they put Amalafrida in prison and
destroyed all the Goths, charging them with revolutionary designs
against the Vandals and Ilderic. However, no revenge came from
Theoderic, for he considered himself unable to gather a great fleet and
make an expedition into Libya, and Ilderic was a very particular friend
and guest-friend of Justinian, who had not yet come to the throne, but
was administering the government according to his pleasure; for his
uncle Justinus, who was emperor, was very old and not altogether
experienced in matters of state. And Ilderic and Justinian made large
presents of money to each other.

Now there was a certain man in the family of Gizeric, Gelimer, the son
of Geilaris, the son of Genzon, the son of Gizeric, who was of such age
as to be second only to Ilderic, and for this reason he was expected to
come into the kingdom very soon. This man was thought to be the best
warrior of his time, but for the rest he was a cunning fellow and base
at heart and well versed in undertaking revolutionary enterprises and in
laying hold upon the money of others. Now this Gelimer, when he saw the
power coming to him, was not able to live in his accustomed way, but
assumed to himself the tasks of a king and usurped the rule, though it
was not yet due him; and since Ilderic in a spirit of friendliness gave
in to him, he was no longer able to restrain his thoughts, but allying
with himself all the noblest of the Vandals, he persuaded them to wrest
the kingdom from Ilderic, as being an unwarlike king who had been
defeated by the Moors, and as betraying the power of the Vandals into
the hand of the Emperor Justinus, in order that the kingdom might not
come to him, because he was of the other branch of the family; for he
asserted slanderously that this was the meaning of Ilderic's embassy to
Byzantium, and that he was giving over the empire of the Vandals to
Justinus. And they, being persuaded, carried out this plan. [530 A.D.]
Thus Gelimer seized the supreme power, and imprisoned Ilderic, after he
had ruled over the Vandals seven years, and also Hoamer and his brother
Euagees.

[527 A.D.] But when Justinian heard these things, having already
received the imperial power, he sent envoys to Gelimer in Libya with the
following letter: "You are not acting in a holy manner nor worthily of
the will of Gizeric, keeping in prison an old man and a kinsman and the
king of the Vandals (if the counsels of Gizeric are to be of effect),