rcy. And very soon this report, at first doubted, was fully
confirmed. The event excited no less astonishment than horror,
contrasting as it did with Totila's humanity throughout the war. Some
offered as explanation the fact that many Goths lived at Tibur, whose
indifference or hostility had angered the king; others surmised that
this was Totila's warning after the failure of his proclamation to the
Romans. Whatever the meaning of such unwonted severity, its effect upon
the Romans was unfavourable to the Gothic cause. Just about this time
there happened to arrive two captains, sent by Belisarius with a small
troop for the reinforcement of Bessas. The addition to the strength of
the garrison was inconsiderable, but it served to put the city in heart
once more. The Patricius himself would not be long in coming, and when
did the name of Belisarius sound anything but victory?

This confidence increased when Totila, instead of marching upon Rome,
as all had expected, turned in the opposite direction, and led his
forces across the Apennines. The gates were thrown open; the citizens
resumed their ordinary life, saying to each other that all fear of a
siege was at an end; and when certain ships from Sicily, having by good
luck escaped the Gothic galleys, landed a good supply of corn, there
was great exultation. True, only a scanty measure of this food reached
the populace, and that chiefly by the good offices of the archdeacon
Pelagius, now become as dear to the people as Pope Vigilius was
hateful; the granaries were held by Bessas, who first of all fed his
soldiers, and then sold at a great price. As winter went on, the Romans
suffered much. And with the spring came disquieting news of Totila's
successes northwards: the towns of Picenum had yielded to him; he was
moving once more in this direction; he captured Spoletium, Assisium,
and still came on.

Belisarius, meanwhile, had crossed to Italy, and was encamped at
Ravenna. Why, asked the Romans, impatiently, anxiously, did he not
march to meet the Gothic king? But the better informed knew that his
army was miserably insufficient; they heard of his ceaseless appeals to
Byzantium, of his all but despair in finding himself without money,
without men, in the land which but a few years ago had seen his glory.
Would the Emperor take no thought for Italy, for Rome? Bessas, with
granaries well stored, and his palace heaped with Roman riches,
shrugged when the nobles spoke disrespectf