ome of the officers slandered him to
the emperor, charging him, without any grounds whatever, with seeking to
set up a kingdom for himself,[23] a statement for which there was no
basis whatever. But the emperor did not disclose these things to the
world, either because he paid no heed to the slander, or because this
course seemed better to him. But he sent Solomon and gave Belisarius the
opportunity to choose whichever of two things he desired, either to come
to Byzantium with Gelimer and the Vandals, or to remain there and send
them. And Belisarius, since it did not escape him that the officers were
bringing against him the charge of seeking supreme power, was eager to
get to Byzantium, in order that he might clear himself of the charge and
be able to proceed against his slanderers. Now as to the manner in which
he learned of the attempt of his accusers, I shall explain. When those
who denounced him wished to present this slander, fearing lest the man
who was to carry their letter to the emperor should be lost at sea and
thus put a stop to their proceedings, they wrote the aforesaid
accusation on two tablets, purposing to send two messengers to the
emperor in two ships. And one of these two sailed away without being
detected, but the second, on account of some suspicion or other, was
captured in Mandracium, and putting the writing into the hands of his
captors, he made known what was being done. So Belisarius, having
learned in this way, was eager to come before the emperor, as has been
said. Such, then, was the course of these events at Carthage.

But the Moors who dwelt in Byzacium and in Numidia turned to revolt for
no good reason, and they decided to break the treaty and to rise
suddenly against the Romans. And this was not out of keeping with their
peculiar character. For there is among the Moors neither fear of God nor
respect for men. For they care not either for oaths or for hostages,
even though the hostages chance to be the children or brothers of their
leaders. Nor is peace maintained among the Moors by any other means than
by fear of the enemies opposing them. Now I shall set forth in what
manner the treaty was made by them with Belisarius and how it was
broken. When it came to be expected that the emperor's expedition would
arrive in Libya, the Moors, fearing lest they should receive some harm
from it, consulted the oracles of their women. For it is not lawful in
this nation for a man to utter oracles, but