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was very much so, 6.25.4 but the wooden handle was exceedingly short. This very axe they were accustomed to throw always from one spot, and in the first rush to both shatter the shields 6.25.5 of the enemy and to kill them. Thus the Franks, having crossed the Alps, which separate both Gauls and Italians, 6.25.6 came to be in Liguria. But the Goths, previously being vexed by their perfidy, because, although they had often been promised much land and great sums of money for an alliance, they had been by no means willing to carry out the promise, when they heard that Theudibert was present with a large army, rejoiced, being exceedingly lifted up by their hopes and thought that for the future they would overcome the enemy without a fight. 6.25.7 But the Germans, as long as they were in Liguria, did nothing unpleasant toward the Goths, so that no hindrance to their crossing of the Padus 6.25.8 might be made by them. But when they came to the city of Ticinum, where indeed the ancient Romans had built a bridge over this river, those guarding these things both rendered them other services and allowed them to cross the Padus at their pleasure. 6.25.9 And the Franks, having seized the bridge, both sacrificed the children and wives of the Goths, whom they found there, and threw their bodies into the river as first-fruits of the war. 6.25.10 For these barbarians, though they have become Christians, preserve most of their ancient belief, both using human sacrifices and sacrificing other unholy things, and in this way 6.25.11 making their divinations. But the Goths, seeing what was being done, fell into an irresistible fear and taking to flight came inside the stockade. The Germans, therefore, having crossed the river Padus, came to the camp of the Goths, but the Goths at first gladly watched them approaching against them in small groups, thinking that the men had come for their alliance. 6.25.12 But when a large crowd of Germans streamed in and they set to work and, hurling their axes, were already harming many, they turned their backs and rushed to flight, and going through the Roman camp 6.25.13 they were running toward Ravenna. And the Romans, seeing them fleeing, thought that Belisarius had come to their aid and captured the enemy's camp, and had driven them from there, having conquered them in battle. wishing to join him, 6.25.14 taking up their arms they went with speed. But encountering unexpectedly an army of enemies they came to blows not at all willingly, and being defeated by far in the battle they were no longer able to return to their camp, but all fled toward Tuscia. 6.25.15 And having now reached safety they reported to Belisarius all that had happened to them. 6.25.16 But the Franks, having conquered both, as was said, and having captured both camps completely empty of men, at first found provisions there, but after a little while having consumed everything on account of their great numbers, they had nothing else to consume in a land deserted of people except for oxen and the water of the Padus. 6.25.17 Not being able to digest this meat with an abundance of water, most of them were afflicted by both a flux of the belly and the disease of dysentery, from which, indeed, because of a lack of provisions, they were quite unable to recover. 6.25.18 At any rate, they say that a third of the Frankish army perished in this manner. For which reason, indeed, being in no way able to go further, they remained there. 6.25.19 But Belisarius, having heard both that the army of the Franks was present and that the men with Martinus and John had been defeated in battle and had fled, was at a loss, fearing for the whole army and especially for those besieging Fiesole, since he learned that these barbarians were very near to them, and he immediately 6.25.20 wrote the following to Theudibert: “For a man who lays claim to virtue “not to be truthful, and especially as a ruler “of so many nations in number, is, I think, O noble 6.25.21 “Theudibert, not seemly. And to violate oaths “set down in writing and disregard the agreements “would not even be fitting for the most dishonorable of men. “which you yourself know you are committing at the present time, and yet

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μάλιστα 6.25.4 ἦν, ἡ λαβὴ δὲ τοῦ ξύλου βραχεῖα ἐς ἄγαν. τοῦτον δὴ τὸν πέλεκυν ῥίπτοντες ἀεὶ ἐκ σημείου ἑνὸς εἰώθασιν ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ὁρμῇ τάς τε ἀσπίδας διαρρηγνύναι 6.25.5 τῶν πολεμίων καὶ αὐτοὺς κτείνειν. οὕτω μὲν Φράγγοι τὰς Ἄλπεις ἀμείψαντες, αἳ Γάλλους τε καὶ Ἰταλοὺς 6.25.6 διορίζουσιν, ἐν Λιγούροις ἐγένοντο. Γότθοι δὲ αὐτῶν πρότερον τῇ ἀγνωμοσύνῃ ἀχθόμενοι, ὅτι δὴ χώραν τε πολλὴν καὶ χρήματα ὑποσχομένοις μεγάλα πολλάκις ὑπὲρ ξυμμαχίας προέσθαι τρόπῳ οὐδενὶ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν ἐπιτελῆ ποιήσασθαι ἤθελον, ἐπειδὴ Θευδίβερτον παρεῖναι στρατῷ πολλῷ ἤκουσαν, ἔχαιρον ταῖς ἐλπίσιν ἐς τὰ μάλιστα ἐπαιρόμενοι καὶ τῶν πολεμίων ἀμαχητὶ 6.25.7 περιέσεσθαι τὸ λοιπὸν ᾤοντο. οἱ δὲ Γερμανοὶ, τέως μὲν ἐν Λιγούροις ἦσαν, οὐδὲν ἐς Γότθους ἄχαρι ἔπρασσον, ὅπως σφίσι μηδεμία κωλύμη ἐς τοῦ Πάδου 6.25.8 τὴν διάβασιν πρὸς αὐτῶν γένηται. ὡς δὲ ἵκοντο ἐς Τικινῶν πόλιν, ἵνα δὴ γέφυραν ἐς τὸν ποταμὸν τοῦτον ἐτεκτήναντο οἱ πάλαι Ῥωμαῖοι, τά τε ἄλλα ὑπούργουν οἱ ταῦτα φυλάσσοντες καὶ τὸν Πάδον κατ' ἐξου6.25.9 σίαν διαβαίνειν εἴων. ἐπιλαβόμενοι δὲ τῆς γεφύρας οἱ Φράγγοι, παῖδάς τε καὶ γυναῖκας τῶν Γότθων, οὕσπερ ἐνταῦθα εὗρον, ἱέρευόν τε καὶ αὐτῶν τὰ σώματα ἐς τὸν ποταμὸν ἀκροθίνια τοῦ πολέμου ἐρρίπτουν. 6.25.10 οἱ γὰρ βάρβαροι οὗτοι, Χριστιανοὶ γεγονότες, τὰ πολλὰ τῆς παλαιᾶς δόξης φυλάσσουσι, θυσίαις τε χρώμενοι ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἄλλα οὐχ ὅσια ἱερεύοντες, ταύτῃ τε 6.25.11 τὰς μαντείας ποιούμενοι. κατιδόντες δὲ Γότθοι τὰ ποιούμενα ἔς τε ἄμαχόν τι δέος κατέστησαν καὶ φυγῇ ἐχόμενοι ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου ἐγένοντο. οἱ μὲν οὖν Γερμανοὶ Πάδον ποταμὸν διαβάντες ἐς τὸ Γότθων στρατόπεδον ἦλθον, οἱ δὲ Γότθοι κατ' ἀρχὰς μὲν ἄσμενοι ἐθεῶντο κατ' ὀλίγους αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ σφᾶς προσιόντας, ἐπὶ ξυμμαχίᾳ τῇ σφετέρᾳ τοὺς ἄνδρας ἥκειν 6.25.12 οἰόμενοι. ἐπεὶ δὲ ὅμιλος Γερμανῶν πολὺς ἐπιρρεύσας ἔργου τε εἴχοντο καὶ τοὺς πελέκυς ἐσακοντίζοντες συχνοὺς ἤδη ἐσίνοντο, στρέψαντες τὰ νῶτα ἐς φυγὴν ὥρμηντο, καὶ διὰ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοπέδου ἰόντες 6.25.13 τὴν ἐπὶ Ῥάβενναν ἔθεον. φεύγοντάς τε αὐτοὺς ἰδόντες Ῥωμαῖοι Βελισάριον ἐπιβεβοηθηκότα σφίσιν ᾤοντο ἑλεῖν τὸ τῶν πολεμίων στρατόπεδον, ἐνθένδε τε αὐτοὺς ἐξελάσαι μάχῃ νικήσαντα. ᾧ δὴ ξυμμῖξαι βουλόμενοι 6.25.14 ἄραντες τὰ ὅπλα κατὰ τάχος ᾔεσαν. ἐντυχόντες δὲ παρὰ δόξαν πολεμίων στρατῷ οὔτι ἐθελούσιοι ἐς χεῖρας ἦλθον, παρὰ πολύ τε ἡσσηθέντες τῇ μάχῃ ἐς μὲν τὸ στρατόπεδον ἀναστρέφειν οὐκέτι εἶχον, ἐπὶ Τουσκίαν 6.25.15 δὲ ἅπαντες ἔφευγον. ἔν τε τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ ἤδη γενόμενοι ἅπαντα ἐς Βελισάριον τὰ ξυμπεσόντα σφίσιν ἀνήνεγκαν. 6.25.16 Φράγγοι δὲ ἀμφοτέρους, ὥσπερ ἐρρήθη, νενικηκότες, τά τε στρατόπεδα ἑκάτερα ἑλόντες παντάπασιν ἀνδρῶν ἔρημα, ἐν μὲν τῷ παραυτίκα τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἐνταῦθα εὗρον, δι' ὀλίγου δὲ ἅπαντα διὰ πολυανθρωπίαν δαπανήσαντες, ἄλλο τι οὐδὲν ἐν χώρᾳ ἐρήμῳ ἀνθρώπων ὅτι μὴ βόας τε καὶ τοῦ Πάδου τὸ ὕδωρ προσφέρεσθαι 6.25.17 εἶχον. ταῦτα τὰ κρέα τῇ τοῦ ὕδατος περιουσίᾳ καταπέψαι οὐχ οἷοί τε ὄντες γαστρός τε ῥύσει καὶ δυσεντερίας νόσῳ οἱ πλεῖστοι ἡλίσκοντο, ὧν δὴ ἀπαλλάσσε6.25.18 σθαι ἀπορίᾳ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ὡς ἥκιστα ἴσχυον. φασὶ γοῦν τὸ τριτημόριον τοῦ Φράγγων στρατοῦ τῷ τρόπῳ τούτῳ ἀπολωλέναι. διὸ δὴ περαιτέρω ἰέναι οὐδαμῆ ἔχοντες αὐτοῦ ἔμενον. 6.25.19 Βελισάριος δὲ Φράγγων τε στρατὸν παρεῖναι ἀκούσας καὶ τοὺς ἀμφὶ Μαρτῖνόν τε καὶ Ἰωάννην μάχῃ ἡσσηθέντας φυγεῖν ἐς ἀμηχανίαν κατέστη, περί τε τῇ πάσῃ στρατιᾷ δείσας καὶ διαφερόντως περὶ τοῖς ἐν Φισούλῃ πολιορκοῦσιν, ἐπεὶ αὐτῶν μάλιστα ἐγγυτέρω τούτους δὴ τοὺς βαρβάρους ἐπύθετο εἶναι, αὐτίκα δὴ 6.25.20 πρὸς Θευδίβερτον ἔγραψε τάδε «Ἄνδρα μὲν ἀρετῆς «μεταποιούμενον μὴ οὐχὶ ἀψευδεῖν, ἄλλως τε καὶ «ἄρχοντα ἐθνῶν τοσούτων τὸ πλῆθος, οἶμαι, ὦ γενναῖε 6.25.21 «Θευδίβερτε, οὐκ εὐπρεπὲς εἶναι. τὸ δὲ καὶ ὅρκους «ἀδικοῦντας ἐν γράμμασι κειμένους περιορᾶν τὰ ξυγκεί»μενα οὐδ' ἂν τοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀτιμοτάτοις ἐπιτη»δείως ἔχοι. ἅπερ αὐτὸς ἔν γε τῷ παρόντι ἐξαμαρτάνων «οἶσθα, καίτοι