Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/34

 After his second expedition into Italy, Belli­sarius was forced to return with dishonor, hav­ing been five years (as I have said elswhere) in distress, not knowing where to be secure, or retire with his Troops. Jotila, how desirous so ever he shewed himself to come to an engage­ment, could never bring him to a Battle; so great was the terror, as well in himself, as his Army: So that instead of re-establishing the Emperors Affairs in Italy (which were in an ill condition) he lost Rome, and several other pla­ces before his face.

In all this War, the Emperor supplied him not with one farthing of Money, which put him upon great exactions in Italy, insomuch, that his thoughts were wholly applied to the raising of Money. He slead (as a man may say) all the Sicilians, the Inhabitants of Ravenna, and indeed all Italy besides: For of all who had the misfortune to fall under his power, there was scarce one that escaped the tyranny of his ex­tortion, but he made him pay, and sometimes for things done before he was born. At this rate he would have dealt with Herodian, he pressed him for Money, and pressed him with all man­ner of threats; but Herodian chose rather to de­liver up Spoletto (where he was Governor) to the Goths, not regarding the Fidelity which he had sworn to the Emperor.

I think it not improper, in this place, to give an account of the difference which broke out about this time, betwixt Bellisarius and his Ne­phew John, the son of Vitalian; which ence