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of sails, they released upon 3.6.19 the Roman camp. And since there was a multitude of ships there, wherever these vessels fell, they burned them easily and were themselves readily 3.6.20 destroyed together with those they mixed with. And so as the fire was borne upon them, a clamor, as was likely, possessed the Roman fleet and a great shouting, clashing especially with the wind and the roaring of the flame, and with the soldiers along with the sailors shouting commands to one another and with their poles pushing away both the fire-ships and their own ships being destroyed by each other 3.6.21 in no order. And now the Vandals were also present, ramming and sinking ships and with their very weapons 3.6.22 plundering the escaping soldiers. And there were some Romans who became brave men in this struggle, and most of all John, being both a general under Basiliscus and in no way 3.6.23 having partaken of that man's treachery. For when a great crowd surrounded his ship, he killed, turning about from the deck, a very great multitude of the enemy, but when he perceived the ship was being captured, he leaped with all his armour from the 3.6.24 deck into the sea. Genzon, the son of Gizeric, therefore implored him earnestly, both offering pledges and promising him safety, but he no less cast his body into the sea, uttering only this, that 3.6.25 John would never come under the hands of dogs. This war, then, ended in this way and Heraclius was brought back home; for Marcellianus perished by the treachery of one 3.6.26 of his co-commanders. But Basiliscus, having arrived at Byzantium, sat as a suppliant in the sanctuary of Christ the great God (the Byzantines call the temple Sophia, thinking this epithet to be especially fitting for God), and when Verina the empress begged for his life, he escaped this danger, but he was not able at that time to attain the imperial power, for the sake of which 3.6.27 all these things had been done by him. For the emperor Leo not much later destroyed both Aspar and Ardaburius in the palace, since he suspected them of plotting his death. These things, then, happened in this way. 3.7.1 But Anthemius, the emperor of the West, was destroyed by his father-in-law Ricimer and died, and Olybrius, having succeeded to the empire a short time later, 3.7.2 fulfilled the same fate. And when Leo also died in Byzantium, Leo, the son of Zeno and Ariadne the daughter 3.7.3 of Leo, received the empire, being still only a few days old. And when his father was chosen as co-emperor with him, immediately 3.7.4 the child passed from the world. And it is worthwhile to make mention also of Majorinus, who previously held the western power. For this Majorinus, surpassing in every virtue all who had ever reigned as emperors of the Romans, did not bear the misfortune of Libya lightly, but having gathered a most noteworthy army against the Vandals, he was in Liguria, intending to lead the army himself against the enemy. 3.7.5 For Majorinus was tireless for other toils and not least for dangers, completely 3.7.6 so. And thinking it not disadvantageous for him to investigate beforehand both the power of the Vandals and the character of Gizeric, and in what state of friendship or enmity the Maurusii and Libyans were towards them, he decided to trust such a matter to no others but his own 3.7.7 eyes. He was therefore sent as an ambassador, as if from the emperor, to Gizeric, bearing some other fabricated name for himself. And fearing that if he were recognized he might both suffer some evil and hinder the things being done, 3.7.8 he devised the following. The hairs on his head (for they were famous among all men for being so fair as to be likened to pure gold), having anointed with some dye specially invented for this purpose, he was able for the occasion to change them completely to dark blue. 3.7.9 And when he came into the presence of Gizeric, Gizeric attempted to frighten him in other ways and, bringing him in as if a friend, came to the chamber where all his weapons were stored, being both many and exceedingly remarkable. 3.7.10 here

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ἱστίων, ἀφῆκαν ἐπὶ 3.6.19 τὸ τῶν Ῥωμαίων στρατόπεδον. ἅτε δὲ πλήθους ὄντος ἐνταῦθα νηῶν, ὅπη τὰ πλοῖα ταῦτα προσπίπτοιεν, ἔκαιόν τε ῥᾳδίως καὶ αὐτὰ οἷς ἂν συμμίξαιεν ἑτοίμως 3.6.20 ξυνδιεφθείροντο. οὕτω δὲ τοῦ πυρὸς ἐπιφερομένου θόρυβός τε, ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς, εἶχε τὸν Ῥωμαίων στόλον καὶ κραυγῆς μέγεθος τῷ τε πνεύματι καὶ τῷ τῆς φλογὸς βόμβῳ ἀντιπαταγούσης μάλιστα, καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ὁμοῦ τοῖς ναύταις ἀλλήλοις ἐγκελευομένων καὶ τοῖς κοντοῖς διωθουμένων τά τε πυρφόρα πλοῖα καὶ τὰς σφῶν αὐτῶν ναῦς ὑπ' ἀλλήλων διαφθειρο3.6.21 μένας οὐδενὶ κόσμῳ. ἤδη δὲ καὶ οἱ Βανδίλοι παρῆσαν ἐμβάλλοντές τε καὶ καταδύοντες καὶ αὐτοῖς ὅπλοις 3.6.22 τοὺς διαφεύγοντας τῶν στρατιωτῶν ληιζόμενοι. εἰσὶ δὲ οἳ καὶ ἄνδρες ἀγαθοὶ Ῥωμαίων ἐν τῷ πόνῳ τούτῳ ἐγένοντο, καὶ πάντων μάλιστα Ἰωάννης, ὑποστράτηγός τε ὢν Βασιλίσκου καὶ οὐδ' ὁπωστιοῦν 3.6.23 τῆς ἐκείνου προδοσίας μεταλαχών. περιστάντος γὰρ ὁμίλου πολλοῦ τὴν αὐτοῦ ναῦν, ἔκτεινε μὲν ἐπιστροφάδην ἀπὸ τοῦ καταστρώματος πολύ τι τῶν πολεμίων πλῆθος, ὡς δὲ ἁλισκομένης ᾔσθετο τῆς νεὼς, ἥλατο ξὺν πάσῃ τῇ τῶν ὅπλων σκευῇ ἀπὸ τῶν 3.6.24 ἰκρίων εἰς θάλασσαν. πολλὰ μὲν οὖν αὐτὸν ἐλιπάρει Γένζων ὁ Γιζερίχου, πιστά τε παρεχόμενος καὶ σωτηρίαν προτεινόμενος, ὁ δὲ οὐδὲν ἧσσον ἐς θάλασσαν καθῆκε τὸ σῶμα, ἐκεῖνο μόνον ἀποφθεγξάμενος, ὡς 3.6.25 οὐ μή ποτε Ἰωάννης ὑπὸ χερσὶ κυνῶν γένηται. ὁ μὲν δὴ πόλεμος οὗτος ἐς τοῦτο ἐτελεύτα καὶ Ἡράκλειος ἐπ' οἴκου ἀπεκομίσθη· Μαρκελλιανὸς γὰρ πρός του 3.6.26 τῶν συναρχόντων ἀπώλετο δόλῳ. Βασιλίσκος δὲ ἀφικόμενος ἐς Βυζάντιον ἱκέτης ἐκάθητο ἐς τὸ ἱερὸν Χριστοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ (Σοφίαν καλοῦσιν οἱ Βυζάντιοι τὸν νεὼν, ταύτην δὴ μάλιστα τῷ θεῷ πρέπειν τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ἡγούμενοι), ἐξαιτησαμένης δὲ αὐτὸν Βηρίνης τῆς βασιλίδος τὸν μὲν κίνδυνον τοῦτον διέφυγεν, ἐς βασιλείαν δὲ τότε παρελθεῖν, ἧς δὴ ἕνεκα 3.6.27 πάντα αὐτῷ εἴργαστο, οὐχ οἷός τε ἦν. Λέων γὰρ βασιλεὺς οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον Ἄσπαρά τε καὶ Ἀρδαβούριον ἐν παλατίῳ διέφθειρεν, ἐπεί οἱ θάνατον ἐπιβουλεύειν αὐτοὺς ὑπετόπησε. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐγένετο τῇδε. 3.7.1 Ἀνθέμιος δὲ ὁ τῶν δυσμῶν αὐτοκράτωρ πρὸς τοῦ κηδεστοῦ Ῥεκίμερος διαφθαρεὶς ἐτελεύτα, Ὀλύβριός τε τὴν βασιλείαν ἐκδεξάμενος ὀλίγῳ ὕστερον χρόνῳ 3.7.2 τὴν ὁμοίαν πεπρωμένην ἀνέπλησε. τελευτήσαντος δὲ καὶ Λέοντος ἐν Βυζαντίῳ, παρέλαβε τὴν βασιλείαν Λέων ὁ Ζήνωνός τε καὶ Ἀριάδνης τῆς Λέοντος θυγα3.7.3 τρὸς, ἐς ἡμερῶν ἔτι ὀλίγων που ἡλικίαν ἥκων. αἱρεθέντος δὲ ξυμβασιλέως αὐτῷ τοῦ πατρὸς, αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα 3.7.4 ὁ παῖς ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἠφάνιστο. ἄξιον δὲ καὶ Μαϊορίνου ἐπιμνησθῆναι, ὃς δὴ πρότερον ἔσχε τὸ ἑσπέριον κράτος. οὗτος γὰρ ὁ Μαϊορῖνος, ξύμπαντας τοὺς πώποτε Ῥωμαίων βεβασιλευκότας ὑπεραίρων ἀρετῇ πάσῃ, τὸ Λιβύης πάθος οὐκ ἤνεγκε πρᾴως, ἀλλὰ στρατιὰν ἐπὶ Βανδίλους ἀξιολογωτάτην ἀγείρας ἐν Λιγούροις ἐγένετο, αὐτὸς τῷ στρατῷ ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐξηγεῖσθαι 3.7.5 διανοούμενος. ἦν γὰρ ὁ Μαϊορῖνος ἔς τε τοὺς ἄλλους πόνους καὶ οὐχ ἥκιστα ἐς τοὺς κινδύνους ἄοκνος κο3.7.6 μιδῆ. οὐκ ἀξύμφορον δέ οἱ ἡγούμενος εἶναι δύναμίν τε τὴν Βανδίλων καὶ τὸ Γιζερίχου ἦθος διερευνήσασθαι πρότερον καὶ ὅπη ποτὲ Μαυρούσιοί τε καὶ Λίβυες εὐνοίας τε ἢ ἔχθους πέρι ἐς αὐτοὺς ἔχοιεν, οὐκ ἄλλοις τισι πιστεύειν τὸ τοιοῦτον ἢ ὀφθαλμοῖς 3.7.7 τοῖς αὑτοῦ ἔγνω. πρεσβευτὴς οὖν ὡς δὴ ἐκ βασιλέως παρὰ τὸν Γιζέριχον ἐστάλη, ἄλλο τι αὑτῷ ὄνομα ξυμπεπλασμένον ἐπενεγκών. δείσας δὲ μὴ καταφανὴς γεγονὼς αὐτός τε κακόν τι λάβῃ καὶ τὰ πρασσόμενα 3.7.8 διακωλύσῃ, μηχανᾶται τοιάδε. τὰς ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ τρίχας (διαβόητοι γὰρ ἦσαν ἐς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὅτι δὴ οὕτω ξανθαὶ εἶεν ὥστε χρυσῷ ἀκιβδήλῳ εἰκάζεσθαι) βαφῇ τινι χρίσας ἐς τοῦτο ἐξεπίτηδες ἐξευρημένῃ ἐπὶ καιροῦ μεταβαλεῖν ἐς τὸ κυάνεον παντελῶς ἴσχυσεν. 3.7.9 ἐπεὶ δὲ Γιζερίχῳ ἐς ὄψιν ἦλθε, τά τε ἄλλα ὁ Γιζέριχος αὐτὸν ἐνεχείρει δεδίσσεσθαι καὶ ἅτε φίλον ἐπαγαγόμενος ἐς τὸ οἴκημα ἦλθεν, οὗ δὴ τὰ ὅπλα ξυνέκειτο πάντα, πολλά τε καὶ ἀξιολογώτατα ὑπερφυῶς ὄντα. 3.7.10 ἐνταῦθά