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becoming, on the condition that they would rule the country with him. When Belisarius heard this, he too sent envoys to speak against the Germans, among them Theodosius, the one who was in charge of his household. 6.28.9 First, then, the envoys of the Germans came before Wittigis and spoke as follows: «The rulers of the Germans have sent us, being displeased because they heard that you are being besieged by Belisarius, and being eager to avenge you as quickly as possible in accordance with our alliance. 6.28.10 «We think, then, that an army of fighting men, no fewer than fifty myriads, has already crossed the Alps somewhere, and we boast that with their axes they will overwhelm the entire Roman army in the first assault. 6.28.11 «It is worthy for you not to follow the counsel of those who will enslave» you, but of those who are entering into the danger 6.28.12 «of war out of goodwill toward the Goths. Besides, «if you take up arms with us, no hope will be left for the» Romans to come to grips with both our armies, but right away and with no trouble we shall bind on ourselves 6.28.13 «the crown of victory in this war. But if the Goths are arrayed with the Romans,» not even so will they withstand the nation of the Franks «(for the struggle will not be on equal terms), but it will be your lot to be defeated along with the greatest 6.28.14 «enemies of all. And to go into manifest evil, when it is possible to be safe outside of danger, is great folly. «And in general, the race of the Romans is untrustworthy to all barbarians, 6.28.15 «since it is also hostile by nature. We, then, «will rule with you, if you wish, over all of Italy «and we will administer the country in whatever way seems «best. And it is fitting for you and the Goths to choose «whatever is likely to be advantageous to you.» The Franks said these 6.28.16 things. And coming forward, the envoys of Belisarius also spoke thus: «As to how the multitude of the Germans, with which these men «think it right to frighten you, will in no way harm the emperor's «army, why should anyone speak at length among you, who happen through long experience to understand thoroughly» the whole tide of war, and that «valor is least of all wont to be worsted by a crowd of men? 6.28.17 «For we forbear to say that it is especially possible for the emperor «to surpass his enemies in the multitude of his soldiers. «But as to their trustworthiness, which they boast of using toward «all barbarians, it has been demonstrated by these men toward the Thuringians and the nation of the Burgundians,» and toward you their allies. 6.28.18 «As for us, we would gladly ask the Franks by what god, indeed, they intend to swear, «when they affirm that they will give you a guarantee of their faith. 6.28.19 «For you know, of course, in what way they have honored the one by whom they have already sworn; who, having received from you so» great an amount of money, and whole Gauls for an «alliance, not only in no way resolved to share your danger, «but even took up arms so openly against you, if any report of what happened by the 6.28.20 «Po is preserved among you. And why «must one, by speaking of what is past, expose the impiety of the Franks? «Nothing could be more foul than their present embassy. 6.28.21 «For as if forgetting what they themselves had agreed to and sworn by the treaties,» they think it right to share in everything with you. 6.28.22 «And if they obtain this also from you, to «what end their insatiable greed for money will come, «it is fitting to consider.» 6.28.23 Thus also spoke the envoys of Belisarius. And Wittigis, after conferring much with the noblest of the Goths, chose the treaties with the emperor and sent the German envoys away unsuccessful. And for the future, the Goths and the Romans were now negotiating with each other through heralds, but Belisarius nonetheless kept watch that the barbarians should not bring in provisions. 6.28.24 And he commanded Vitalius to go to the Venetii and win over as many as possible of the places there, while he himself, sending Ildiger, guarded the Po on both sides, so that the barbarians, being more pressed by a lack of necessities, might give in and make the treaties as he himself wished. 6.28.25 And since much grain was still stored in public buildings within Ravenna

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νόμενοι, ἐφ' ᾧ τῆς χώρας ξὺν αὐτῷ ἄρξουσιν. ὅπερ Βελισάριος ὡς ἤκουσε, πρέσβεις καὶ αὐτὸς ἀντεροῦντας Γερμανοῖς ἔπεμψεν ἄλλους τε καὶ Θεοδόσιον τὸν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τῇ αὐτοῦ ἐφεστῶτα. 6.28.9 Πρῶτοι μὲν οὖν οἱ Γερμανῶν πρέσβεις Οὐιττίγιδι ἐς ὄψιν ἐλθόντες ἔλεξαν τοιάδε «Ἔπεμψαν ἡμᾶς οἱ «Γερμανῶν ἄρχοντες, δυσχεραίνοντες μὲν ὅτι δὴ πρὸς «Βελισαρίου πολιορκεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς ἤκουσαν, τιμωρεῖν «δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι τάχιστα κατὰ τὸ ξυμμαχικὸν ἐν σπουδῇ 6.28.10 «ἔχοντες. τὸ μὲν οὖν στρατόπεδον ἀνδρῶν μαχίμων «οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ ἐς μυριάδας πεντήκοντα ἤδη που τὰς «Ἄλπεις ὑπερβεβηκέναι οἰόμεθα, οὕσπερ τοῖς πελέκεσι «τὴν Ῥωμαίων στρατιὰν ξύμπασαν ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ὁρμῇ 6.28.11 «καταχώσειν αὐχοῦμεν. ὑμᾶς δὲ οὐ τῶν δουλωσομέ»νων τῇ γνώμῃ ἕπεσθαι ἄξιον, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐς κίνδυνον 6.28.12 «πολέμου εὐνοίᾳ τῇ ἐς Γότθους καθισταμένων. ἄλλως «τε, ἢν μὲν τὰ ὅπλα ξὺν ἡμῖν ἕλησθε, οὐδεμία λελεί»ψεται Ῥωμαίοις ἐλπὶς ἀμφοτέροις τοῖς στρατεύμασιν «ἐς χεῖρας ἰέναι, ἀλλ' αὐτόθεν πόνῳ οὐδενὶ ἀναδησό6.28.13 «μεθα τὸ τοῦ πολέμου κράτος. ἢν δέ γε ξὺν Ῥω»μαίοις τετάξονται Γότθοι, οὐδ' ὣς τῷ τῶν Φράγγων «ἔθνει ἀνθέξουσιν (οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἀντιπάλου τῆς δυνάμεως «ὁ ἀγὼν ἔσται), ἀλλὰ περιέσται ὑμῖν τὸ ξὺν τοῖς πάν6.28.14 «των πολεμιωτάτοις ἡσσῆσθαι. ἐς προὖπτον δὲ κακὸν «ἰέναι, παρὸν κινδύνου ἐκτὸς σώζεσθαι, πολλὴ ἄνοια. «ὅλως δὲ ἄπιστον πᾶσι βαρβάροις τὸ Ῥωμαίων καθέ6.28.15 «στηκε γένος, ἐπεὶ καὶ φύσει πολέμιόν ἐστιν. ἡμεῖς «μὲν οὖν ξυνάρξομέν τε βουλομένοις ὑμῖν Ἰταλίας «ἁπάσης καὶ τὴν χώραν διοικησόμεθα, ὅπη ἂν δοκῇ «ὡς ἄριστα ἔχειν. σὲ δὲ καὶ Γότθους ἑλέσθαι εἰκὸς «ὅ τι ἂν ὑμῖν ξυνοίσειν μέλλῃ.» Φράγγοι μὲν το6.28.16 σαῦτα εἶπον. παρελθόντες δὲ καὶ οἱ Βελισαρίου πρέσβεις ἔλεξαν ὧδε «Ὡς μὲν οὐδὲν ἂν τῷ βασιλέως «στρατῷ λυμανεῖται τὸ Γερμανῶν πλῆθος, ᾧπερ οὗτοι «δεδίττεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἀξιοῦσι, τί ἄν τις ἐν ὑμῖν μακρο»λογοίη, οἷς γε διὰ μακρὰν ἐμπειρίαν ἅπασαν ἐξεπί»στασθαι τὴν τοῦ πολέμου ῥοπὴν ξυμβαίνει, καὶ ὡς «ἥκιστα ἀρετὴ ἀνθρώπων ὁμίλῳ φιλεῖ ἐλασσοῦσθαι; 6.28.17 «ἐῶμεν γὰρ λέγειν ὡς καὶ πάντων μάλιστα βασιλεῖ «πάρεστι πλήθει στρατιωτῶν περιεῖναι τῶν πολεμίων. «τὸ δὲ δὴ τούτων πιστὸν, ᾧ χρῆσθαι αὐχοῦσιν ἐς «πάντας βαρβάρους, μετά γε Θορίγγους καὶ τὸ Βουρ»γουζιώνων ἔθνος, καὶ ἐς τοὺς ξυμμάχους ὑμᾶς παρὰ 6.28.18 «τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐπιδέδεικται. ὡς ἡμεῖς γε ἡδέως ἂν «Φράγγους ἐροίμεθα τίνα ποτὲ μέλλοντες ὀμεῖσθαι «θεὸν τὸ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῖν ἐχυρὸν ἰσχυρίζονται δώσειν. 6.28.19 «τὸν γὰρ ἤδη αὐτοῖς ὀμωμοσμένον ὅντινα τετιμήκασι «τρόπον ἐπίστασθε δή που· οἵ γε χρήματα μὲν το»σαῦτα τὸ πλῆθος, Γαλλίας δὲ ὅλας παρ' ὑμῶν ἐπὶ «ξυμμαχίᾳ κεκομισμένοι οὐχ ὅσον ὑμῖν τοῦ κινδύνου «συνάρασθαι οὐδαμῶς ἔγνωσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅπλα οὕτως «ἀνέδην καθ' ὑμῶν εἵλοντο, εἴ τις ἐν ὑμῖν τῶν πρὸς 6.28.20 «τῷ Πάδῳ ξυμπεπτωκότων διασώζεται λόγος. καὶ τί «δεῖ τὰ φθάσαντα λέγοντας ἐλέγχειν τὸ τῶν Φράγγων «ἀσέβημα; τῆς παρούσης αὐτῶν πρεσβείας οὐδὲν ἂν 6.28.21 «γένοιτο μιαρώτερον. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐπιλελησμένοι τῶν «σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ὡμολογημένων τε καὶ ταῖς ξυν»θήκαις ὀμωμοσμένων κοινωνεῖν τῶν πάντων ὑμῖν 6.28.22 «ἀξιοῦσιν. ἢν δὲ καὶ τούτου παρ' ὑμῶν τύχωσιν, εἰς «τί ποτε αὐτοῖς τελευτήσει τὸ τῶν χρημάτων ἀκόρεστον «σκοπεῖσθαι προσήκει.» 6.28.23 Τοσαῦτα μὲν καὶ οἱ Βελισαρίου πρέσβεις ἔλεξαν. Οὐίττιγις δὲ ξὺν Γότθων τοῖς ἀρίστοις πολλὰ κοινολογησάμενος τάς τε πρὸς βασιλέα ξυνθήκας εἵλετο καὶ ἀπράκτους ἀπεπέμψατο τοὺς Γερμανῶν πρέσβεις. καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν Γότθοι μὲν καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐπεκηρυκεύοντο ἤδη, Βελισάριος δὲ οὐδέν τι ἧσσον ἐφύλασσε τοῦ μὴ τοὺς βαρβάρους τὰ ἐπιτήδεια ἐσκο6.28.24 μίζεσθαι. καὶ Βιτάλιον μὲν ἐς Βενετίους ἰόντα ὡς πλεῖστα ἐπάγεσθαι τῶν ἐκείνῃ χωρίων ἐκέλευεν, αὐτὸς δὲ Ἰλδίγερα πέμψας τὸν Πάδον ἐφύλασσεν ἑκατέρωθεν, ὅπως τε οἱ βάρβαροι μᾶλλον ἀπορίᾳ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐνδώσουσι καὶ τὰς ξυνθήκας ποιήσονται ᾗ αὐτὸς βού6.28.25 λεται. καὶ ἐπεὶ σῖτον πολὺν ἐν δημοσίοις οἰκήμασιν ἔτι ἐντὸς Ῥαβέννης ἀποκεῖσθαι