]

Meanwhile the Roman army crossed the strait and 311
marched toward Campania. They took Naples and
pressed on to Rome. Now a few days before they arrived,
King Vitiges had set forth from Rome, arrived at
Ravenna and married Mathesuentha, the daughter of
Amalasuentha and grand-daughter of Theodoric, the former
king. While he was celebrating his new marriage and
holding court at Ravenna, the imperial army advanced
from Rome and attacked the strongholds in both parts of
Tuscany. When Vitiges learned of this through messengers,
he sent a force under Hunila, a leader of the Goths,
to Perusia which was beleaguered by them. While they 312
were endeavoring by a long siege to dislodge Count
Magnus, who was holding the place with a small force,
the Roman army came upon them, and they themselves
were driven away and utterly exterminated. When Vitiges
heard the news, he raged like a lion and assembled
all the host of the Goths. He advanced from Ravenna
and harassed the walls of Rome with a long siege. But
after fourteen months his courage was broken and he
raised the siege of the city of Rome and prepared to overwhelm
Ariminum. Here he was baffled in like manner 313
and put to flight; and so he retreated to Ravenna. When
besieged there, he quickly and willingly surrendered himself
to the victorious side, together with his wife Mathesuentha
and the royal treasure.

And thus a famous kingdom and most valiant race,
which had long held sway, was at last overcome in almost
its two thousand and thirtieth year by that conquerer of
many nations, the Emperor Justinian, through his most
faithful consul Belisarius. He gave Vitiges the title of
Patrician and took him to Constantinople, where he dwelt
for more than two years, bound by ties of affection to the
Emperor, and then departed this life. But his consort 314
Mathesuentha was bestowed by the Emperor upon the
Patrician Germanus, his cousin. And of them was born
a son (also called Germanus) after the death of his
father Germanus. This union of the race of the Anicii
with the stock of the Amali gives hopeful promise, under
the Lord's favor, to both peoples.

(Conclusion)

And now we have recited the origin of the Goths, the 315
noble line of the Amali and the deeds of brave men. This
glorious race yielded to a more glorious prince and surrendered
to a more valiant leader, whose fame shall be
silenced by no ages or cycles of years; for the victorious
and t