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to be. But Gibamundus and the two thousand with him, having fallen in battle with the Huns, all perished. But Belisarius, being at Decimum, learned none of these things, but having thrown up a palisade, he made a ditch, leaving there his wife and the infantry. And he himself, taking the cavalry and the commanders, advanced toward Carthage. But finding the fallen dead, both Ammatas and the Vandals, and learning what had happened, he went up a certain hill and saw a cloud of dust from the south, and a great multitude of Vandal cavalry, led by Gelimer, who knew neither the fate of Gibamundus nor that of Ammatas. And when they came near one another, the Vandals, arriving first, seized the hill and appeared formidable to their opponents. But the Romans, turning, came 193 to a place seven stades distant from Decimum. But God, having wondrously changed them, reduced them to cowardice. For if they had made the pursuit immediately, they would have utterly destroyed all of them along with Belisarius (so great was the multitude of the Vandals), and they were about to capture John without a struggle as he was returning from Carthage and despoiling the dead. But Gelimer, coming down from the hill and finding his brother dead, turned to lamentations and blunted the edge of victory. But Belisarius, ordering the fugitives to stand, and having arranged everything in an orderly manner, and having reproached them for their cowardice, and having learned of the death of the enemy along with the victory of John, advances against Gelimer with speed and courage. But the barbarians, being found unprepared, were turned to a mighty flight, and having lost many men, they advanced towards Numidia, leaving Carthage behind. And when night fell, both Belisarius and John and the Massagetae arrived at Decimum, and having learned all that had happened, they rejoiced; and on the next day, together with the infantry and the wife of Belisarius, they all marched to Carthage. And the Carthaginians, having thrown open the gates and lit lamps, went out with the whole population to meet Belisarius. And the Vandals in the city took refuge in the churches. And when the fleet also arrived, they raised the chain and received them in the harbor. And most of the fleet, observing the command of Belisarius, did not enter the harbor, but anchored outside. But Calonymus, embracing disobedience, entered and, having plundered the ships, seized much money, and he entered the workshops and houses near the harbor and took many captive. But Belisarius, having taken Carthage without a struggle, exhorted the soldiers, saying: "See what great good fortunes have befallen us, since we showed moderation towards the Libyans. See to it that you maintain good order in Carthage, and let no one wrong anyone, or seize anything of his. For having suffered many evils from the Vandals, barbarian men, our emperor sent us to help them and to grant them freedom." 194 Giving this exhortation, he entered Carthage. And going up to the palace, he sat on Gelimer's throne. To him came both the merchants of Carthage and as many as lived near the sea, lamenting that they had suffered plunder from the fleet. But Belisarius made Calonymus the admiral swear that he would bring everything that had been plundered and return it to its proper owners. But he, having appropriated some of it and perjured himself, not long after paid the penalty. For having gone out of his mind, he bit his own tongue and died. But Belisarius feasted the people royally, and Gelimer's household served and poured wine and ministered in all other things. And so the general took the city without disturbance, so that he did not inflict any outrage on a person, nor did it happen that any in the marketplace secured their houses; but the soldiers, buying things, were eating and making merry. And he led out the Vandals who had fled for refuge to the churches, having given them pledges. And he took care of the city walls, which had been neglected before. And they also told an old saying

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εἶναι. Κιβαμοῦνδος δὲ καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ δισχίλιοι περιπεπτωκότες ἐν τῇ ἀλκῇ τοῖς Οὔννοις ἀπώλοντο πάντες. Βελισάριος δὲ εἰς ∆έκιμον ὢν οὐδὲν τούτων ἔμαθεν, ἀλλὰ χαράκωμα περιβαλὼν ἐφωσάτευσεν, καταλιπὼν αὐτόθι τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς πεζούς. αὐτὸς δὲ λαβὼν τοὺς ἱππεῖς καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας ἐπὶ Καρχηδόνα ἐχώρει. εὑρὼν δὲ τοὺς πεπτωκότας νεκροὺς τόν τε Ἀματᾶν καὶ τοὺς Οὐανδήλους καὶ μαθὼν τὰ γεγονότα, εἰς λόφον τινὰ ἀνελθὼν ὁρᾷ κονιορτὸν ἐκ μεσημβρίας, καὶ Οὐανδήλων ἱππέων πλῆθος πολύ, ἡγουμένου αὐτοῖς Γελίμερος, μὴ γνώσαντος μήτε τὸ Κιβαμούνδου πάθος μήτε τὸ τοῦ Ἀματᾶ. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐγγὺς ἀλλήλων γεγόνασιν, προτερήσαντες Οὐανδῆλοι τὸν λόφον καταλαμβάνουσι καὶ φοβεροὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐδείχθησαν. οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι τραπέντες εἰς χωρίον ἀφικνοῦν193 ται σταδίους ἑπτὰ τοῦ ∆εκίμου ἀπέχον. θεὸς δὲ παραδόξως τούτους ἀλλοιώσας εἰς δειλίαν κατέστησεν. εἰ γὰρ τὴν δίωξιν εὐθὺς ἐποιήσαντο, ἄρδην ἂν ἅπαντας σὺν Βελισαρίῳ διέφθειραν, (τοσοῦτον ἦν πλῆθος τῶν Οὐανδήλων) καὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην ὑποστρέφοντα ἐκ Καρχηδόνος καὶ σκυλεύοντα τοὺς τεθνεῶτας ἀπονητὶ κρατῆσαι ἤμελλον. κατιὼν δὲ ἐκ τοῦ λόφου Γελίμερ καὶ εὑρὼν τὸν ἀδελφὸν νεκρὸν εἴς τε ὀλοφύρσεις ἐτράπη καὶ τῆς νίκης τὴν ἀκμὴν ἤμβλυνεν. Βελισάριος δὲ τούς τε φεύγοντας στῆναι κελεύσας καὶ κοσμίως τὰ πάντα διατάξας καὶ ὀνειδίσας τῆς δειλίας καὶ τὴν τελευτὴν τῶν ἐναντίων ἅμα τε καὶ Ἰωάννου νίκην μαθών, δρόμῳ καὶ ἀνδρείᾳ ἐπὶ Γελίμερα χωρεῖ. οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι ἀπαρασκεύαστοι εὑρεθέντες εἰς φυγὴν ἐτράπησαν κραταιὰν καὶ πολλοὺς ἀποβαλόντες ἐπὶ Νουμιδίαν ἐχώρουν καταλιπόντες Καρχηδόνα. νυκτὸς δὲ καταλαβούσης, ὅ τε Βελισάριος καὶ Ἰωάννης καὶ οἱ Μασσαγέται εἰς ∆έκιμον ἀφικόμενοι, ἅπαντα τὰ συμβεβηκότα μαθόντες ἔχαιρον· τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ἅμα τοῖς πεζοῖς καὶ τῇ Βελισαρίου γυναικὶ ἅπαντες ἐπὶ Καρχηδόνα ἐπορεύοντο. οἱ δὲ Καρχηδόνιοι τὰς πύλας ἀναπετάσαντες καὶ λύχνα ἅψαντες πανδημεὶ πρὸς ὑπάντησιν Βελισαρίου ἐξῄεσαν. οἱ δὲ ἐν αὐτῇ Οὐανδῆλοι ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς προσέφυγον. καταλαβόντος δὲ καὶ τοῦ στόλου τὴν ἅλυσιν ἄραντες ἐν τῷ λιμένι τούτους ἐδέξαντο. καὶ ὁ μὲν πλεῖστος στόλος τὴν ἐντολὴν Βελισαρίου φυλάξαντες οὐκ εἰσῆλθον ἐν τῷ λιμένι, ἀλλ' ἔξω προσώρμισαν. Καλώνυμος δὲ τὴν παρακοὴν ἐνδυσάμενος εἰσῆλθε καὶ τὰ πλοῖα ληϊσάμενος πολλὰ χρήματα ἀφήρπαζεν, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐργαστηρίοις καὶ οἴκοις τοῖς πλησίον τοῦ λιμένος εἰσῆλθε καὶ πολλοὺς ᾐχμαλώτευσεν. ἀπονητὶ δὲ Βελισάριος τῆς Καρχηδόνος κρατήσας παρῄνει τοῖς στρατιώταις λέγων· "ὁρᾶτε, ἡλίκα εὐτυχήματα γεγόνασιν ἡμῖν, ἐπειδὴ σωφροσύνην εἰς τοὺς Λίβυας ἐπεδειξάμεθα. βλέπετε, τὴν εὐκοσμίαν ἐν Καρχηδόνι διασώσασθε, καὶ μήτις ἀδικήσῃ τινά, ἢ ἀφαρπάσῃ τι αὐτοῦ. πολλὰ γὰρ κακὰ παθόντες ὑπὸ Οὐανδήλων ἀνδρῶν βαρβάρων, βασιλεὺς ὁ ἡμέτερος βοηθῆσαι τούτοις ἡμᾶς ἀπέστειλε καὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν χαρίσασθαι." 194 ταῦτα παραινῶν εἰς Καρχηδόνα εἰσῆλθεν. καὶ ἀναβὰς εἰς τὸ παλάτιον ἐν τῷ Γελίμερος θρόνῳ ἐκάθισεν. τούτῳ προσῆλθον οἵ τε ἔμποροι Καρχηδόνος καὶ ὅσοι πλησίον τῆς θαλάσσης ἔμενον, ὀλοφυρόμενοι ἁρπαγὴν πεπονθέναι ὑπὸ τοῦ στόλου. ὁ δὲ Βελισάριος Καλώνυμον τὸν ναύαρχον ὥρκισεν, ὅπως ἅπαντα τὰ διαρπαγέντα ἐνέγκῃ καὶ ἀποδώσῃ τοῖς οἰκείοις δεσπόταις. ὁ δὲ σφετερισάμενος ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπιορκήσας οὐ μετὰ πολὺ τὴν δίκην ἔτισεν. ἔξω γὰρ φρενῶν γενόμενος, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γλῶσσαν φαγὼν ἀπέθανεν. Βελισάριος δὲ τὸν λαὸν εἱστία βασιλικῶς, καὶ ἡ τοῦ Γελίμερος θεραπεία παρετίθει τε καὶ ᾠνοχόει καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ὑπούργει. οὕτω δὲ ὁ στρατηγὸς ἀθορύβως τὴν πόλιν ἔσχεν, ὥστε οὐδὲ ὕβριν τινὰ ἐπήγαγεν ἀνθρώπῳ, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς τινας συνέβη τὴν οἰκίαν ἀσφαλίσαι· ἀλλ' ἀγοράζοντες οἱ στρατιῶται ἤσθιον καὶ εὐφραίνοντο. τοὺς δὲ εἰς τὰ ἱερὰ καταφυγόντας Οὐανδήλους πιστὰ δοὺς ἐξήγαγεν. τῶν δὲ τειχῶν τῆς πόλεως ἐπεμελεῖτο ἠμελημένων πρότερον ὄντων. ἔλεγον δὲ καὶ παλαιὸν λόγον