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at first Demetrius wished to go straight to Neapolis, and I think that he would have both struck terror into the enemy and saved the city, since no one 7.6.18 would have stood against him. But as it was, dreading the danger, he decided by no means to put in at Neapolis, but sailing into the harbour of Rome, he made it his business to gather soldiers from there with haste. 7.6.19 And they, since they had been defeated by the barbarians and still felt great fear of them, were by no means willing to follow Demetrius against Totila and the Goths. For this reason, indeed, he was forced to go to Neapolis with only those who had come with him from Byzantium. 7.6.20 There was a certain other Demetrius, a Cephallenian by birth, formerly a sailor and accurately experienced in deeds and dangers at sea, and having sailed with Belisarius to both Libya and Italy he became esteemed for this experience, and because of it the emperor appointed him governor of Neapolis. 7.6.21 And when the barbarians began to besiege the place, being possessed by great insolence, he frequently hurled insults at Totila, and the man was seen to be exceedingly foul-mouthed in this struggle. 7.6.22 But as the trouble progressed and the destruction for the besieged was growing to a great extent, by the counsel of Conon, secretly embarking in a certain boat, he dared to go alone to the general Demetrius. 7.6.23 And having been saved unexpectedly and having met with Demetrius, he especially encouraged him and urged him on to this very action. 7.6.24 But Totila, having heard the whole account concerning this fleet, had in readiness many dromons that sailed excellently, and when the enemy put in to the shore there, not far from Neapolis, coming unexpectedly, he both struck them with terror and turned them all to flight. 7.6.25 And he killed many of them, and took very many prisoner, while those escaped who were able at the first to leap into the ships' boats, among whom was also Demetrius the general. For the barbarians captured all the ships with their very cargoes, with their very men. 7.6.26 Where indeed they also found Demetrius, the governor of Neapolis. Cutting off both his tongue and his hands, they did not kill him, but having mutilated him thus, they let him go wherever he wished. And this was the penalty Demetrius paid to Totila for his unbridled tongue. 7.7.1 And later Maximinus also with all his ships put in at Sicily. And having arrived at Syracuse 7.7.2 he remained quiet, dreading the war. Learning this, indeed, the commanders of the Roman army sent to him with great haste, begging him to help with all speed, both the others and Conon from Neapolis, who was being most violently besieged by the barbarians. For already all their provisions had failed them. 7.7.3 But he, having wasted all the time in this very dread, since he both feared the emperor's threats and gave up, being reproached by the others, he himself nonetheless remained there, but the entire army along with Herodian and Demetrius and Phazas he sent to Neapolis, while the winter season was already pressing most violently. 7.7.4 But when the Roman fleet came near Neapolis, a harsh wind came down, 7.7.5 rousing an extraordinary storm. And the darkness shrouded everything, and the surge did not allow the sailors to draw up the oars or to do anything else. And because of the din of the breakers it was no longer possible to hear one another, but confusion openly prevailed and the violence of the wind held sway, which brought them quite against their will to the shore, where the enemy were encamped. 7.7.6 The barbarians therefore, boarding at their pleasure the boats of the enemy, both killed and sank them, with no one resisting them. And they took prisoner many others and Demetrius the general. 7.7.7 But Herodian and Phazas with a few others were able to escape, since their ships did not come very near the enemy's camp. So the fortunes of the Roman fleet 7.7.8 came to this pass. But Totila, having fastened a rope to Demetrius' neck, dragged him to the circuit-wall of Neapolis and commanded him to advise the besieged not to perish any longer trusting in useless hopes, but the city as quickly as possible 7.7.9

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μὲν κατ' ἀρχὰς εὐθὺ Νεαπόλεως ἰέναι ∆ημήτριος ἤθελεν, οἶμαι ἂν αὐτὸν ἐκπλῆξαί τε τοὺς πολεμίους καὶ τὴν πόλιν διασώσασθαι, οὐδενός 7.6.18 οἱ ἀντιστατοῦντος. νῦν δὲ κατορρωδήσας τὸν κίνδυνον καταίρειν μὲν ἐς Νεάπολιν ἥκιστα ἔγνω, ἐς δὲ τὸν Ῥώμης καταπλεύσας λιμένα, στρατιώτας ἐνθένδε ἀγεί7.6.19 ρειν ἐν σπουδῇ ἐποιεῖτο. οἱ δὲ ἅτε πρὸς τῶν βαρβάρων ἡσσημένοι τε καὶ μέγα δέος ἔτι ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἔχοντες, ἕπεσθαι ∆ημητρίῳ ἐπὶ Τουτίλαν τε καὶ Γότθους οὐδαμῆ ἤθελον. διὸ δὴ μόνοις τοῖς ἐκ Βυζαντίου ξὺν αὐτῷ ἥκουσιν ἐς Νεάπολιν ἰέναι ἠνάγκαστο. 7.6.20 ἦν δέ τις ∆ημήτριος ἕτερος, Κεφαληνὸς γένος, ναύτης μὲν τὸ παλαιὸν καὶ τῶν κατὰ θάλασσαν ἔργων τε καὶ κινδύνων ἀκριβῶς ἔμπειρος, πλεύσας δὲ ξὺν Βελισαρίῳ ἔς τε Λιβύην καὶ Ἰταλίαν ἐγένετο ἐς ταύτην δὴ τὴν ἐμπειρίαν δόκιμος, καὶ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἐπίτροπον βασιλεὺς 7.6.21 αὐτὸν Νεαπόλεως κατεστήσατο. ἐπειδή τε οἱ βάρβαροι τὸ χωρίον πολιορκεῖν ἤρξαντο, ἀσελγείᾳ πολλῇ ἐχόμενος ἐς τὸν Τουτίλαν συχνὰ ὕβριζε, λίαν τε ἀθυρό7.6.22 γλωσσος ἐν τούτῳ τῷ πόνῳ ὁ ἀνὴρ ὤφθη. προϊόντος δὲ τοῦ κακοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀπωλείας τοῖς πολιορκουμένοις ἐπὶ μέγα χωρούσης γνώμῃ Κόνωνος ἐς λέμβον τινὰ λάθρα ἐσβὰς ἐτόλμησε παρὰ τὸν στρατηγὸν ∆ημήτριον 7.6.23 ἰέναι μόνος. ἐκ δὲ τοῦ παραδόξου σωθείς τε καὶ ξυγγενόμενος τῷ ∆ημητρίῳ ἐθάρσυνέ τε μάλιστα καὶ ἐς 7.6.24 ταύτην δὴ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἐνῆγε. Τουτίλας δὲ τὸν πάντα λόγον ἀμφὶ τῷ στόλῳ τούτῳ ἀκούσας δρόμωνας μὲν πολλοὺς ἄριστα πλέοντας ἐν παρασκευῇ εἶχεν, ἐπειδὴ δὲ κατῆραν ἐς τὴν ἐκείνῃ ἀκτὴν οἱ πολέμιοι Νεαπόλεως οὐ μακρὰν ἄποθεν, ἐλθὼν ἐκ τοῦ ἀπροσδοκήτου κατέ7.6.25 πληξέ τε καὶ ἐς φυγὴν ἅπαντας ἔτρεψε. καὶ αὐτῶν πολλοὺς μὲν ἔκτεινεν, ἐζώγρησε δὲ πλείστους, διέφυγον δὲ ὅσοι ἐς τῶν νεῶν τοὺς λέμβους ἐσπηδῆσαι κατ' ἀρχὰς ἴσχυσαν, ἐν τοῖς καὶ ∆ημήτριος ὁ στρατηγὸς ἦν. τὰς γὰρ ναῦς ἁπάσας σὺν αὐτοῖς φορτίοις, αὐτοῖς ἀν7.6.26 δράσιν, οἱ βάρβαροι εἷλον. οὗ δὴ καὶ ∆ημήτριον τὸν Νεαπόλεως ἐπίτροπον εὗρον. γλῶσσάν τε καὶ χεῖρας ἄμφω ἀποτεμόντες οὐκ ἔκτειναν μὲν, οὕτω δὲ λωβησάμενοι ὅπη βούλοιτο ἀφῆκαν ἰέναι. ταύτην τε Τουτίλᾳ τὴν δίκην ∆ημήτριος γλώσσης ἀκολάστου ἐξέτισεν. 7.7.1 Ὕστερον δὲ καὶ Μαξιμῖνος πάσαις ταῖς ναυσὶ Σικελίᾳ προσέσχεν. ἔς τε τὰς Συρακούσας ἀφικόμενος 7.7.2 ἡσυχῆ ἔμενε, κατορρωδῶν τὰ πολέμια. ἃ δὴ μαθόντες οἱ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων στρατοῦ ἄρχοντες σπουδῇ πολλῇ ἐς αὐτὸν ἔπεμπον, βοηθεῖν κατὰ τάχος δεόμενοι οἵ τε ἄλλοι καὶ Κόνων ἐκ Νεαπόλεως ἰσχυρότατα πρὸς τῶν βαρβάρων πολιορκούμενος. ἤδη γὰρ ἅπαντα σφᾶς τὰ 7.7.3 ἐπιτήδεια ἐπελελοίπει. ὁ δὲ τὸν καιρὸν ἅπαντα ἐν ταύτῃ δὴ κατατρίψας τῇ ὀρρωδίᾳ, ἐπειδὴ τάς τε βασιλέως ἀπειλὰς ἔδεισε καὶ κακιζόμενος πρὸς τῶν ἄλλων ἀπεῖπεν, αὐτὸς μὲν οὐδέν τι ἧσσον αὐτοῦ ἔμεινε, τὸν δὲ στρατὸν ἅπαντα ξύν τε Ἡρωδιανῷ καὶ ∆ημητρίῳ καὶ Φάζᾳ ἐς Νεάπολιν ἔπεμψε, σφοδρότατα ἐγκειμένης 7.7.4 ἤδη τῆς τοῦ χειμῶνος ὥρας. ἐπεὶ δὲ Νεαπόλεως ὁ Ῥωμαίων στόλος ἀγχοῦ ἐγένετο, κατέβαινε σκληρὸς 7.7.5 ἄνεμος, ἐξαίσιόν τινα χειμῶνα ἐγείρων. καὶ ὁ μὲν ζόφος ἅπαντα ἐνεδίδου, ὁ δὲ κλύδων τὰς κώπας ἀνασπᾶν ἢ ἄλλο τι ἐνεργεῖν τοὺς ναύτας οὐκ εἴα. διά τε τῶν ῥοθίων τὸν κτύπον ἔτι ἀλλήλων κατακούειν οὐκ ἦν, ἀλλὰ ξύγχυσίς τε λαμπρῶς ἐκράτει καὶ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος ἐπρυτάνευε βία, ἥπερ αὐτοὺς ὡς ἥκιστα ἐθελουσίους ἐς τὴν ἀκτὴν ἤνεγκεν, οὗ δὴ ἐστρατοπεδεύοντο 7.7.6 οἱ πολέμιοι. ἐπιβαίνοντες οὖν κατ' ἐξουσίαν οἱ βάρβαροι τοῖς σκάφεσι τῶν ἐναντίων, ἔκτεινόν τε καὶ κατέδυον οὐδενὸς σφίσιν ἀντιστατοῦντος. ἐζώγρησαν δὲ ἄλλους τε πολλοὺς καὶ ∆ημήτριον τὸν στρατηγόν. 7.7.7 Ἡρωδιανὸς δὲ καὶ Φάζας ξὺν ὀλίγοις τισὶ διαφυγεῖν ἴσχυσαν, ἐπεὶ αὐτῶν αἱ νῆες οὐ λίαν που ἄγχιστα τοῦ τῶν πολεμίων στρατοπέδου ἦλθον. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ 7.7.8 τῷ Ῥωμαίων στόλῳ ταύτῃ πη ἔσχε. Τουτίλας δὲ καλώδιον ἀναψάμενος ἐς τὸν ∆ημητρίου αὐχένα, ἔς τε τὸν Νεαπόλεως περίβολον εἷλκε καὶ παραινεῖν τοῖς πολιορκουμένοις ἐκέλευε μηκέτι ἀνονήτοις ἐλπίσι πιστεύοντας διαφθείρεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν πόλιν ὅτι τάχιστα 7.7.9