fant
the last offspring of the line of Amali. [27] A splendid allowance was
assigned by the emperor: the general contribute his private fortune: his
two sons were popular and active and he surpassed, in the promptitude
and success of his levies the expectation of mankind. He was permitted
to select some squadrons of Thracian cavalry: the veterans, as well as
the youth of Constantinople and Europe, engaged their voluntary service;
and as far as the heart of Germany, his fame and liberality attracted
the aid of the Barbarians. [2711] The Romans advanced to Sardica; an
army of Sclavonians fled before their march; but within two days of
their final departure, the designs of Germanus were terminated by his
malady and death. Yet the impulse which he had given to the Italian
war still continued to act with energy and effect. The maritime towns
Ancona, Crotona, Centumcellae, resisted the assaults of Totila Sicily
was reduced by the zeal of Artaban, and the Gothic navy was defeated
near the coast of the Adriatic. The two fleets were almost equal,
forty-seven to fifty galleys: the victory was decided by the knowledge
and dexterity of the Greeks; but the ships were so closely grappled,
that only twelve of the Goths escaped from this unfortunate conflict.
They affected to depreciate an element in which they were unskilled; but
their own experience confirmed the truth of a maxim, that the master of
the sea will always acquire the dominion of the land. [28]

[Footnote 2511: This is a singular mistake. Gibbon must have hastily
caught at his inexperience, and concluded that it must have been from
youth. Lord Mahon has pointed out this error, p. 401. I should add that
in the last 4to. edition, corrected by Gibbon, it stands "want of
youth and experience;"--but Gibbon can scarcely have intended such a
phrase.--M.]

[Footnote 26: See the acts of Germanus in the public (Vandal. l. ii, c.
16, 17, 18 Goth. l. iii. c. 31, 32) and private history, (Anecdot. c.
5,) and those of his son Justin, in Agathias, (l. iv. p. 130, 131.)
Notwithstanding an ambiguous expression of Jornandes, fratri suo,
Alemannus has proved that he was the son of the emperor's brother.]

[Footnote 27: Conjuncta Aniciorum gens cum Amala stirpe spem adhuc utii
usque generis promittit, (Jornandes, c. 60, p. 703.) He wrote at Ravenna
before the death of Totila]

[Footnote 2711: See note 31, p. 268.--M.]

[Footnote 28: The third book of Procopius is terminated by the deat