A Struggle for Rome, v. 2

by Felix Dahn

  CHAPTER V.

  The fall of Neapolis had occurred a few days after the meeting atRegeta, and Totila, on his march thither, met at Formiae with hisbrother Hildebad, whom King Witichis had at once sent off with a fewthousands to strengthen the garrison at Neapolis, until he himselfcould follow with a larger force.

  As things stood at present, the brothers could do nothing but fall backupon the main army at Regeta, where Totila reported the sad events ofthe last few days in Neapolis.

  The loss of the third city of the realm--one of the main bulwarks ofItaly--changed the whole plan of the Gothic campaign.

  Witichis had reviewed the troops assembled at Regeta; they amounted toabout twenty thousand men. These, with the little troop brought back byEarl Teja on his own account, were, for the moment, the whole availableforce. Before the strong divisions which Theodahad had sent away tosouthern Gaul and Noricum, to Istria and Dalmatia--although they hadbeen summoned in all haste--could return, all Italy might be lost.

  Notwithstanding, the King had resolved to throw himself, with thesetwenty thousand, into the fortress of Neapolis, and there oppose thesuperior forces of the enemy, until reinforcements should arrive.

  But now that the strong city had fallen into Belisarius's hand,Witichis gave up this plan. His composed courage was as far fromfoolhardiness as from timidity. And the King was obliged to forcehimself to a far more painful resolve.

  While, during the days following Totila's arrival in the camp beforeRome, the grief and anger of the Goths sought relief in cursing thetraitor Theodahad, Belisarius, and the Italians; while the bold youthhere and there began to grumble at the King's delay, who would not leadthem against these degenerate Greeks, four of whom it took to standagainst one Goth; while the impatience of the army already began torebel against inactivity, the King acknowledged to himself, with aheavy heart, that it was necessary to retreat still farther, and evengive up Rome.

  Day by day news came of the increase of the army of Belisarius. AtNeapolis alone he had gained ten thousand men--at once hostages andcomrades. From all sides the Italians joined his flag; from Neapolis toRome, no place was strong enough to oppose such a force, and thesmaller towns on the coast opened their gates to the enemy withrejoicing.

  The Gothic families dwelling in those parts fled to the camp of theKing, and told how, the very day after the fall of Neapolis, Cumae andAtilla had succumbed; then followed Capua, Cajeta, and even thefortified Benevento.

  The vanguard of Belisarius--Huns, Saracens, and Moorish horsemen--wasalready stationed before Formiae.

  The Goths expected and desired a battle before the gates of Rome. ButWitichis had long since seen the impossibility, with an army of onlytwenty thousand men, of encountering Belisarius, who, by that time,would be able to muster a hundred thousand in the open field.

  For a time he entertained the idea of being able to hold the mightyfortifications of Rome--Cethegus's proud work--against the Byzantineincursion; but he was soon obliged to renounce even this hope.

  The population of Rome now counted--thanks to the Prefect--more armedand practised men than they had possessed for many a century, and theKing daily convinced himself of the spirit which animated them.

  Even now the Romans could scarcely restrain their hatred of thebarbarians; it was not only evinced by unfriendly and mocking gestures;already the Goths dared not venture into the streets except inwell-armed numbers, and every day single Gothic sentries were founddead, stabbed from behind.

  Witichis could not conceal from himself that the different elements ofthe popular feeling were organised and guided by cunning and powerfulleaders: the heads of the Roman aristocracy and the Roman clergy. Hewas obliged to confess that, so soon as Belisarius should appear beforethe walls, the Roman population would rise, and, together with thebesiegers, would overcome the weak Gothic garrison.

  So Witichis had unwillingly resolved to give up Rome and all centralItaly; to throw himself into the strong and faithful city of Ravenna;there to complete the very incomplete armament of the troops, to uniteall the Gothic forces, and then to seek the enemy with an equallypowerful army.

  This resolution was a great sacrifice. For Witichis had his full shareof the Germanic love of fight, and it was a hard blow to his pride toretreat and seek for means of defence, instead of striking at once.

  But there was still more.

  It was inglorious for a king who had been raised to the throne of thecowardly Theodahad because of his known courage, to begin his rule witha shameful retreat. He had lost Neapolis during the first days of hisreign; should he now voluntarily give up Rome, the city of splendours?Should he give up more than the half of Italy? And if he thuscontrolled his pride for the sake of his people--what would that peoplethink of him?

  These Goths, with their impetuosity, their contempt of the enemy! Couldhe be sure of enforcing their obedience?

  For the office of a Germanic king was more to advise and propose, thanto order and compel. Already many a ruler of this people had beenforced against his will to engage in war and suffer defeat. He feared asimilar thing.

  With a heavy heart, he one night paced to and fro his tent in the campat Regeta.

  All at once hasty steps drew near, and the curtain of the tent waspulled open.

  "Up! King of the Goths!" cried a passionate voice. "It is no time nowto sleep!"

  "I do not sleep, Teja," said Witichis; "since when art thou returned?What bringest thou?"

  "I have just entered the camp; the dews of night are still upon me.First know that they are dead!"

  "Who?

  "The traitor and the murderess!"

  "What! hast thou killed them both?"

  "I kill no woman. I followed Theodahad, the traitor-king, for two daysand two nights. He was on the way to Ravenna; he had a fair start. Butmy hatred was swifter than his cowardice. I overtook him near Narnia;twelve slaves accompanied his litter. They had no desire to die for themiserable man; they threw away their torches and fled. I tore him outof his litter, and put my own sword into his hand. But he fell upon hisknees, begged for his life, and, at the same moment, aimed atreacherous stroke at me. Then I slew him like an ox at the altar; withthree strokes--one for the realm, two for my parents. And I hung him upby his belt to a withered yew-tree on the high-road, a prey to thebirds of the air, and a warning to the kings of the earth."

  "And what became of her?"

  "Her end was terrible," said Teja, shuddering. "When I first passedthrough Rome, nothing was known of her but that she had refused tofollow the coward-king. He fled alone. Gothelindis called herCappadocian mercenaries together, and promised them heaps of gold, ifthey would keep by her, go with her to Dalmatia, and occupy thefortress of Salona. The men hesitated and wished to see the gold. ThenGothelindis promised to bring it, and left them. Since then she haddisappeared. When I passed through Rome the second time, she had beenfound----"

  "Well?"

  "She had ventured into the Catacombs alone, without a guide, to fetchthe treasure which had been hidden there. She must have lost herself inthe labyrinth; she could not find the way out. Mercenaries who weresent to seek her, found her still alive; her torch was not burnt down,but was almost entire; it must have gone out soon after she had enteredthe Catacombs. Madness shone from her eyes; fear of death and a longdespair had overcome this bad woman; she died as soon as she wasbrought to the light."

  "Horrible!" cried Witichis.

  "A just punishment!" said Teja. "But listen!"

  Before he could continue, Totila, Hildebad, Hildebrand, and severalother Goths rushed into the tent.

  "Does he know!" asked Totila.

  "Not yet," said Teja.

  "Rebellion!" cried Hildebad, "rebellion! Up, King Witichis! Defend thycrown! Off with the boy's head!"

  "What has happened?" asked Witichis quietly.

  "Earl Arahad of Asta, the vain fool! has rebelled. Immediately afteryou had been chosen King, he rode off to Florentia, where his elderbrother
, Guntharis, the proud Duke of Tuscany, lives and rules. Therethe Woelfungs have found many adherents. Arahad called upon the Gothseverywhere to protect the 'Royal Lily,' as they call her, Mataswintha,the true heir to the throne! They have proclaimed her Queen. She was inFlorentia at the time, and therefore fell at once into their hands. Itis not known if she be the prisoner of Guntharis or the wife of Arahad.It is only known that they have enlisted Avarian and Gepidianmercenaries, and armed all the adherents of the Amelungs and their kithand kindred, together with the numerous adherents of the Woelfungs. Theethey call the 'Peasant-King;' they intend to take Ravenna!"

  "Oh, send me to Florentia, with only three thousand," cried Hildebadangrily; "I will bring you this Queen of the Goths, together with heraristocratic lover, imprisoned in a bird-cage!"

  But the others looked anxious.

  "Things look bad," said Hildebrand. "Belisarius with his hundredthousands before us--at our backs the wily Rome--our main forces stillfifty miles off--and now civil war and rebellion in the heart of thenation!"

  But Witichis was as quiet and composed as ever.

  "It is perhaps better so," he said. "We have now no choice. We _must_retreat."

  "Retreat!" asked Hildebad angrily.

  "Yes; we dare not leave an enemy at our backs. To-morrow we break upthe camp and go----"

  "Forward to Neapolis!" asked Hildebad.

  "No. Back to Rome. And farther! To Florentia, to Ravenna! The spark ofrebellion must be trampled out ere it burst into a flame."

  "What? Thou wilt retreat before Belisarius?"

  "Yes, to advance all the more irresistibly, Hildebad. The string of thebow is also stretched backward to hurl the deadly arrow with thegreater force."

  "Never," cried Hildebad; "thou canst not--thou darest not do that!"

  But Witichis stepped quietly up to him and laid his hand upon hisshoulder.

  "I am thy King. Thou thyself hast chosen me. Loud above all the otherssounded _thy_ cry: 'Hail, King Witichis!' Thou knowest--God knows--thatI did not stretch forth my hand for the crown. You yourselves havepressed it upon my brow. Take it off, if you can entrust it to me nolonger. But as long as I wear it, trust me and obey. Otherwise you andI are lost!"

  "Thou art right," said sturdy Hildebad, and bent his head. "Forgive me;I will make it good in the next fight."

  "Up, my generals," concluded Witichis, putting on his helmet. "Thou,Totila, wilt hasten to the Frank Kings in Gaul, on an importantembassy. You others hasten to your troops; break up the camp; atsunrise we march to Rome."