heenteredintoadarkandcrookedpath，asitmightleadtothevoluntarysubmissionoftheGoths；andhisdexterouspolicypersuadedthemthathewasdisposedtocomplywiththeirwishes，withoutengaginganoathorapromisefortheperformanceofatreatywhichhesecretlyabhorred。ThedayofthesurrenderofRavennawasstipulatedbytheGothicambassadors:afleet，ladenwithprovisions，sailedasawelcomeguestintothedeepestrecessoftheharbor:thegateswereopenedtothefanciedkingofItaly；andBelisarius，withoutmeetinganenemy，triumphantlymarchedthroughthestreetsofanimpregnablecity。^108TheRomanswereastonishedbytheirsuccess；themultitudesoftallandrobustBarbarianswereconfoundedbytheimageoftheirownpatienceandthemasculinefemales，spittinginthefacesoftheirsonsandhusbands，mostbitterlyreproachedthemforbetrayingtheirdominionandfreedomtothesepygmiesofthesouth，contemptibleintheirnumbers，diminutiveintheirstature。BeforetheGothscouldrecoverfromthefirstsurprise，andclaimtheaccomplishmentoftheirdoubtfulhopes，thevictorestablishedhispowerinRavenna，beyondthedangerofrepentanceandrevolt。
[Footnote*:Auximum，p。175。—M。]
[Footnote105:InthesiegeofAuximum，hefirstlaboredtodemolishanoldaqueduct，andthencastintothestream，1。deadbodies；2。mischievousherbs；and3。quicklime。saysProcopius，l。ii。c。27YetbothwordsareusedassynonymousinGalen，Dioscorides，andLucian，Hen。Steph。Thesaur。Ling。Graec。tom。
iii。p。748。]
[Footnote106:TheGothssuspectedMathasuinthaasanaccompliceinthemischief，whichperhapswasoccasionedbyaccidentallightning。]