e peasants and farmers of Dodona did so by me. This barbarian
is the greatest comedian of the century, and the clever hypocrite
understands many other things besides fighting. He has entered into an
alliance against you with the distant Persians, with your inveterate
enemy Chosroes. We ourselves saw the Persian ambassador ride out of his
camp towards the East."

When Anatolius had ceased speaking, the Macedonian captain gave his
report, which ran:

"Ruler of the Romani--since Earl Teja gained the high-road of
Thessalonica, nothing stands between your throne and his battle-axe but
the walls of this city. He who stormed the 'New Wall' eight times in
succession, and carried it at the ninth attempt, will carry the walls
of Byzantium at the tenth. You can only repel the Goths if you have
sevenfold their number. If you have it not, then conclude a peace."

"Peace! peace! we beseech you, in the name of your trembling provinces
of Epirus, Thessaly, and Macedonia!"

"Deliver us from the Goths!"

"Let us not again see the days of Alaric and Theodoric!"

"Peace with the Goths! Peace! peace!"

And all the envoys, bishops, officials, and warriors sank upon their
knees with the cry of "Peace!"

The effect upon the assembly was fearful.

It had often happened that Persians and Saracens in the east. Moors in
the south, and Bulgarians and Slavonians in the north-west, had made
incursions into the country, slaying and plundering, and had sometimes
beaten the troops sent against them, and escaped unhindered with their
booty. But that Grecian islands should be permanently conquered by the
enemy, that Grecian harbours should be won and governed by barbarians,
and that the high-road to Byzantium should be dominated by Goths, was
unheard of.

With dismay the senators thought of the days when Gothic ships and
Gothic armies should overrun all the Grecian islands, and repeatedly
storm the walls of Byzantium, only to be stopped by the fulfilment of
all their demands. They already seemed to hear the battle-axe of the
"Black Earl" knocking at their gates.

Quietly and searchingly did Justinian look into the rows of anxious
faces on his right and on his left.

"You have heard," he then began, "what Church, State, and Army desire.
I now ask your opinion. We have already accomplished an armistice.
Shall war or shall peace ensue? One word will buy peace--our assent to
the cession of Italy, which is already lost. Whoever among you is in