xact
vengeance for the injury done the Romans. And the emperor sent another
army also to Solomon with Theodoras, the Cappadocian, and Ildiger, who
was the son-in-law of Antonina, the wife of Belisarius. And since it was
no longer possible to find the revenues of the districts of Libya set
down in order in documents, as the Romans had recorded them in former
times,[25] inasmuch as Gizeric had upset and destroyed everything in the
beginning, Tryphon and Eustratius were sent by the emperor, in order to
assess the taxes for the Libyans each according to his proportion. But
these men seemed to the Libyans neither moderate nor endurable.

IX

Belisarius, upon reaching Byzantium with Gelimer and the Vandals, was
counted worthy to receive such honours, as in former times were assigned
to those generals of the Romans who had won the greatest and most
noteworthy victories. And a period of about six hundred years had now
passed since anyone had attained these honours,[26] except, indeed,
Titus and Trajan, and such other emperors as had led armies against some
barbarian nation and had been victorious. For he displayed the spoils
and slaves from the war in the midst of the city and led a procession
which the Romans call a "triumph," not, however, in the ancient manner,
but going on foot from his own house to the hippodrome and then again
from the barriers until he reached the place where the imperial throne
is.[27] And there was booty,--first of all, whatever articles are wont
to be set apart for the royal service,--thrones of gold and carriages in
which it is customary for a king's consort to ride, and much jewelry
made of precious stones, and golden drinking cups, and all the other
things which are useful for the royal table. And there was also silver
weighing many thousands of talents and all the royal treasure amounting
to an exceedingly great sum (for Gizeric had despoiled the Palatium in
Rome, as has been said in the preceding narrative),[28] and among these
were the treasures of the Jews, which Titus, the son of Vespasian,
together with certain others, had brought to Rome after the capture of
Jerusalem. And one of the Jews, seeing these things, approached one of
those known to the emperor and said: "These treasures I think it
inexpedient to carry into the palace in Byzantium. Indeed, it is not
possible for them to be elsewhere than in the place where Solomon, the
king of the Jews, formerly placed them. For it is because of