y call Aclas. Accordingly Gelimer came before him in
that place, laughing with such laughter as was neither moderate nor the
kind one could conceal, and some of those who were looking at him
suspected that by reason of the extremity of his affliction he had
changed entirely from his natural state and that, already beside
himself, he was laughing for no reason. But his friends would have it
that the man was in his sound mind, and that because he had been born in
a royal family, and had ascended the throne, and had been clothed with
great power and immense wealth from childhood even to old age, and then
being driven to flight and plunged into great fear had undergone the
sufferings on Papua, and now had come as a captive, having in this way
had experience of all the gifts of fortune, both good and evil, for this
reason, they believed, he thought that man's lot was worthy of nothing
else than much laughter. Now concerning this laughter of Gelimer's, let
each one speak according to his judgment, both enemy and friend. But
Belisarius, reporting to the emperor that Gelimer was a captive in
Carthage, asked permission to bring him to Byzantium with him. At the
same time he guarded both him and all the Vandals in no dishonour and
proceeded to put the fleet in readiness.

Now many other things too great to be hoped for have before now been
experienced in the long course of time, and they will continue as long
as the fortunes of men are the same as they now are; for those things
which seem to reason impossible are actually accomplished, and many
times those things which previously appeared impossible, when they have
befallen, have seemed to be worthy of wonder; but whether such events as
these ever took place before I am not able to say, wherein the fourth
descendant of Gizeric, and his kingdom at the height of its wealth and
military strength, were completely undone in so short a time by five
thousand men coming in as invaders and having not a place to cast
anchor. For such was the number of the horsemen who followed Belisarius,
and carried through the whole war against the Vandals. For whether this
happened by chance or because of some kind of valour, one would justly
marvel at it. But I shall return to the point from which I have strayed.

VIII

So the Vandalic war ended thus. But envy, as is wont to happen in cases
of great good fortune, was already swelling against Belisarius, although
he provided no pretext for it. For s