andhewasprivatelyassured，thatacrowdofRomandeserterswouldabandon，onhisapproach，thestandardofTotila。HissecondmarriagewithMalasontha，thegranddaughterofTheodoricendearedGermanustotheGothsthemselves；andtheymarchedwithreluctanceagainstthefatherofaroyalinfantthelastoffspringofthelineofAmali。^27Asplendidallowancewasassignedbytheemperor:thegeneralcontributehisprivatefortune:histwosonswerepopularandactiveandhesurpassed，inthepromptitudeandsuccessofhisleviestheexpectationofmankind。HewaspermittedtoselectsomesquadronsofThraciancavalry:theveterans，aswellastheyouthofConstantinopleandEurope，engagedtheirvoluntaryservice；andasfarastheheartofGermany，hisfameandliberalityattractedtheaidoftheBarbarians。TheRomansadvancedtoSardica；anarmyofSclavoniansfledbeforetheirmarch；butwithintwodaysoftheirfinaldeparture，thedesignsofGermanuswereterminatedbyhismaladyanddeath。YettheimpulsewhichhehadgiventotheItalianwarstillcontinuedtoactwithenergyandeffect。ThemaritimetownsAncona，Crotona，Centumcellae，resistedtheassaultsofTotilaSicilywasreducedbythezealofArtaban，andtheGothicnavywasdefeatednearthecoastoftheAdriatic。Thetwofleetswerealmostequal，forty—seventofiftygalleys:thevictorywasdecidedbytheknowledgeanddexterityoftheGreeks；
buttheshipsweresocloselygrappled，thatonlytwelveoftheGothsescapedfromthisunfortunateconflict。Theyaffectedtodepreciateanelementinwhichtheywereunskilled；buttheirownexperienceconfirmedthetruthofamaxim，thatthemasteroftheseawillalwaysacquirethedominionoftheland。^28
[Footnote!:Thisisasingularmistake。Gibbonmusthavehastilycaughtathisinexperience，andconcludedthatitmusthavebeenfromyouth。LordMahonhaspointedoutthiserror，p。
401。Ishouldaddthatinthelast4to。edition，correctedbyGibbon，itstands\"wantofyouthandexperience；\"—butGibboncanscarcelyhaveintendedsuchaphrase。—M。]
[Footnote26:SeetheactsofGermanusinthepublicVandal。l。