Ravenna as hostages to be slain. Some had then
escaped to Liguria. The distrust of the Greeks as well as of the Goths
threatened them. Cethegus, chief of the senate, had been compelled to
leave before the first siege of Totila. Now Totila did not succeed in
coming to terms with Justinian. The Greek army received a new commander in
the eunuch Narses, who had served before under Belisarius. In him skill,
energy, court favour, and the command of considerable forces were united.
Before the end of 549, Totila left Rome. Almost all Italy save Ravenna was
in his hands. He dealt generously with the people, whilst the Byzantine
officials, exhausting the land with their exactions, added to the
sufferings of war.

And now we reach the fifth act of the drama in which Rome was humbled to
the very dust. Totila, for more than two years and a half, carried on an
unceasing struggle over land and sea--Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, which he
subdued, and beyond the Hadriatic, to the opposite coasts. Though generally
victorious, he was more like the leader in an old Gothic raid than a king
who ruled and defended a great realm. At last, in the spring of 552, Narses
advanced from Ravenna with a great force to a decisive battle for Rome.
Totila advanced from Rome into Tuscany to meet him. At Taginas, on the
longest day, the conflict which decided the fate of the Gothic kingdom took
place. All that summer day the battle lasted. The Gothic king, a true
knight in royal armour, on a splendid steed, marshalled and led his host.
When night had come his cavalry was overthrown, his footmen broken. The
spear of a Gepid had wounded him mortally. He was taken from the field,
died in the night, was hastily buried. But his grave was disclosed to the
Greeks. They left him where he lay; only his blood-stained mantle and
diadem set with precious stones were carried to Constantinople. Six
thousand of his bravest warriors lay on the field of battle. Yet when the
remains of the host collected themselves in Upper Italy they elected Teia
in Pavia for head of the yet unconquered race.

But Narses, having captured the strong places in Middle Italy, advanced
upon Rome. The Gothic garrison was too weak to defend the wide circuits of
the walls. Parts were soon taken. Presently Hadrian's tomb, which Totila
had surrounded with fresh walls, alone held out. But it soon fell, and
hapless Rome was captured for the fifth time in the reign of Justinian. It
was a day of doom for t