Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/36

 fondness of Bellisarius, who indulged his Wife in what ever she desired; so much was his love, beyond all limits of reason.

This fear being grounded upon so many ap­pearances of truth, made a deep impression in the mind of John. From that time the affairs of the Emperor went utterly to wreck, as want­ing a person that was able to buoy them; for Bellisarius finding the Goths extreamly successful, and advance in all their undertakings, he desired liberty to return out of Italy; which being granted by the Emperor, he took his leave of the Roman Troops without any trouble, and in­deed of all Italy; the greatest part of which, he left in the hands of the ''Goths. Perusia was at that time distressed by a long siege, and being taken whilest he was in his journey to Constan­tinople, it endured all the miseries to which Towns that are taken by Assault, are usually ex­posed: But the State was not unhappy alone, Bellisarius'' had his private misfortunes in his own family. The Empress Theodora employed the utmost of her power to accomplish the match betwixt her Grandson Anastasius, and the Daugh­ter of Bellisarius, obliging him to write continu­ally to her Parents to expedite the business. The Parents to gain him, desired it might be pro­tracted till they returned to Constantinople. The Empress suspecting their design, commanded them back, but they desired to be excused, and wrote word they could not stir out of Italy. She perceived their cunning immediately, and see­ing Bellisarius had no other children, and that his