A Struggle for Rome, v. 3

by Felix Dahn

  CHAPTER II.

  Added to this, an inevitable necessity reduced the number of Goths inthe King's army capable of bearing arms in the most frightful manner.

  From the very commencement of the pursuit, Cethegus, with hismercenaries, and Alboin with his Longobardians, had stuck to theheels of the fugitives, and consequently, if the retreat of the Gothicarmy--already delayed by the number of women, children, and aged peoplewho had joined it--was not to be brought to a complete standstill, itwas necessary to sacrifice each night a small number of heroes, whohalted at some spot suitable for their design, and held the pursuers atbay by an obstinate, fearless, and hopeless resistance, until the mainarmy had again gained a considerable advance.

  This cruel, but only possible expedient, always entailed the loss of atleast fifty men, and often, where the place to be defended had a widerfront, a much greater number.

  Before King Teja marched from Spes Bonorum, he had explained this planto the assembled army; his faithful troops silently assented to it. Andevery morning the "death-doomed" volunteered so eagerly to join thisforlorn hope, that King Teja--with humid eyes--made them draw lots, notwishing to offend any one by the preference of others. For the Goths,who saw nothing before them but the certain destruction of the nation,and many of whom knew that their wives and children had fallen into theenemy's hands, vied with each other in seeking death.

  So their retreat became a triumphal procession of Gothic heroes, andevery halting-place a monument of courageous self-sacrifice. Thus,among the leaders of the "doomed rear-guard," old Haduswinth fell nearNuceria Camellaria; the young and skilful archer, Gunthamund, at AdFontes; and the swift rider, Gudila, at Ad Martis. But thesesacrifices, and the King's generalship, were not without influence onthe fate of the nation.

  Near Fossatum, between Tudera and Narnia, a night attack took placebetween the rear-guard under Earl Markja, and the horsemen of Cethegus,which lasted from afternoon till sunrise.

  When at last the returning light illumined the hastily-constructedearthworks thrown up by the Goths, they were as still and silent as thegrave.

  The pursuers advanced with the utmost caution. At last Cethegus sprangfrom his horse and on to the parapet of the earthworks, followed bySyphax.

  Cethegus turned and signed to his men: "Follow me; there is no danger!You have only to step over the bodies of our enemies, for here they alllie--a full thousand. Yonder is Earl Markja; I know him."

  But when the earthworks were demolished, and Cethegus and his horsemencontinued their pursuit of the main army--which had gained a greatadvance they soon learned from the peasants of the neighbourhood thatthe Gothic army had not passed on the Flaminian Way at all.

  By the noble sacrifice of this night, King Teja had been enabled toconceal the further direction of his retreat, and the pursuers had lostthe scent.

  Cethegus advised Johannes and Alboin, the one to send a portion of hismen to the south-east, the other to the left on the Flaminian Way, totry to find the lost track. He himself longed to get to Rome. He wishedto reach that city before Narses. Once there, he hoped to be able tocheckmate him, as he had done Belisarius, from the Capitol.

  After discovering that King Teja had evaded all pursuit, Cethegussummoned his trusty tribunes, and told them that he was resolved--ifnecessary, by force--to rid himself of the constant supervision ofAlboin and Johannes--who were at present weakened by the division oftheir troops at his advice--and to hasten with his Isaurians alonestraight to Rome by the Flaminian Way, which was now no longer blockedby the Goths.

  But even while he was speaking, he was interrupted by the entrance ofSyphax, who led into the tent a Roman citizen, whom he had withdifficulty rescued from the hands of the Longobardians. The man hadasked for the Prefect, and the Longobardians had answered, laughing,that they would treat him (the messenger) "as usual."

  "But," added Syphax, "a great crowd of people is approaching in therear; I will see what it is and bring you word."

  "I know you, Tullus Faber," said the Prefect, turning to the messenger,when Syphax had left him; "you were ever faithful to Rome and to me.What news do you bring?"

  "O Prefect!" cried the man, "we all thought you were dead, for you sentus no answer to eight several messages."

  "I have not received even one!"

  "Then you do not know what has happened in Rome? Pope Silverius hasdied in exile in Sicily. His successor is Pelagius, your enemy!"

  "I know nothing. Speak!"

  "Alas, you will neither be able to advise nor to help. Rome has----"

  Just then Syphax returned, but before he could speak, he was followedinto the tent by Narses, supported by Basiliskos.

  "You have allowed yourself to be detained here so long by a thousandGothic spears," said the commander-in-chief angrily, "that the healthyhave escaped, and the sick have overtaken you. This King Teja can domore than break shields; he can weave veils with which to blind thePrefect's sharp sight. But I see through many veils, and also throughthis. Johannes, call your people back. Teja cannot have gone south, hemust have gone northwards, for he, no doubt, has known long since thatwhich concerns the Prefect most: Rome is wrested from the Goths."

  Cethegus looked at him with sparkling eyes.

  "I had smuggled a few clever men into the city. They excited theinhabitants to a midnight revolt. All the Goths in the city were slain;only five hundred men escaped into the Mausoleum of Hadrian, andcontinue to defend it."

  Faber took courage to put in a word.

  "We sent eight messengers to you. Prefect, one after the other."

  "Away with this man!" cried Narses, signing to his officers. "Yes," hecontinued quietly, "the citizens of Rome think lovingly of the Prefect,to whom they owe so much: two sieges, hunger, pestilence, and theburning of the Capitol! But the messengers sent to you always losttheir way, and fell into the hands of the Longobardians, who, no doubt,slew them. But the embassy sent to me by the Holy Father, Pelagius,reached me safely, and I have concluded an agreement, of which you,Prefect of Rome, will surely approve."

  "In any case, I shall not be able to annul it."

  "The good citizens of Rome fear nothing so much as a third siege. Theyhave stipulated that we shall undertake nothing that can lead toanother fight for their city. They write that the Goths in theMausoleum will soon succumb to hunger; that they themselves can defendtheir walls; and they have sworn only to deliver up their city, afterthe destruction of those Goths, to their natural protector and chief,the Prefect of Rome. Are you content with that, Cethegus? Read theagreement. Give it to him, Basiliskos."

  Cethegus read the paper with deep and joyful emotion. So they had notforgotten him, his Romans! So now, when everything was coming to acrisis, they called, not the hated Byzantines, but himself, theirpatron, back to the Capitol! He again felt at the height of power.

  "I am content," he said, returning the roll.

  "I have promised," continued Narses, "to make no attempt to get thecity into my power by force. First King Teja must follow King Totila.Then Rome--and many other things. Accompany me, Prefect, to the councilof war."

  When Cethegus left the council in the tent of Narses, and asked afterTullus Faber, not a trace of the latter was to be found.