ans and especially the
Zacynthians. For at one time Gizeric, falling suddenly upon the towns in
the Peloponnesus, undertook to assault Taenarum. And being repulsed from
there and losing many of his followers he retired in complete disorder.
And while he was still filled with anger on account of this, he touched
at Zacynthus, and having killed many of those he met and enslaved five
hundred of the notables, he sailed away soon afterwards. And when he
reached the middle of the Adriatic Sea, as it is called, he cut into
small pieces the bodies of the five hundred and threw them all about the
sea without the least concern. But this happened in earlier times.

XXIII

But at that time Gelimer, by distributing much money to the farmers
among the Libyans and shewing great friendliness toward them, succeeded
in winning many to his side. These he commanded to kill the Romans who
went out into the country, proclaiming a fixed sum of gold for each man
killed, to be paid to him who did the deed. And they killed many from
the Roman army, not soldiers, however, but slaves and servants, who
because of a desire for money went up into the villages stealthily and
were caught. And the farmers brought their heads before Gelimer and
departed receiving their pay, while he supposed that they had slain
soldiers of the enemy.

At that time Diogenes, the aide of Belisarius, made a display of
valorous deeds. For having been sent, together with twenty-two of the
body-guards, to spy upon their opponents, he came to a place two days'
journey distant from Carthage. And the farmers of the place, being
unable to kill these men, reported to Gelimer that they were there. And
he chose out and sent against them three hundred horsemen of the
Vandals, enjoining upon them to bring all the men alive before him. For
it seemed to him a most remarkable achievement to make captive a
personal aide of Belisarius with twenty-two body-guards. Now Diogenes
and his party had entered a certain house and were sleeping in the upper
storey, having no thought of the enemy in mind, since, indeed, they had
learned that their opponents were far away. But the Vandals, coming
there at early dawn, thought it would not be to their advantage to
destroy the doors of the house or to enter it in the dark, fearing lest,
being involved in a night encounter, they might themselves destroy one
another, and at the same time, if that should happen, provide a way of
escape for a large numbe