[Footnote58:Astillgreaternumberwasconsumedbyfamineinthesouthernprovinces，withouttheIonianGulf。Acornswereusedintheplaceofbread。Procopiushadseenadesertedorphansuckledbyashe—goat。Seventeenpassengerswerelodged，murdered，andeaten，bytwowomen，whoweredetectedandslainbytheeighteenth，&c。
Note:DeninaconsidersthatgreaterevilwasinflicteduponItalybytheUrocianconquestthanbyanyotherinvasion。
Reveluz。d'Italia，t。i。l。v。p。247。—M。]
[Footnote59:QuintaregioPiceniest；quondamuberrimaemultitudinis，ccclx。milliaPicentiuminfidemP。R。venere，Plin。Hist。Natur。iii。18。InthetimeofVespasian，thisancientpopulationwasalreadydiminished。]
[Footnote60:Perhapsfifteenorsixteenmillions。ProcopiusAnecdot。c。18computesthatAfricalostfivemillions，thatItalywasthriceasextensive，andthatthedepopulationwasinalargerproportion。Buthisreckoningisinflamedbypassion，andcloudedwithuncertainty。]
Idesiretobelieve，butIdarenotaffirm，thatBelisariussincerelyrejoicedinthetriumphofNarses。Yettheconsciousnessofhisownexploitsmightteachhimtoesteemwithoutjealousythemeritofarival；andthereposeoftheagedwarriorwascrownedbyalastvictory，whichsavedtheemperorandthecapital。TheBarbarians，whoannuallyvisitedtheprovincesofEurope，werelessdiscouragedbysomeaccidentaldefeats，thantheywereexcitedbythedoublehopeofspoilandofsubsidy。Inthethirty—secondwinterofJustinian'sreign，theDanubewasdeeplyfrozen:ZaberganledthecavalryoftheBulgarians，andhisstandardwasfollowedbyapromiscuousmultitudeofSclavonians。Thesavagechiefpassed，withoutopposition，theriverandthemountains，spreadhistroopsoverMacedoniaandThrace，andadvancedwithnomorethanseventhousandhorsetothelongwall，whichshouldhavedefendedtheterritoryofConstantinople。Buttheworksofmanareimpotentagainsttheassaultsofnature:arecentearthquakehadshakenthefoundationsofthewall；andtheforcesoftheempirewereemployedonthedistantfrontiersofItaly，Africa，andPersia。
Thesevenschools，^61orcompaniesoftheguardsordomestictroops，hadbeenaugmentedtothenumberoffivethousandfivehundredmen，whoseordinarystationwasinthepeacefulcitiesofAsia。ButtheplacesofthebraveArmenianswereinsensiblysuppliedbylazycitizens，whopurchasedanexemptionfromthedutiesofcivillife，withoutbeingexposedtothedangersofmilitaryservice。Ofsuchsoldiers，fewcouldbetemptedtosallyfromthegates；andnonecouldbepersuadedtoremaininthefield，unlesstheywantedstrengthandspeedtoescapefromtheBulgarians。Thereportofthefugitivesexaggeratedthenumbersandfiercenessofanenemy，whohadpollutedholyvirgins，andabandonednew—borninfantstothedogsandvultures；
acrowdofrustics，imploringfoodandprotection，increasedtheconsternationofthecity，andthetentsofZaberganwerepitchedatthedistanceoftwentymiles，^62onthebanksofasmallriver，whichencirclesMelanthias，andafterwardsfallsintothePropontis。^63Justiniantrembled:andthosewhohadonlyseentheemperorinhisoldage，werepleasedtosuppose，thathehadlostthealacrityandvigorofhisyouth。Byhiscommandthevesselsofgoldandsilverwereremovedfromthechurchesintheneighborhood，andeventhesuburbs，ofConstantinople；therampartswerelinedwithtremblingspectators；thegoldengatewascrowdedwithuselessgeneralsandtribunes，andthesenatesharedthefatiguesandtheapprehensionsofthepopulace。
[Footnote*:ZaberganwaskingoftheCutrigours，atribeofHuns，whowereneitherBulgariansnorSclavonians。St。Martin，vol。ix。p。408—420。—M]
[Footnote61:Inthedecayofthesemilitaryschools，thesatireofProcopiusAnecdot。c。24，Aleman。p。102，103isconfirmedandillustratedbyAgathias，l。v。p。159，whocannotberejectedasahostilewitness。]
[Footnote62:ThedistancefromConstantinopletoMelanthias，VillaCaesariana，Ammian。Marcellin。xxx。11，isvariouslyfixedat102or140stadia，Suidas，tom。ii。p。522，523。
Agathias，l。v。p。158，orxviii。orxix。miles，Itineraria，p。138，230，323，332，andWesseling'sObservations。Thefirstxii。miles，asfarasRhegium，werepavedbyJustinian，whobuiltabridgeoveramorassorgulletbetweenalakeandthesea，Procop。deEdif。l。iv。c。8。]
[Footnote63:TheAtyras，Pompon。Mela，l。ii。c。2，p。169，edit。Voss。Attheriver'smouth，atownorcastleofthesamenamewasfortifiedbyJustinian，Procop。deEdif。l。iv。c。2。
Itinerar。p。570，andWesseling。]
Buttheeyesoftheprinceandpeopleweredirectedtoafeebleveteran，whowascompelledbythepublicdangertoresumethearmorinwhichhehadenteredCarthageanddefendedRome。
Thehorsesoftheroyalstables，ofprivatecitizens，andevenofthecircus，werehastilycollected；theemulationoftheoldandyoungwasrousedbythenameofBelisarius，andhisfirstencampmentwasinthepresenceofavictoriousenemy。Hisprudence，andthelaborofthefriendlypeasants，secured，withaditchandrampart，thereposeofthenight；innumerablefires，andcloudsofdust，wereartfullycontrivedtomagnifytheopinionofhisstrength；hissoldierssuddenlypassedfromdespondencytopresumption；and，whiletenthousandvoicesdemandedthebattle，Belisariusdissembledhisknowledge，thatinthehouroftrialhemustdependonthefirmnessofthreehundredveterans。ThenextmorningtheBulgariancavalryadvancedtothecharge。Buttheyheardtheshoutsofmultitudes，theybeheldthearmsanddisciplineofthefront；theywereassaultedontheflanksbytwoambuscadeswhichrosefromthewoods；theirforemostwarriorsfellbythehandoftheagedheroandhisgnards；andtheswiftnessoftheirevolutionswasrendereduselessbythecloseattackandrapidpursuitoftheRomans。InthisactionsospeedywastheirflighttheBulgarianslostonlyfourhundredhorse；butConstantinoplewassaved；andZabergan，whofeltthehandofamaster，withdrewtoarespectfuldistance。
Buthisfriendswerenumerousinthecouncilsoftheemperor，andBelisariusobeyedwithreluctancethecommandsofenvyandJustinian，whichforbadehimtoachievethedeliveranceofhiscountry。Onhisreturntothecity，thepeople，stillconsciousoftheirdanger，accompaniedhistriumphwithacclamationsofjoyandgratitude，whichwereimputedasacrimetothevictoriousgeneral。Butwhenheenteredthepalace，thecourtiersweresilent，andtheemperor，afteracoldandthanklessembrace，dismissedhimtominglewiththetrainofslaves。Yetsodeepwastheimpressionofhisgloryonthemindsofmen，thatJustinian，intheseventy—seventhyearofhisage，wasencouragedtoadvancenearfortymilesfromthecapital，andtoinspectinpersontherestorationofthelongwall。TheBulgarianswastedthesummerintheplainsofThrace；buttheywereinclinedtopeacebythefailureoftheirrashattemptsonGreeceandtheChersonesus。Amenaceofkillingtheirprisonersquickenedthepaymentofheavyransoms；andthedepartureofZaberganwashastenedbythereport，thatdouble—prowedvesselswerebuiltontheDanubetointercepthispassage。Thedangerwassoonforgotten；andavainquestion，whethertheirsovereignhadshownmorewisdomorweakness，amusedtheidlenessofthecity。^64
[Footnote64:TheBulgarianwar，andthelastvictoryofBelisarius，areimperfectlyrepresentedintheprolixdeclamationofAgathias。l。5，p。154—174，andthedryChronicleofTheophanes，p。197198。]
ChapterXLIII:LastVictoryAndDeathOfBelisarius，DeathOfJustinian。
PartIV。
AbouttwoyearsafterthelastvictoryofBelisarius，theemperorreturnedfromaThracianjourneyofhealth，orbusiness，ordevotion。Justinianwasafflictedbyapaininhishead；andhisprivateentrycountenancedtherumorofhisdeath。Beforethethirdhouroftheday，thebakers'shopswereplunderedoftheirbread，thehouseswereshut，andeverycitizen，withhopeorterror，preparedfortheimpendingtumult。Thesenatorsthemselves，fearfulandsuspicious，wereconvenedattheninthhour；andthepraefectreceivedtheircommandstovisiteveryquarterofthecity，andproclaimageneralilluminationfortherecoveryoftheemperor'shealth。Thefermentsubsided；buteveryaccidentbetrayedtheimpotenceofthegovernment，andthefactioustemperofthepeople:theguardsweredisposedtomutinyasoftenastheirquarterswerechanged，ortheirpaywaswithheld:thefrequentcalamitiesoffiresandearthquakesaffordedtheopportunitiesofdisorder；thedisputesofthebluesandgreens，oftheorthodoxandheretics，degeneratedintobloodybattles；and，inthepresenceofthePersianambassador，Justinianblushedforhimselfandforhissubjects。Capriciouspardonandarbitrarypunishmentimbitteredtheirksomenessanddiscontentofalongreign:aconspiracywasformedinthepalace；and，unlesswearedeceivedbythenamesofMarcellusandSergius，themostvirtuousandthemostprofligateofthecourtierswereassociatedinthesamedesigns。Theyhadfixedthetimeoftheexecution；theirrankgavethemaccesstotheroyalbanquet；andtheirblackslaves^65werestationedinthevestibuleandporticos，toannouncethedeathofthetyrant，andtoexciteaseditioninthecapital。ButtheindiscretionofanaccomplicesavedthepoorremnantofthedaysofJustinian。Theconspiratorsweredetectedandseized，withdaggershiddenundertheirgarments:Marcellusdiedbyhisownhand，andSergiuswasdraggedfromthesanctuary。^66Pressedbyremorse，ortemptedbythehopesofsafety，heaccusedtwoofficersofthehouseholdofBelisarius；andtortureforcedthemtodeclarethattheyhadactedaccordingtothesecretinstructionsoftheirpatron。^67
Posteritywillnothastilybelievethataherowho，inthevigoroflife，haddisdainedthefairestoffersofambitionandrevenge，shouldstooptothemurderofhisprince，whomhecouldnotlongexpecttosurvive。Hisfollowerswereimpatienttofly；
butflightmusthavebeensupportedbyrebellion，andhehadlivedenoughfornatureandforglory。Belisariusappearedbeforethecouncilwithlessfearthanindignation:afterfortyyears'
service，theemperorhadprejudgedhisguilt；andinjusticewassanctifiedbythepresenceandauthorityofthepatriarch。ThelifeofBelisariuswasgraciouslyspared；buthisfortunesweresequestered，and，fromDecembertoJuly，hewasguardedasaprisonerinhisownpalace。Atlengthhisinnocencewasacknowledged；hisfreedomandhonorwererestored；anddeath，whichmightbehastenedbyresentmentandgrief，removedhimfromtheworldinabouteightmonthsafterhisdeliverance。ThenameofBelisariuscanneverdiebutinsteadofthefuneral，themonuments，thestatues，sojustlyduetohismemory，Ionlyread，thathistreasures，thespoiloftheGothsandVandals，wereimmediatelyconfiscatedbytheemperor。Somedecentportionwasreserved，howeverfortheuseofhiswidow:andasAntoninahadmuchtorepent，shedevotedthelastremainsofherlifeandfortunetothefoundationofaconvent。SuchisthesimpleandgenuinenarrativeofthefallofBelisariusandtheingratitudeofJustinian。^68Thathewasdeprivedofhiseyes，andreducedbyenvytobeghisbread，"GiveapennytoBelisariusthegeneral!"isafictionoflatertimes，^69whichhasobtainedcredit，orratherfavor，asastrangeexampleofthevicissitudesoffortune。^70
[Footnote65:TheycouldscarcelyberealIndians；andtheAethiopians，sometimesknownbythatname，wereneverusedbytheancientsasguardsorfollowers:theywerethetrifling，thoughcostlyobjectsoffemaleandroyalluxury，Terent。Eunuch。act。
i。sceneiiSueton。inAugust。c。83，withagoodnoteofCasaubon，inCaligula，c。57。]
[Footnote66:TheSergiusVandal。l。ii。c。21，22，Anecdot。c。
5andMarcellusGoth。l。iii。c。32arementionedbyProcopius。SeeTheophanes，p。197，201。
Note:Somewords，"theactsof，"or"thecrimescf，"appeartohavefalsefromthetext。TheomissionisinalltheeditionsIhaveconsulted。—M。]
[Footnote67:Alemannus，p。quotesanoldByzantianMs。，whichhasbeenprintedintheImperiumOrientaleofBanduri。]
[Footnote68:OfthedisgraceandrestorationofBelisarius，thegenuineoriginalrecordispreservedintheFragmentofJohnMalalatom。ii。p。234—243andtheexactChronicleofTheophanes，p。194—204。CedrenusCompend。p。387，388andZonarastom。ii。l。xiv。p。69seemtohesitatebetweentheobsoletetruthandthegrowingfalsehood。]
[Footnote*:LeBeau，followingAllemannus，conceivesthatBelisariuswasconfoundedwithJohnofCappadocia，whowasthusreducedtobeggary，vol。ix。p。58，449。LordMahonhas，withconsiderablelearning，andontheauthorityofayetunquotedwriteroftheeleventhcentury，endeavoredtoreestablishtheoldtradition。IcannotacknowledgethatIhavebeenconvinced，andaminclinedtosubscribetothetheoryofLeBeau。—M。]
[Footnote69:Thesourceofthisidlefablemaybederivedfromamiscellaneousworkofthexiithcentury，theChiliadsofJohnTzetzes，amonk，Basil。1546，adcalcemLycophront。Colon。
Allobrog。1614，inCorp。Poet。Graec。HerelatestheblindnessandbeggaryofBelisariusintenvulgarorpoliticalverses，Chiliadiii。No。88，339—348，inCorp。Poet。Graec。tom。ii。
p。311。
ThismoralorromantictalewasimportedintoItalywiththelanguageandmanuscriptsofGreece；repeatedbeforetheendofthexvthcenturybyCrinitus，Pontanus，andVolaterranus，attackedbyAlciat，forthehonorofthelaw；anddefendedbyBaronius，A。D。561，No。2，&c。，forthehonorofthechurch。
YetTzetzeshimselfhadreadinotherchronicles，thatBelisariusdidnotlosehissight，andthatherecoveredhisfameandfortunes。
Note:IknownotwhereGibbonfoundTzetzestobeamonk；I
supposeheconsideredhisbadversesaproofofhismonachism。
ComparetoGerbeliusinKiesling'seditionofTzetzes。—M。]
[Footnote70:ThestatueinthevillaBorgheseatRome，inasittingposture，withanopenhand，whichisvulgarlygiventoBelisarius，maybeascribedwithmoredignitytoAugustusintheactofpropitiatingNemesis，Winckelman，Hist。del'Art，tom。
iii。p。266。Exnocturnovisuetiamstipem，quotannis，diecerto，emendicabatapopulo，cavanamanumassesporrigentibuspraebens，Sueton。inAugust。c。91，withanexcellentnoteofCasaubon。
Note:LordMahonabandonsthestatue，asaltogetherirreconcilablewiththestateoftheartsatthisperiod，p。
472。—M。]
IftheemperorcouldrejoiceinthedeathofBelisarius，heenjoyedthebasesatisfactiononlyeightmonths，thelastperiodofareignofthirty—eightyears，andalifeofeighty—threeyears。Itwouldbedifficulttotracethecharacterofaprincewhoisnotthemostconspicuousobjectofhisowntimes:buttheconfessionsofanenemymaybereceivedasthesafestevidenceofhisvirtues。TheresemblanceofJustiniantothebustofDomitian，ismaliciouslyurged；^71withtheacknowledgment，however，ofawell—proportionedfigure，aruddycomplexion，andapleasingcountenance。Theemperorwaseasyofaccess，patientofhearing，courteousandaffableindiscourse，andamasteroftheangrypassionswhichragewithsuchdestructiveviolenceinthebreastofadespot。Procopiuspraiseshistemper，toreproachhimwithcalmanddeliberatecruelty:butintheconspiracieswhichattackedhisauthorityandperson，amorecandidjudgewillapprovethejustice，oradmiretheclemency，ofJustinian。Heexcelledintheprivatevirtuesofchastityandtemperance:buttheimpartialloveofbeautywouldhavebeenlessmischievousthanhisconjugaltendernessforTheodora；andhisabstemiousdietwasregulated，notbytheprudenceofaphilosopher，butthesuperstitionofamonk。Hisrepastswereshortandfrugal:onsolemnfasts，hecontentedhimselfwithwaterandvegetables；andsuchwashisstrength，aswellasfervor，thathefrequentlypassedtwodays，andasmanynights，withouttastinganyfood。
Themeasureofhissleepwasnotlessrigorous:afterthereposeofasinglehour，thebodywasawakenedbythesoul，and，totheastonishmentofhischamberlain，Justinianwalkedorstudiedtillthemorninglight。Suchrestlessapplicationprolongedhistimefortheacquisitionofknowledge^72andthedespatchofbusiness；andhemightseriouslydeservethereproachofconfounding，byminuteandpreposterousdiligence，thegeneralorderofhisadministration。Theemperorprofessedhimselfamusicianandarchitect，apoetandphilosopher，alawyerandtheologian；andifhefailedintheenterpriseofreconcilingtheChristiansects，thereviewoftheRomanjurisprudenceisanoblemonumentofhisspiritandindustry。Inthegovernmentoftheempire，hewaslesswise，orlesssuccessful:theagewasunfortunate；thepeoplewasoppressedanddiscontented；Theodoraabusedherpower；asuccessionofbadministersdisgracedhisjudgment；andJustinianwasneitherbelovedinhislife，norregrettedathisdeath。Theloveoffamewasdeeplyimplantedinhisbreast，buthecondescendedtothepoorambitionoftitles，honors，andcontemporarypraise；andwhilehelaboredtofixtheadmiration，heforfeitedtheesteemandaffection，oftheRomans。
ThedesignoftheAfricanandItalianwarswasboldlyconceivedandexecuted；andhispenetrationdiscoveredthetalentsofBelisariusinthecamp，ofNarsesinthepalace。Butthenameoftheemperoriseclipsedbythenamesofhisvictoriousgenerals；
andBelisariusstilllives，toupbraidtheenvyandingratitudeofhissovereign。Thepartialfavorofmankindapplaudsthegeniusofaconqueror，wholeadsanddirectshissubjectsintheexerciseofarms。ThecharactersofPhiliptheSecondandofJustinianaredistinguishedbythecoldambitionwhichdelightsinwar，anddeclinesthedangersofthefield。Yetacolossalstatueofbronzerepresentedtheemperoronhorseback，preparingtomarchagainstthePersiansinthehabitandarmorofAchilles。
InthegreatsquarebeforethechurchofSt。Sophia，thismonumentwasraisedonabrasscolumnandastonepedestalofsevensteps；andthepillarofTheodosius，whichweighedseventhousandfourhundredpoundsofsilver，wasremovedfromthesameplacebytheavariceandvanityofJustinian。Futureprincesweremorejustorindulgenttohismemory；theelderAndronicus，inthebeginningofthefourteenthcentury，repairedandbeautifiedhisequestrianstatue:sincethefalloftheempireithasbeenmeltedintocannonbythevictoriousTurks。^73
[Footnote71:TheruborofDomitianisstigmatized，quaintlyenough，bythepenofTacitus，inVit。Agricol。c。45；andhasbeenlikewisenoticedbytheyoungerPliny，Panegyr。c。48，andSuetonius，inDomitian，c。18，andCasaubonadlocum。ProcopiusAnecdot。c。8foolishlybelievesthatonlyonebustofDomitianhadreachedthevithcentury。]