WhileVitigesstruggledwithhisfortune，whilehehesitatedbetweenshameandruin，hisretreatwashastenedbydomesticalarms。ThekingoftheGothswasinformedbytremblingmessengers，thatJohntheSanguinaryspreadthedevastationsofwarfromtheApenninetotheHadriatic；thattherichspoilsandinnumerablecaptivesofPicenumwerelodgedinthefortificationsofRimini；andthatthisformidablechiefhaddefeatedhisuncle，insultedhiscapital，andseduced，bysecretcorrespondence，thefidelityofhiswife，theimperiousdaughterofAmalasontha。
Yet，beforeheretired，Vitigesmadealasteffort，eithertostormortosurprisethecity。Asecretpassagewasdiscoveredinoneoftheaqueducts；twocitizensoftheVaticanweretemptedbybribestointoxicatetheguardsoftheAureliangate；anattackwasmeditatedonthewallsbeyondtheTyber，inaplacewhichwasnotfortifiedwithtowers；andtheBarbariansadvanced，withtorchesandscaling—ladders，totheassaultofthePinciangate。ButeveryattemptwasdefeatedbytheintrepidvigilanceofBelisariusandhisbandofveterans，who，inthemostperilousmoments，didnotregrettheabsenceoftheircompanions；andtheGoths，alikedestituteofhopeandsubsistence，clamorouslyurgedtheirdeparturebeforethetruceshouldexpire，andtheRomancavalryshouldagainbeunited。Oneyearandninedaysafterthecommencementofthesiege，anarmy，solatelystrongandtriumphant，burnttheirtents，andtumultuouslyrepassedtheMilvianbridge。Theyrepassednotwithimpunity:theirthrongingmultitudes，oppressedinanarrowpassage，weredrivenheadlongintotheTyber，bytheirownfearsandthepursuitoftheenemy；
andtheRomangeneral，sallyingfromthePinciangate，inflictedasevereanddisgracefulwoundontheirretreat。TheslowlengthofasicklyanddespondinghostwasheavilydraggedalongtheFlaminianway；fromwhencetheBarbariansweresometimescompelledtodeviate，lesttheyshouldencounterthehostilegarrisonsthatguardedthehighroadtoRiminiandRavenna。Yetsopowerfulwasthisflyingarmy，thatVitigessparedtenthousandmenforthedefenceofthecitieswhichhewasmostsolicitoustopreserve，anddetachedhisnephewUraias，withanadequateforce，forthechastisementofrebelliousMilan。Attheheadofhisprincipalarmy，hebesiegedRimini，onlythirty—threemilesdistantfromtheGothiccapital。Afeeblerampart，andashallowditch，weremaintainedbytheskillandvalorofJohntheSanguinary，whosharedthedangerandfatigueofthemeanestsoldier，andemulated，onatheatrelessillustrious，themilitaryvirtuesofhisgreatcommander。Thetowersandbattering—enginesoftheBarbarianswererendereduseless；theirattackswererepulsed；andthetediousblockade，whichreducedthegarrisontothelastextremityofhunger，affordedtimefortheunionandmarchoftheRomanforces。Afleet，whichhadsurprisedAncona，sailedalongthecoastoftheHadriatic，tothereliefofthebesiegedcity。TheeunuchNarseslandedinPicenumwithtwothousandHeruliandfivethousandofthebravesttroopsoftheEast。TherockoftheApenninewasforced；tenthousandveteransmovedroundthefootofthemountains，underthecommandofBelisariushimself；andanewarmy，whoseencampmentblazedwithinnumerablelights，appearedtoadvancealongtheFlaminianway。Overwhelmedwithastonishmentanddespair，theGothsabandonedthesiegeofRimini，theirtents，theirstandards，andtheirleaders；andVitiges，whogaveorfollowedtheexampleofflight，neverhaltedtillhefoundashelterwithinthewallsandmorassesofRavenna。
Tothesewalls，andtosomefortressesdestituteofanymutualsupport，theGothicmonarchywasnowreduced。TheprovincesofItalyhadembracedthepartyoftheemperorandhisarmy，graduallyrecruitedtothenumberoftwentythousandmen，musthaveachievedaneasyandrapidconquest，iftheirinvinciblepowershadnotbeenweakenedbythediscordoftheRomanchiefs。Beforetheendofthesiege，anactofblood，ambiguousandindiscreet，sulliedthefairfameofBelisarius。
Presidius，aloyalItalian，ashefledfromRavennatoRome，wasrudelystoppedbyConstantine，themilitarygovernorofSpoleto，anddespoiled，eveninachurch，oftwodaggersrichlyinlaidwithgoldandpreciousstones。Assoonasthepublicdangerhadsubsided，Presidiuscomplainedofthelossandinjury:hiscomplaintwasheard，buttheorderofrestitutionwasdisobeyedbytheprideandavariceoftheoffender。Exasperatedbythedelay，Presidiusboldlyarrestedthegeneral\'shorseashepassedthroughtheforum；and，withthespiritofacitizen，demandedthecommonbenefitoftheRomanlaws。ThehonorofBelisariuswasengaged；hesummonedacouncil；claimedtheobedienceofhissubordinateofficer；andwasprovoked，byaninsolentreply，tocallhastilyforthepresenceofhisguards。Constantine，viewingtheirentranceasthesignalofdeath，drewhissword，andrushedonthegeneral，whonimblyeludedthestroke，andwasprotectedbyhisfriends；whilethedesperateassassinwasdisarmed，draggedintoaneighboringchamber，andexecuted，orrathermurdered，bytheguards，atthearbitrarycommandofBelisarius。^95Inthishastyactofviolence，theguiltofConstantinewasnolongerremembered；thedespairanddeathofthatvaliantofficerweresecretlyimputedtotherevengeofAntonina；andeachofhiscolleagues，consciousofthesamerapine，wasapprehensiveofthesamefate。Thefearofacommonenemysuspendedtheeffectsoftheirenvyanddiscontent；butintheconfidenceofapproachingvictory，theyinstigatedapowerfulrivaltoopposetheconquerorofRomeandAfrica。Fromthedomesticserviceofthepalace，andtheadministrationoftheprivaterevenue，Narsestheeunuchwassuddenlyexaltedtotheheadofanarmy；andthespiritofahero，whoafterwardsequalledthemeritandgloryofBelisarius，servedonlytoperplextheoperationsoftheGothicwar。Tohisprudentcounsels，thereliefofRiminiwasascribedbytheleadersofthediscontentedfaction，whoexhortedNarsestoassumeanindependentandseparatecommand。TheepistleofJustinianhadindeedenjoinedhisobediencetothegeneral；butthedangerousexception，\"asfarasmaybeadvantageoustothepublicservice，\"