Page:The age of Justinian and Theodora (Volume 2).djvu/165

 On an appointed day in the autumn of the same year a scene was enacted in the Imperial capital which recalled the triumphs of former ages, but so modified as to exalt the glory of the Emperor far above that of his most conspicuous subject. Belisarius, accompanied by the deposed King, his relatives and nobles, moved through the city, on foot, at the head of a procession in which were displayed all the precious resources and costly appurtenances which illustrated the recent magnificence of the Vandal Kingdom, and were now become the prize of the conqueror. Golden chairs, state carriages, a profusion of sparkling gems, cups of gold, all the appointments of the royal banquets, myriads of silver talents, and the heirlooms of plate which had adorned the palace, were borne along the streets to the Hippodrome, in the area of which they were accumulated to make a dazzling exhibition. Among them were the spoils

Decimum and Tricamerum by drawing his cavalry away from his infantry, whilst his being unaware for many days that he was surrounded by the enemy's troops on the march from Caputvada seems wholly inexcusable. But the incapacity of Gelimer to lead an army with skill and determination, his want of foresight and unpreparedness, neutralized the gravest errors. The water was left open for the enemy's fleet at a time when the semblance even of an attack by sea would have dispersed them for good. He failed to push his splendid success at Decimum, and on the night after Tricamerum, when a muster of the Vandal troops might have annihilated the Roman forces in detail, he had deserted the scene of action. Again, the task of Belisarius was much lightened by the timely revolt of Sardinia and by a simultaneous rising in Tripoli, whereby the resources of his adversary were considerably diminished. Though of little moment after the land successes, the preservation of the Byzantine fleet was due, perhaps, to its making for port, in opposition to the injunctions of Belisarius, instead of remaining exposed on the incommodious coast. For an exhaustive critique of the campaign, see Pflugk-Hartung, Belisars Vandalkrieg, Hist. Zeitschrift, Munich, 1889.]
 * [Footnote: fighting machine; but he seems to have incurred needless risk both at