ck the Goths, but was not strong enough to do more than just hold
Totila in check, and Justinian would not even send him all the help
possible, because he dreaded the love the army bore to him. After four
years of fighting with Totila he was recalled, and a slave named Narces,
who had always lived in the women's apartment in the palace, was sent to
take the command. He was really able and skilled, and being better
supported, he gained a great victory near Rome, in which Totila was
killed, and another near Naples, which quite overcame the Ostrogoths, so
that they never became a power again. Italy was restored to the Empire,
and was governed by an officer from Constantinople, who lived at
Ravenna, and was called the Exarch.

Belisarius, in the meantime, was sent to fight with the king of Persia,
Chosroes, a very warlike prince, who had overrun Syria and carried off
many prisoners from Antioch. Belisarius gained victory after victory
over him, and had just driven him back over the rivers, when again came
a recall, and Narses was sent out to finish the war. Theodora, the
Empress, wanted to reign after her husband, and had heard that, on a
report coming to the army of his death, Belisarius had said that he
should give his vote for Justin, the right heir. So she worked on the
fears all Emperors had--that their troops might proclaim a successful
general as Emperor, and again Belisarius was ordered home, while Narses
was sent to finish what he had begun.

There was one more war for this great man when the wild Bulgarians
invaded Thrace, and though his soldiers were little better than timid
peasants, he drove them back and saved the country. But Justinian grew
more and more jealous of him, and, fancying untruly that he was in a
plot for placing Justin on the throne, caused him to be thrown into
prison, and sent him out from thence stripped of everything, and with
his eyes torn out. He found a little child to lead him to a church door,
where he used to sit with a wooden dish before him for alms. When it was
known who the blind beggar was, there was such an uproar among the
people that Justinian was obliged to give him back his palace and some
of his riches; but he did not live much longer.

Though Justinian behaved so unjustly and ungratefully to this great man
and faithful servant, he is noted for better things, namely, for making
the Church of St. Sophia, or the Holy Wisdom, which Constantine had
built at Constantinople, the