ship with him, he gave orders to raise the sails and to make all
speed for Caucana. And since the master of the domestic stood on the
shore wondering that he did not give him back the man, Procopius shouted
out, when the ship was already under way, begging him not to be angry
with him; for it was necessary that the domestic should meet the
general, and, after leading the army to Libya, would return after no
long time to Syracuse with much money in his pocket.

But upon coming to Caucana they found all in deep grief. For Dorotheus,
the general of the troops of Armenia, had died there, leaving to the
whole army a great sense of loss. But Belisarius, when the domestic had
come before him and related his whole story, became exceedingly glad,
and after bestowing many praises upon Procopius, he issued orders to
give the signal for departure with the trumpets. And setting sail
quickly they touched at the islands of Gaulus and Melita,[47] which mark
the boundary between the Adriatic and Tuscan Seas. There a strong east
wind arose for them, and on the following day it carried the ships to
the point of Libya, at the place which the Romans call in their own
tongue "Shoal's Head." For its name is "Caputvada," and it is five days'
journey from Carthage