at they would
rather pay the barbarians fifty than ninety to us. But all this was not
enough. Sailing to the north-east from Sicily, the tyrant Totila united
his squadron with a fourth fleet, under Earl Teja, off Hydrus. Part of
this united fleet, under Earl Thorismuth, sailed to Corcyra, took
possession of that island, and thence conquered all the surrounding
islands. But not yet enough. The tyrant Totila and Earl Teja already
attack the mainland of our Empire."

A murmur of terror interrupted the august speaker.

Justinian resumed in an angry voice:

"They have landed in the harbour of Epirus vetus, carried the towns
Nicopolis and Anchisus, south-west of the ancient Dodona, and taken a
great many of our ships along the coast. All this may excite your
indignation against the insolence of these barbarians; but you have now
to hear what will move you in a different way. Briefly, according to
reports which reached me yesterday, it is certain that the Goths are in
full march upon Byzantium itself!"

At this some of the senators sprang to their feet.

"They intend a double attack. Their united fleet, commanded by Duke
Guntharis, Earls Markja, Grippa, and Thorismuth, has beaten, in a
combat of two days' duration, the fleet which protected our island
provinces, and has driven it into the straits of Sestos and Abydos.
Their army, under Totila and Teja, is marching across Thessaly by way
of Dodona against Macedonia. Thessalonica is already threatened. Earl
Teja has razed to the ground the 'New Wall' which we had there erected.
The road to Byzantium is open. And no army stands between us and the
barbarians. All our troops are on the Persian frontier. And now listen
to what the Goth proposes. Fortunately God has befooled and blinded him
to our weakness. He again offers us peace under the former conditions,
with the one exception that he now intends to keep possession of
Sicily. But he will evacuate all his other conquests if we will
acknowledge his rule in Italy. As I had no means, neither fleets nor
cohorts, to stop his victorious course, I have, for the present,
demanded an armistice. This he has agreed to, on condition that
afterwards peace is to be concluded on the former conditions. I have
agreed to this----"

And, pausing, the Emperor cast a searching glance at the assembly, and
looked askance at the Empress.

The assembly was evidently relieved. The Empress closed her eyes in
order to conceal their expression. Her