w that they had already come close to Carthage. He
decided, therefore, that on the following day he would lead the whole
army against the enemy at sunrise. But Areobindus, being very
inexperienced in this matter and reluctant besides, kept holding back
for no good reason. For while considering how he should put on his
equipment of arms and armour, and making the other preparations for the
sally, he wasted the greatest part of the day. He accordingly put off
the engagement to the following day and remained quiet. But Gontharis,
suspecting that he had hesitated purposely, as being aware of what was
being done, decided openly to accomplish the murder of the general and
make his attempt at the tyranny.

XXVI

And on the succeeding day he proceeded to act as follows. Opening wide
the gates where he himself kept guard, he placed huge rocks under them,
that no one might be able easily to shut them, and he placed armoured
men with bows in their hands about the parapet in great numbers, and he
himself, having put on his breastplate, took his stand between the
gates. And his purpose in doing this was not that he might receive the
Moors into the city; for the Moors, being altogether fickle, are
suspicious of all men. And it is not unnatural that they are so; for
whoever is by nature treacherous toward his neighbours is himself unable
to trust anyone at all, but he is compelled to be suspicious of all men,
since he estimates the character of his neighbour by his own mind. For
this reason, then, Gontharis did not hope that even the Moors would
trust him and come inside the circuit-wall, but he made this move in
order that Areobindus, falling into great fear, might straightway rush
off in flight, and, abandoning Carthage as quickly as he could, might
betake himself to Byzantium. And he would have been right in his
expectation had not winter come on just then and frustrated his plan.
[544-545 A.D.] And Areobindus, learning what was being done, summoned
Athanasius and some of the notables. And Artabanes also came to him from
the camp with two others and he urged Areobindus neither to lose heart
nor to give way to the daring of Gontharis, but to go against him
instantly with all his men and engage him in battle, before any further
trouble arose. At first, then, Areobindus sent to Gontharis one of his
friends, Phredas by name, and commanded him to test the other's purpose.
And when Phredas returned and reported that Gontharis by no me