om
the victory of Belisarius the losses they have suffered in lives and in
money, and, in addition, that they are no longer able even to guard the
good things they won. But the winning back of all these things for the
emperor now depends upon the courage and judgment and right hand of you
alone. Therefore consider that you are of the house of the Arsacidae by
ancient descent, and remember that it is seemly for men of noble birth
to play the part of brave men always and in all places. Now many
remarkable deeds have been performed by you in behalf of freedom. For
when you were still young, you slew Acacius,[71] the ruler of the
Armenians, and Sittas,[72] the general of the Romans, and as a result of
this becoming known to the king Chosroes, you campaigned with him
against the Romans. And since you have reached so great a station that
it devolves upon you not to allow the Roman power to lie subject to a
drunken dog, show at this time that it was by reason of noble birth and
a valorous heart that at the former time, good sir, you performed those
deeds; and I as well as Artasires here will assist you in everything, so
far as we have the power, in accordance with your commands."

So spoke Gregorius; and he excited the mind of Artabanes still more
against the tyrant. But Gontharis, bringing out the wife and the sister
of Areobindus from the fortress, compelled them to remain at a certain
house, showing them no insult by any word or deed whatsoever, nor did
they have provisions in any less measure than they needed, nor were they
compelled to say or to do anything except, indeed, that Prejecta was
forced to write to her uncle[73] that Gontharis was honouring them
exceedingly and that he was altogether guiltless of the murder of her
husband, and that the base deed had been done by Ulitheus, Gontharis by
no means approving. And Gontharis was persuaded to do this by
Pasiphilus, a man who had been foremost among the mutineers in Byzacium,
and had assisted Gontharis very greatly in his effort to establish the
tyranny. For Pasiphilus maintained that, if he should do this, the
emperor would marry the young woman to him, and in view of his kinship
with her would give also a, dowry of a large sum of money. And Gontharis
commanded Artabanes to lead the army against Antalas and the Moors in
Byzacium. For Coutzinas, having quarrelled with Antalas, had separated
from him openly and allied himself with Gontharis; and he gave Gontharis
his son