trates, but the inhabitants would not submit,
and he sent on the bravest of his men, with two trumpets and with
lanterns, while he made an attack to divert the attention of the
Goths. The way was long, and the soldiers found themselves in the very
heart of Naples, in a basin with very steep sides, impossible, as it
seemed, to climb. One man however, scrambled up and found himself in a
hovel, where he obtained a rope and pulled up his companions. The
Goths who were resisting the escalade, threw down their arms when they
were attacked from behind. Belisarius did his utmost to stop slaughter
and plunder, but could not entirely succeed, for many of his soldiers
were savage Huns, barely kept under restraint at any time.

Theodatus remained in Rome, and appointed a brave general called
Vetiges by the Greeks, but whose name was probably Wittich, to the
command. The army suspected treachery, raised Wittich on their shields
and proclaimed him king. Theodatus fled, and was murdered on his way,
in 536. Wittich thought it better to draw off to Ravenna to reorganize
his army, so the way to Rome was left open to Belisarius, who had only
to summon a small garrison to submit. He gained it in the March of
537, and immediately repaired the defences; and indeed there was need,
for Wittich besieged him there for a whole year, and he had terrible
difficulties to contend with. The Roman populace had lost all their
spirit of patriotism, and murmured from the first that with a mere
handful of soldiers, he should bring down the Goths upon them, and
when the distresses of a protracted siege came on them, they loudly
complained, though all the useless mouths were safely sent off by sea
to the fertile fields about Naples.

It is impossible to dwell at length on the events of the siege and the
gallant deeds on either side. The Goths, under Wittich, were gallant
enemies, but the diseases of the Campagna reduced their numbers, and
finally, late in the March of 538, Wittich broke up his camp and
retreated to Ravenna. There he called the Franks to his assistance,
but they were mere barbarians, who plundered Goths as well as Italians
and added to the general misery of the country. At last, in 539,
Wittich yielded Ravenna to Belisarius who sent him to Constantinople,
where he lived in honor and prosperity.

Justinian recalled his general, always fearing the result of his
success. The city of Pavia was still left to the Goths, and here they
chose as ki