ThesuccessorsofBelisarius，elevengeneralsofequalrank，neglectedtocrushthefeebleanddisunitedGoths，tilltheywererousedtoactionbytheprogressofTotilaandthereproachesofJustinian。ThegatesofVeronaweresecretlyopenedtoArtabazus，attheheadofonehundredPersiansintheserviceoftheempire。TheGothsfledfromthecity。AtthedistanceofsixtyfurlongstheRomangeneralshaltedtoregulatethedivisionofthespoil。Whiletheydisputed，theenemydiscoveredtherealnumberofthevictors:thePersianswereinstantlyoverpowered，anditwasbyleapingfromthewallthatArtabazuspreservedalifewhichhelostinafewdaysbythelanceofaBarbarian，whohaddefiedhimtosinglecombat。TwentythousandRomansencounteredtheforcesofTotila，nearFaenza，andonthehillsofMugello，oftheFlorentineterritory。Theardoroffreedmen，whofoughttoregaintheircountry，wasopposedtothelanguidtemperofmercenarytroops，whowereevendestituteofthemeritsofstrongandwell—disciplinedservitude。Onthefirstattack，theyabandonedtheirensigns，threwdowntheirarms，anddispersedonallsideswithanactivespeed，whichabatedtheloss，whilstitaggravatedtheshame，oftheirdefeat。ThekingoftheGoths，whoblushedforthebasenessofhisenemies，pursuedwithrapidstepsthepathofhonorandvictory。TotilapassedthePo，traversedtheApennine，suspendedtheimportantconquestofRavenna，Florence，andRome，andmarchedthroughtheheartofItaly，toformthesiegeorrathertheblockade，ofNaples。TheRomanchiefs，imprisonedintheirrespectivecities，andaccusingeachotherofthecommondisgrace，didnotpresumetodisturbhisenterprise。Buttheemperor，alarmedbythedistressanddangerofhisItalianconquests，despatchedtothereliefofNaplesafleetofgalleysandabodyofThracianandArmeniansoldiers。TheylandedinSicily，whichyieldeditscopiousstoresofprovisions；butthedelaysofthenewcommander，anunwarlikemagistrate，protractedthesufferingsofthebesieged；andthesuccors，whichhedroppedwithatimidandtardyhand，weresuccessivelyinterceptedbythearmedvesselsstationedbyTotilaintheBayofNaples。TheprincipalofficeroftheRomanswasdragged，witharoperoundhisneck，tothefootofthewall，fromwhence，withatremblingvoice，heexhortedthecitizenstoimplore，likehimself，themercyoftheconqueror。Theyrequestedatruce，withapromiseofsurrenderingthecity，ifnoeffectualreliefshouldappearattheendofthirtydays。Insteadofonemonth，theaudaciousBarbariangrantedthemthree，inthejustconfidencethatfaminewouldanticipatethetermoftheircapitulation。AfterthereductionofNaplesandCumae，theprovincesofLucania，Apulia，andCalabria，submittedtothekingoftheGoths。TotilaledhisarmytothegatesofRome，pitchedhiscampatTibur，orTivoli，withintwentymilesofthecapital，andcalmlyexhortedthesenateandpeopletocomparethetyrannyoftheGreekswiththeblessingsoftheGothicreign。
[Footnote*:Thisisnotquitecorrect:hehadcrossedthePobeforethebattleofFaenza。—M。]
TherapidsuccessofTotilamaybepartlyascribedtotherevolutionwhichthreeyears\'experiencehadproducedinthesentimentsoftheItalians。Atthecommand，oratleastinthename，ofaCatholicemperor，thepope，^7theirspiritualfather，hadbeentornfromtheRomanchurch，andeitherstarvedormurderedonadesolateisland。^8ThevirtuesofBelisariuswerereplacedbythevariousoruniformvicesofelevenchiefs，atRome，Ravenna，Florence，Perugia，Spoleto，&c。，whoabusedtheirauthorityfortheindulgenceoflustoravarice。TheimprovementoftherevenuewascommittedtoAlexander，asubtlescribe，longpractisedinthefraudandoppressionoftheByzantineschools，andwhosenameofPsalliction，thescissors，^9wasdrawnfromthedexterousartificewithwhichhereducedthesizewithoutdefacingthefigure，ofthegoldcoin。Insteadofexpectingtherestorationofpeaceandindustry，heimposedaheavyassessmentonthefortunesoftheItalians。Yethispresentorfuturedemandswerelessodiousthanaprosecutionofarbitraryrigoragainstthepersonsandpropertyofallthosewho，undertheGothickings，hadbeenconcernedinthereceiptandexpenditureofthepublicmoney。ThesubjectsofJustinian，whoescapedthesepartialvexations，wereoppressedbytheirregularmaintenanceofthesoldiers，whomAlexanderdefraudedanddespised；andtheirhastysalliesinquestofwealth，orsubsistence，provokedtheinhabitantsofthecountrytoawaitorimploretheirdeliverancefromthevirtuesofaBarbarian。
Totila^10waschasteandtemperate；andnoneweredeceived，eitherfriendsorenemies，whodependedonhisfaithorhisclemency。TothehusbandmenofItalytheGothickingissuedawelcomeproclamation，enjoiningthemtopursuetheirimportantlabors，andtorestassured，that，onthepaymentoftheordinarytaxes，theyshouldbedefendedbyhisvaloranddisciplinefromtheinjuriesofwar。Thestrongtownshesuccessivelyattacked；
andassoonastheyhadyieldedtohisarms，hedemolishedthefortifications，tosavethepeoplefromthecalamitiesofafuturesiege，todeprivetheRomansoftheartsofdefence，andtodecidethetediousquarrelofthetwonations，byanequalandhonorableconflictinthefieldofbattle。TheRomancaptivesanddesertersweretemptedtoenlistintheserviceofaliberalandcourteousadversary；theslaveswereattractedbythefirmandfaithfulpromise，thattheyshouldneverbedeliveredtotheirmasters；andfromthethousandwarriorsofPavia，anewpeople，underthesameappellationofGoths，wasinsensiblyformedinthecampofTotila。Hesincerelyaccomplishedthearticlesofcapitulation，withoutseekingoracceptinganysinisteradvantagefromambiguousexpressionsorunforeseenevents:thegarrisonofNapleshadstipulatedthattheyshouldbetransportedbysea；theobstinacyofthewindspreventedtheirvoyage，buttheyweregenerouslysuppliedwithhorses，provisions，andasafe—conducttothegatesofRome。Thewivesofthesenators，whohadbeensurprisedinthevillasofCampania，wererestored，withoutaransom，totheirhusbands；theviolationoffemalechastitywasinexorablychastisedwithdeath；