CHAPTER V

Summary

BELISARIUS IN RAVENNA—HIS CRAFTY DEALINGS WITH THE GOTHS — TOTILA, KING, 541 — HIS RAPID SUCCESSES — HIS EXPEDITION TO THE SOUTH — HE CONQUERS NAPLES — WRITES TO THE ROMANS — DEPARTS FOR ROME — CONQUERS TIBUR — SECOND GOTHIC SIEGE OF ROME IN THE SUMMER OF 545 — BELISARIUS RETURNS TO ITALY — THE HARBOUR OF PORTUS—THE GOTHIC CAMP

Belisarius withdraws to Ravenna, 539

The history of the city does not permit us either to follow the Goths along the Flaminian Way, or to describe the obstinate struggles in Tuscany, the Emilia and Venetia, where the genius of Belisarius vanquished alike the desperation of the enemy and the disobedience of the Imperial leaders. Two and twenty months after the retreat of the Goths from Rome, towards the end of the year 539, the great general entered Ravenna. By making a show of accepting the crown of Italy, offered him by the conquered nation, he deluded the Italians, with the intention of reserving it for the Emperor. Then, sailing for Constantinople, he took with him the treasures of the palace of Theodoric, and the Gothic King who had fallen a prisoner into the hands of John. The account of how Vitiges, having fled from Ravenna to Rome, and there, clinging to the altar of the Basilica Julii in Trastevere, had only surrendered himself to the enemy under the sworn assurance that his life would be spared, seems to be a fable.