unsels, the relief of Rimini was ascribed by the
leaders of the discontented faction, who exhorted Narses to assume an
independent and separate command. The epistle of Justinian had indeed
enjoined his obedience to the general; but the dangerous exception, "as
far as may be advantageous to the public service," reserved some freedom
of judgment to the discreet favorite, who had so lately departed from
the sacred and familiar conversation of his sovereign. In the exercise
of this doubtful right, the eunuch perpetually dissented from the
opinions of Belisarius; and, after yielding with reluctance to the siege
of Urbino, he deserted his colleague in the night, and marched away to
the conquest of the Aemilian province. The fierce and formidable bands
of the Heruli were attached to the person of Narses; [96] ten thousand
Romans and confederates were persuaded to march under his banners; every
malecontent embraced the fair opportunity of revenging his private or
imaginary wrongs; and the remaining troops of Belisarius were divided
and dispersed from the garrisons of Sicily to the shores of the
Hadriatic. His skill and perseverance overcame every obstacle: Urbino
was taken, the sieges of Faesulae Orvieto, and Auximum, were undertaken
and vigorously prosecuted; and the eunuch Narses was at length recalled
to the domestic cares of the palace. All dissensions were healed, and
all opposition was subdued, by the temperate authority of the Roman
general, to whom his enemies could not refuse their esteem; and
Belisarius inculcated the salutary lesson that the forces of the
state should compose one body, and be animated by one soul. But in the
interval of discord, the Goths were permitted to breathe; an important
season was lost, Milan was destroyed, and the northern provinces of
Italy were afflicted by an inundation of the Franks.

[Footnote 95: This transaction is related in the public history (Goth.
l. ii. c. 8) with candor or caution; in the Anecdotes (c. 7) with
malevolence or freedom; but Marcellinus, or rather his continuator, (in
Chron.,) casts a shade of premeditated assassination over the death of
Constantine. He had performed good service at Rome and Spoleto, (Procop.
Goth l. i. c. 7, 14;) but Alemannus confounds him with a Constantianus
comes stabuli.]

[Footnote 96: They refused to serve after his departure; sold their
captives and cattle to the Goths; and swore never to fight against them.
Procopius introduces a curious