into a capitulation,
enlarged, with sagacious and commendable patriotism, on the expertness
of the Romans in the use of arms, their readiness for war, and their
vast numbers within the city walls. I blush to repeat the barbarian's
reply. Laughing immoderately, he answered, "The thicker the grass, the
easier it is to cut!"

'Still undismayed, the ambassadors, changing their tactics, talked
indulgently of their willingness to purchase a peace. At this
proposal, his insolence burst beyond all bounds of barbarous arrogance.
"I will not relinquish the siege," he cried, "until I have delivered to
me all the gold and silver in the city, all the household goods in it,
and all the slaves from the northern countries." "What then, O King,
will you leave us?" asked our amazed ambassadors. "YOUR LIVES!"
answered the implacable Goth. Hearing this, even the resolute Basilius
and the wise Johannes despaired. They asked time to communicate with
the Senate, and left the camp of the enemy without further delay. Such
was the end of the embassy; such the arrogant ferocity of the barbarian
foe!'

Here the Prefect paused, from sheer weakness and want of breath. His
oration, however, was not concluded. He had disheartened the people by
his narrative of what had occurred to the ambassadors; he now proceeded
to console them by his relation of what had occurred to himself, when,
after an interval, he thus resumed:--

'But even yet, O citizens of Rome, it is not time to despair! There is
another chance of deliverance still left to us, and that chance has
been discovered by me. It was my lot, during the absence of the
ambassadors, to meet with certain men of Tuscany, who had entered Rome
a few days before the beginning of the siege, and who spoke of a
project for relieving the city which they would communicate to the
Prefect alone. Ever anxious for the public welfare, daring all
treachery from strangers for advantage of my office, I accorded to
these men a secret interview. They told me of a startling and
miraculous event. The town of Neveia, lying, as you well know, in the
direct road of the barbarians when they marched upon Rome, was
protected from their pillaging bands by a tempest of thunder and
lightning terrible to behold. This tempest arose not, as you may
suppose, from an accidental convulsion of the elements, but was
launched over the heads of the invaders by the express interference of
the tutelary deities of the town,