befieged by Theodoric in 490. The fiege lafted three years; during which, Odoacer defended himself with great bravery, and greatly annoyed the befiegers with his fallies. Theodoric, however, impatient of delay, leaving part of his army to blockade the city, marched with the reft against the ftrongholds which Odoacer had garrifoned. All these he reduced with little difficulty; and in 492 returned to the fiege of Ravenna. The befieged were now reduced to great ftraits, both by the enemy without and a famine within, the price of wheat having rifen to fix pieces of gold per bushel. On the other hand, the Goths were quite worn out with the fatigues of fuch a long fiege; fo that both parties being willing to put an end to the war, Odoacer fent John Bp. of Ravenna to Theodoric with terms of accommodation. Jornandes informs us, that Odoacer only begged his life; which Theodoric bound himself, by a folemn oath, to grant him: but Procopius fays, that they agreed to live together on equal terms. This laft feems very improbable: but whatever were the terms of the agreement, it is certain that Theodoric did not keep them; for having a few days after invited Odoacer to a banquet, he difpatched him with his own hand. All his fervants and relations were maffacred at the fame time; except his brother Arnulphus, and a few more had the good luck to make their efcape, and retired beyond the Danube. (7.) ITALY, HISTORY OF, FROM ODOACER'S DEATH TO THAT OF THEODORIC. By the murder of Odoacer, Theodoric became master of all Italy, and affumed the title of king of that country, as Odoacer had done; though, with a pretended deference to the emperor of Conftantinople, he fent meilengers afking liberty to affume that title, after he had actually taken it. Having fecured his new kingdom by foreign alliances, Theodoric next applied himself to legiflation, and enacted many falutary laws, befides thofe of the Romans which he retained. He chofe Ravenna for his chief refidence, in order to ftop the incurfons of the barbarians. The provinces were governed by the fame magistrates that had prefided over them in the times of the emperors, viz. the confulares, correctores, and prafides. He alfo fent, according to the cuftom of the Goths, inferior judges, diftinguished by the name of Counts, to each city, to administer justice, and decide difputes. And herein the polity of the Goths far excelled that of the Romans. For in the Roman times a whole province was governed by a confularis, a corrector, or a præfes, who refided in the chief city, and to whom recourfe was to be had at a great charge from the most remote parts: but Theodoric, befides thefe officers, appointed, not only in the principal cities, but in every fmall town and village, inferior magiftrates of known integrity, to adminifter juftice, and thus fave thofe who had law-fuits the trouble and expense of recurring to the governor of the whole province; no appeals to diftant tribunals being allowed, but in matters of the greatest importance, or in cafes of manifeft injustice. Under Theodoric, Italy enjoyed as great happiness as had been experienced under the very best emperors. As he had made ao alteration in the laws, except that above-menVOL. XII. PART II. tioned, he contented himself with the fame tributes and taxes that had been levied by the emperors; but on all occafions of public calamity, was much more ready to remit them than most of the emperors had been. He did not treat the natives as thofe of the other Roman provinces were treated by the barbarians who conquered them. Thefe ftripped the ancient proprietors of their lands, eftates, and poffeffions, dividing them among their chiefs; and giving to one a province with the title of duke, to another a frontier country with the title of marquis; to fome a city with the title of count; to others a castle or village with the title of baron. But Theodoric, who piqued himself upon governing after the Roman manner, and obferving the Roman laws and inftitutions, left every one in the full enjoyment of his ancient property. As to religion, though he himself, like most of his countrymen, professed the tenets of Arius, he allowed his fubjects to profefs the orthodox doctrine without molestation, giving liberty even to the Goths to renounce the doctrines in which they had been educated, and embrace the contrary opinions. In fhort, his many virtues, and the happinefs of his fubjects, are celebrated by all the hirians of thofe times. The end of his reign, however, was fullied by the death of the celebrated philofopher Boethius, and his father-in-law Symmachus. They were both beheaded in Pavia, on an unjuft charge of treafon; and scarce was the fentence executed when the king repented, and abandoned himself to the most pungent forrow. The excess of his grief affected his brain, for 'not long after, the head of a large fish being ferved up to fupper, he fancied the head of the fish to be that of Symmachus threatening him in a ghaftly manner. Hereupon, feized with horror and amazement, he was carried to his bed-chamber, where he died in a few days, on the ad of Sept. 5'26. (8.) ITALY, HISTORY OF, FROM THE DEATH OF THEODORIC, TO THAT OF THEODOTUS. After the death of Theodoric, the kingdom devolved to Athalaric his grandfon, who being only 8 years of age, his mother Amalafuntha took upon her the regency. Her adminiftration was equally upright with that of Theodoric himself; but the barbarians, of whom her court was compofed, finding fault with the encouragement fhe gave to learning, forced her to abandon the education of her fon. The latter thereupon plunged into all manner of wickedness, and behaved to his mother with the greatest arrogance; and the faction find'ing themselves thus ftrengthened, at laft commanded the queen to retire from court. Amalafuntha, exerting her authority, feized three of the ringleaders of the fedition, whom the confined in the most remote parts of Italy." But these maintăining a fecret correspondence with their friends and relations, never ceafed to ftir up the people against her; infomuch, that the queen, apprehending that the faction might in the end prevail, wrote to the emperor Juftinian, afking leave to take refuge in his dominions. The emperor readily complied with her request, offering a noble palace at Durazzo for her habitation; but the queen having in the mean time caufed the three ringleaders to be put to death, and no new dif Bbb turbances peror yearly a crown of gold, weighing 300 lb. and to fupply him with 3000 men whenever he fhould demand them. Several other articles, contained in the propofal, amounted to the owning of Juftinian for his lord, and that he held the crown of Italy through his favour. As he appre hended, however, that thefe offers might not yet be fatisfactory, his ambaffadors were defired to inform Juftinian, that he was willing to refign the kingdom, and content himfelf with a penfion fuitable to his quality. But he obliged them by an oath not to mention this propofal, till they found that the emperor would not accept of the other. The first propofals were accordingly rejected, as they had fuppofed; upon which the ambaffadors produced the fecond, figned by Theodotus himfelf, who, in his letter to the emperor, told him, among other things, that being unacquainted with war, and addicted to the ftudy of philofophy, he preferred his quiet to a kingdom. Juftinian tranfported with joy, and imagining the war already finifhed, anfwered the king in a most obliging manner, extolling his wifdom, and giving him befides, what he demanded, the greatest honours of the empire. The agreement being confirmed by mutual oaths, lands were affigned to Theodotus out of the king's domain, and orders were dif patched to Belifarius to take poffeffion of Italy in his name. In the mean time, a body of Goths having entered Dalmatia, with a defign to recover the city of Salonæ, were encountered by an inferior army of Romans, commanded by the fo of Mundus. The Goths proved victorious, the young Roman general was killed, and moft of hi army cut in pieces. Mundus marched against the enemy to revenge the death of his fon; but met with no better fuccefs, his troops being defeated, and himself killed in the engagement. Upon this the Romans abandoned Salone and all Dalmatia: and Theodotus, elated with his fuccefs, refuted to fulfil the articles of the treaty. Juftinia dispatched Conftantianus, an officer of great va lour and experience, into Illyricum, with orders to raife forces there, and to enter Dalmatia; at the fame time he wrote to Belifarius to purfue the war with the utmoft vigour. The Goths were now reduced to the greatcft ftraits. Conftantianus drove them out of Dalmatia; and Belifarias having reduced all the provinces which compete the kingdom of Naples, advanced towards Rome. The chief men of the nation, finding their king incapable of preventing the impending ruin, al fembled without his confent, and dispatched ambaffadors to Belifarius with proposals of peace. Thefe proposals were rejected; and Belifarius returned for anfwer, that he would hearken to no terms, nor fheath his fword, till Italy was reannexed to the empire to which it belonged. The Goths finding Theodotus still inactive, unanimoufly depofed him; and chofe in his ftead one VITIGES, a man of great valour, but of a mean defcent. Theodotus fled to Ravenna; but the new king dispatched a meffenger after him, who overtook him and cut off his head. (9.) ITALY, HISTORY OF, FROM THE DEATH OF THEODOTUS, TO THE DESTRUCTION OF MLAN BY THE GOTHS. Vitiges began his govern ment by writing a circular letter, in which he es turbances arifing thereupon, fhe did not accept of the emperor's offer. In 533, Athalaric having contracted a lingering diftemper by his riotous living and debaucheries, Amalafuntha, to avoid the calamities with which Italy was threatened in cafe of his death, formed a defign of delivering it up to Juftinian: but before her fcheme was ripe for execution, Athalaric died; upon wh.h the queen took for her colleague one Theodotus her cou fin; obliging him, however, to fwear that he would fuffer her to enjoy and exercife her former power. This he readily did, but foon forgot his promife; and when the took the liberty to remind him of it, caufed her to be feized and confined in an island of the lake Bolfena in Tufcany. But as Theodotus had great reafon to believe that this conduct would be resented by Juftinian, he obliged her to write to him that no injury or injuftice had been done her. Along with this letter he fent one written by himself, filled with heavy complaints against Amalafuntha. The emperor, however, was fo far from giving credit to what Theodotus urged against her, that he openly ef poufed her caufe, wrote her a moft affectionate letter, and affured her of his protection. But before this letter could reach her, the was ftrangled in the bath by the friends of thofe whom, in the reign of her fon, fhe had defervedly put to death for raifing difturbances in the state. On the news of Amalafuntha's death, Juftinian refolved upon an immediate war with the Goths; and, to faciitate the enterprife, ufed his utmoft endeavours to induce the Franks to affift him. To his folicitations he added a large fum of money; which laft was very acceptable to his new allies. They promised to affift the emperor to the utmoft of their power; but instead of performing their promife, while Juftinian's arms were employed against the Goths, Thierri, the eldeft fon of Clovis, feized on feveral cities of Liguria, the Alpes Cottie, and great part of the late territory of Venice for himself. Juftinian, however, found fufficient refources in the valour of BELISARIUS, notwithstanding the defection of his treacherous allies. This celebrated general was vefted with the fupreme command, and abfolute authority. His inftructions were, to pretend a voyage to Carthage, but to make an attempt upon Sicily; and if he thought he could fucceed, to land there; otherwise to fail for Africa. Mundus, command er of the troops in Illyricum, was ordered to march into Dalmatia, which was fubject to the Goths, and attempt the reduction of Salonæ, to open a paffage into Italy. This he accomplished without difficulty, and Belifarius made himself mafter of Sicily fooner than he himself had expect ed. The island was reduced on the 31st December 535; upon which, Belifarius paffed over to Reggio, which opened its gates to him. From Reggio he pursued his march to Rome, the provinces of Abrutium, Lucania, Puglia, Calabria, and Samnium, readily fubmitting to him. Naples flood a fiege; but Belifarius entered through an acqueduct, and gave it up to be plundered. Theodotus, having neither capacity nor inclination to carry on the war, fent amballadors to Juftinian with propofals of peace. He agreed to reJounce all pretensions to Sicily; to fend the em horted horted his countrymen to exert their ancient courage, and fight bravely for their lives and liberties. He then marched with what forces he could collect towards Rome; but thinking himself unable to defend it, he abandoned it to Belifarius, and arriving at Ravenna, was joined by the Goths from all parts, fo that he foon found himself at the head of a confiderable army. Belifarius in the mean time entered Rome without oppofition, on the roth Dec. 537. The Gothic garrifon retred by the Porta Flaminia, while Belifarius enter ed by the Porta Afinaria. Leudaris, governor of the city, who ftaid behind, was fent with the keys to the emperor. Belifarius gave orders to repair the walls and fortifications; filled the granaries with corn from Sicily; and ftored the place with provifions, as if he had been preparing for a fiege. Mean time Benevento, with great part of the territory of Samnium, was delivered up to him; while the cities of Narnia, Spoleot, and Perufia, revolting from the Goths, received Roman garrifons; 28 did moft of the cities of Tufcany. Vitiges, how ever, having collected an army of 150,000 men, refolved to march directly to Rome, and engage Belifarius; or, if he declined an engagement, to Lay fiege to the city. But apprehending that the Franks might fall upon him, he fent ambaffadors to them, with offers of all the Gothic poffeffions in Gaul, befides a confiderable fum of money, provided they joined him against the emperor. The Franks, with their ufual treachery, confented to the proposal, received the money and the territories agreed on, and then refufed to fulfil the terms of the treaty. Vitiges, however, began his march to Rome, leaving behind him all the fortined towns on the road, the reduction of which be knew would coft him too much trouble. Belifarius, whofe army, reduced by the many towns Le had garrifoned, did not now amount to above rooo men, difpatched meffengers to Conftantianus Tufcany; and to Beffas, a Goth, but of the peror's party, in Umbria, with orders to join with all poffible expedition; writing at the me time to the emperor himself for supplies in the molt preffing manner. Conftantianus joined him parfuant to his orders; and foon after, Beffas, fallg in with part of the enemy's vanguard, killed :confiderable number of them, and put the reft to flight. Belifarius had built a fort upon a bridge about a mile from Rome, and placed a ftrong garfon in it to difpute the paffage with the enemy; but the garrifon, fejzed with a panic at the ap. proach of the Goths, abandoned their poft in the Light, and fled into Campani. Early in the morn ing, Vitiges paffed over great part of his army, at marched on till he was met by Belifarius, who, knowing nothing of what had happened, came with 1000 horfes to view the ground about the bridge. He was greatly furprifed when he beheld the enemy marching up against him; how ever, left he should heighten their courage by his Eight or retreat, he ftood his ground, and received the enemy at the head of his small body, expofing himfelf, without his ufual prudence and difcretion, to the greatest dangers. Being known by fome fugitives, and difcovered to the enemy, they all aimed at him alone, which made his own en the more folicitous to defend him; fo that the whole contest was for some time about his perfon. At laft the Goths were driven back to their camp, which the Romans with great temerity attempted to force. In this attempt, however, they met with fuch a vigorous refiftance, that they foon abandoned the enterprise, and retired with precipitation to a neighbouring eminence; whence they were forced down by the enemy, put to flight, and pursued to the very gates of the city. Here they were in greater danger than ever; for those within, fearing that the enemy might in that confufion enter with them, refufed to admit them. The general himself cried out earneftly to them, telling who he was, and commanding them to open the gates; but as they had been informed by thofe firft fled, that he was flain, and they could not diftinguifh him on account of the blood and duft with which his face was covered, they gave no ear to what he faid. In this extremity, having encouraged his men, who were now driven into a narrow compafs, to make a last effort, he put himself at their head, and attacked the enemy with fuch fury, that the Goths, imagining fresh troops were fallying out upon them, began to give ground, and at laft retired to their camp. The Roman general did not purfue them; but entered the city, where he was received with loud acclamations. A few days after, the city was clofely invefted by Vitiges, who, to diftrefs the inhabitants, deftroyed the aqueducts by which water was conveyed into the city, and which had been built at an immenfe charge by the Roman emperors. Belifarius, on his part, omitted nothing for his defence; infomuch that the cowardly citizens affembled in a tumultuous manner, and railed at the general on account of his fuppofed temerity; Vitiges, to encourage this mutinous difpofition, difpatched ambaffadors to the fenate with propofals of peace. These ambaffadors, however, were difmiffed without any anfwer, and the fiege was begun with great vigour. Belifarius made a gallant defence; and in 7 months is faid to have deftroyed 40,000 of the Goths. About this time he received a fupply of 16,000 archers from the emperor; and thefe, in feveral fuccefsful fallies, are faid to have killed 4900 more of the enemy. The Romans, elated with their fucceffes, now became impatient for an engagement; and at laft, notwithstanding all the remonftrances of their general, forced him to lead them out against the enemy. The fuccefs was anfwerable to the rafh attempt. The Romans were defeated, with the lofs of fome of their braveft officers, and many of their troops; after which they contented themselves with fallying out in fmall parties, which they commonly did with the greateft fuccefs. But though the Romans had the fatisfaction of thus cutting off their enemies, they were grievously afflicted with a famine and plague; infomuch that the inhabitants, no longer able to bear their calamities, were on the point of forcing Belifarius to venture a ad battle, when a feafonable fupply of 3000 Ifaurians, 800 Thracian horfe, and 1300 horfe of other nations, together with 500 Italians who joined them by the way, arrived at Rome. Belifarius immediately fallied out by the Flaminian gate, and fell upon the Goths, in order to give his allies time to enter by the oppofite fide of the city, which Bbba they they did without the loss of a man. The Goths, the Roman interest. At last he persuaded Cofbearing of the arrival of these troops, began to shoes king of Persia to make war upon Juftinian, despair of becoming masters of the city; especially which he thought would infallibly procure the reas the famine and plague raged with great violence cal of Belifarius. But the Roman general, underin their camp, and their army was much reduced. ftanding his design, pulled on the war vigorously; Ambassadors were therefore dispatched to Beli- while the treacherous Franks, thinking both nafarius with propofals of peace : but the only thing tions sufficiently weakened by their mutual hoftithey could obtain was a cessation of arms of three lities, resolved to attack both, and seize upon the months, during which time they might send am- country for which they contended. Accordingly, balladors to the emperor. The negociations with Theodóbert, uomindful of the oaths he had taken the emperor, however, proved unsuccessful; and both to the Goths and Romans, palled the Alps the liege was pursued with great vigour, till Viti- at the head of 150,000, or, as some will have it, ges received the news of the taking of Rimini by 200,000 men, and entered Liguria. As no hoftithe Romans. As this city is but a day's journey lities were committed by them on their march, from Ravenna, the Goths were so much alarmed, the Goths concluded that they were come to their that they immediately raised the fiege of Rome, aflistance; and therefore supplied them with proafter it had continued a year and nine days. Be- visions Thus they.crofled the Po without oppolifarius fell upon their rear as they passed the sition; and having secured the bridge, marched bridge of the Tiber, and cut great numbers of them towards the place where a body of Goths were in pieces, while others, struck with a panic, threw encamped; who, looking upon them as friends, themselves into the river, and were drowned. The admitted them without hesitation. But they were first enterprise of Vitiges, after raising the fiege foon convinced of their mistake; for the Franks of Rome, was an attempt upon Rimini: but while falling unexpectedly upon them, drove them oui he was employed in this fiege, the Romans made of the camp with great faughter, and seized on themselves masters of Milan ; upon which a Go- their baggage and provisions. A body of Romans thic general, named Urnia, was immediately dif. that lay at a small distance from the Goths, conpatched with a powerful army to retake it. In cluding that they had been defeated by Belisarius, the mean time, however, a supply of 7000 Rua advanced with great joy to meet him as they imamans arrived from the emperor, under the com- gined; but the Franks falling unawares upon mand of Narses, a. celebrated general. The im- them, treated them as they had done the Goths, mediate consequence of this was the railing of the and made themselves masters of their camp. Thus fiege of Rimini ; for Vitiges perceiving the two they acquired a very confiderable booty and ftcre Roman armies coming against bim, and conclud- of provilions : but the latter being soon consumed, ing, from the many fires they made, that they and the country quite exhausted, vast numbers of were inuch more numerous than they really the Franks perished; so that Theodobert at laft were, fed in such hafte, that the greateit part of was obliged to return. In his way he deftroyed his baggage was left behind. The confusion of Genoa and several other places, and arrived in his the Goths was so great, that, had not the garri- own dominions loaded with booty:- In the mean ton been extremely feeble, they might have eafi. time, Belisarius was making great progress. He ly. cut them off in their retreat, and thus put an took the cities of Auximum and Fæfulæ after an end to the war at once. The success of the Ro- obstinate Gege; the inhabitants of the former hamans, however, was now retarded hy some mis- ving for some time fed on grass before they would understandings between the two generals: so that surrender. After this he invested Ravenna, the though Belisarius made himself master of Urbinum capital of all the Gothic dominions in Italy. The and Urbiventum, while Narfes reduced some other place was defended by a very numerous garrifon, places, yet the important city of Milan was fuf- commanded by the king, who exerted all bis brafered to fall into the lands of the Goths, who very in the defence of his metropolis. As the matsacred all the inhabitants that were able to fiege, however, was pushed on with great vigour, bear arms, to the number of 300,000, and fold it was evident that the city must at last submit; the women for llaves. The city was also totally and the great successes of the Romans began to demolished; and this ditafter made such an im-, give jealousy to the neighbouring potentates. pression on the mind of Justinian, that he imme. Theodobert, king of the Franks, offered to affift diately recalled Narses, and gave the command of Vitiges with an army of 500,000 men ; but Belihis troops to Belisarius. farius, being informed of this negociation, fent (10.) ITALY, HISTORY OF, FROM THE DE- ambassadors to Vitiges, putting him in mind of STRUCTION OF MILAN, TO THE CAPTURE OF the treachery of the Franks, and assured him that VitiGES, AND SURRENDER OF RAVENNA TO the emperor' was ready to grant him very bonourBELISARIUS. Viriges, who had expected great able terms. The king, by the advice of his couladvantages from the disagreement of the two ge- sellors, rejected the alliance of the Franks, and nera's, was much disappointed by the recal of fent ambassadors to Constantinople; but in the Narfes; and therefore, dreading the power of Be- mean time, Belisarius, to bring the citizens to his Jifarius when at the head of a formidable army, own terms, bribed one of them to set fire to a thought of engaging in alliance with some foreign magazine of corn, by which means the city was prince. In his choice, however, he was some foon ftraitened for want of provifions. But, notwhat at a loss. He knew the treachery of the withstanding this difafter, they still continued to Franks, and therefore applied to the Lombards; hold out, till the arrival of the amballadors but, though tempted by the offer of a large sum from Conftantinople, who brought very favour. of morty, thay.continued inviolably attached to able terms. These were, that the country be. pond yond the Po, with refpect to Rome, fhould remain to the Goths; but that the reft of Italy fhould be yielded to the emperor, and the royal treasure of the Goths fhould be equally divided between him and the king. To thefe conditions, however, Belifarius pofitively refused to affent; being defirous of leading captive the king of the Goths, as he had formerly done the king of the Vandals, to Conftantinople. He therefore purfued the fiege with more vigour than ever, without hearkening to the complaints of his foldiers and officers, who were quite tired out with the length of the fiege: he only obliged fuch of the officers as were of opinion that the town could not be taken, to exprefs their opinion in writing, that they might not deny it afterwards. The Goths were as weary of the fiege as the Romans; but fearing left Juftinian fhould tranfplant them to Thrace, formed a refolution, without the confent of the king, of furrendering to Belifarius himself, and declaring him emperor of the weft. To this they were the more encouraged by the refufal of Belifarius to agree to the terms propofed by the emperor; whence they concluded that he defigned to revolt, and make himself emperor of Italy. Of this, however, Belifarius had no defign; but thought proper to accept of the title, to accelerate the furrender of the city, after acquainting his principal officers with what had paffed. Vitiges at laft difcovered the plot; but finding himfelf in no condition to oppofe it, he commended the refolution of his people, and even wrote to Belifarius, encouraging him to take upon him the title of king, and affuring him of his affiftance. Hereupon Belifarius preffed the Goths to furrender; which, however, they still refufed, till he had taken an oath that he would treat them with humanity, and maintain them in the poffeffion of all their rights and privileges. Upon this he was admitted into the city, where be behaved with great moderation towards the Goths; but feized on the royal treafure, and fecured the person of the king. The Roman army, when it entered Ravenna, appeared so very inconfiderable, that the Gothic women, on beholding it, fpit in the faces of their hufbands, and reviled them as cowards. (11.) ITALY, HISTORY OF, FROM THE DEPARTURE OF BELISARIUS, TO THE CAPTURE OF ROME BY TOTILA. The captivity of Vitiges, and the taking of Ravenna, did not put an end to the war. Belifarius was foon after recalled to take the command of the army in the east. The Goths were greatly surprised that he should leave his new kingdom out of regard to the orders of the emperor; but, after his departure, chofe Ildebald, a' man of great experience in affairs both civil and military, for their king. He revived the drooping fpirits of his countrymen, defeated the Romans, and reduced all the province of Venetia; but was in a fhort time murdered, and Eraric, a Rugian, facceeded to the throne. He was fcarce invefted with the fovereignty, when his fubjects began to think of depofing him, and raising Totila to the throne; which the latter accepted, upon condition that they previously dispatched Eraric. This was accordingly done; after which Totila was proclaimed king of Italy in the year $42. The new king proved a very formidable enemy to the Romans, who now loft ground everywhere. They made an attempt on the city of Verona; in which they mifcarried through their own avarice, having difputed about the divifion of the plunder till the opportunity of taking the town was paft. They were next defeated in two bloody engagements; the confequence of which was, that the Goths made themselves mafters of all the ftrong places in Tuscany. Thence marching into Campania and Samnium, they reduced Benevento, and besieged Naples. During this laft fiege, feveral detachments were fent from the king's army, which took Cumæ, and recovered all Brutia, Lucania, Apulia, and Calabria, where they found confiderable fums which had been gathered for the emperor's ufe. The Romans, in the mean time, difheartened by their loffes, and deprived of thofe fums which fhould have paid their wages, refused to take the field. A confiderable fleet was therefore fent by Juftinian to relieve Naples: but Totila, having timely notice, manned, with incredible expedi tion, a great number of light veffels; which, falling unexpectedly on the Roman fleet, took or funk every fhip, and made prifoners of all on board, excepting a few who escaped in boats. A fimilar fate attended another fleet difpatched from Sicily. They put to fea in the depth of winter; and meeting with a violent ftorm, were driven afhore near the enemy's camp, who funk the fhips, and made great laughter of the feamen and foldiers. Upon this fecond difafter, the Neapolitans, despairing of further relief, fubmitted to Totila; who granted them honourable terms, and treated them with great humanity. As they had been long pinched with famine, Totila, apprehending they might endanger their lives by indulging their appetites too much at first, placed guards at the gates to prevent their going out, taking care at the fame time to fupply them fparingly with provifions, but increafing their allowance every day. Being thus by degrees reftored to their former strength, he ordered the gates to be fet open, and gave every one full liberty to stay in the city or remove, as he thought fit. The garrifon he treated with extraordinary kindness. He firft fupplied them with fhips to carry them to Conftantinople; but having difcovered that their real defign was to fail to Rome, in order to reisforce the garrifon of that city (which they knew he was foon to befiege), he was fo far from punifhing them as they expected, that he furnished them with horfes, waggons, and provifions, and ordered a body of Goths to efcort them to Rome by land, as the winds had proved unfavourable for their paffage by fea. Totila, having thus become mafter of Naples and most of the other fortreffes in thefe parts, began to think of reducing Rome alfo. He firft attempted to perfuade the citizens to furrender; but finding his perfuafions ineffectual, he sent a detachment of his army into Calabria to reduce Otranto, after which he marched with the reft of his forces against the towns near Rome. The city of Tiber, now Tivoli, about 18 miles from Rome, was betrayed to him; and all the inhabitants, with their bifhop, were put to the fword. Several other ftrongholds in the neighbourhood he took by storm; fo that Rome |