Volume I Part 35 (2/2)
”What does that mean?”
”It means, that no danger threatens your empire from the West, from the Goths. The enemy who can, and perhaps will, destroy it, comes from the East.”
”The Persians!” cried Justinian contemptuously.
”Since when,” interposed Belisarius, ”since when does Na.r.s.es, my great rival, fear the Persians?”
”Na.r.s.es fears no one,” answered the latter, without looking at his interrogator, ”neither the Persians whom he has beaten, nor you whom the Persians have beaten. But he knows the Orient. If not the Persians, then it will be others who follow them. The tempest which threatens Byzantium approaches from the Tigris, not from the Tiber.”
”Well, and what does that mean?”
”It means, that it is a shameful thing for you, O Emperor, and for the Roman name which we still bear, that you should, year by year, buy peace from Chosroes, the Persian Khan, at the cost of many hundredweights of gold.”
The Emperor's face flushed scarlet.
”How can you put such a meaning upon gifts, subsidies?”
”Gifts! If they are not forthcoming but a week after the day of payment, Chosroes, the son of Cabades, burns your villages! Subsidies!
With them he pays Huns and Saracens, the most dangerous enemies of your frontiers!”
Justinian walked rapidly through the room.
”What do you then advise?” he said at last, stopping short before Na.r.s.es.
”Not to attack the Goths without necessity or reason, when we can scarcely defend ourselves from the Persians. To put forth the whole power of your empire in order to abolish this shameful tribute; to prevent the depredations on your frontiers; to rebuild the burnt towns of Antiochia, Dara, and Edessa; to win back the provinces which you lost, in spite of the valiant sword of Belisarius; and to protect your frontiers by a seven-fold girdle of fortresses from the Euphrates to the Araxes. And when you have completed this necessary work--and I fear much you cannot complete it--then you may follow where Fame leads.”
Justinia.n.u.s slightly shook his head.
”You are displeasing to me, Na.r.s.es,” he said bitterly.
”I knew that long ago,” Na.r.s.es answered quietly.
”And not indispensable,” cried Belisarius proudly. ”Do not listen, my great Emperor, to this small doubter. Give me the thirty thousand, and I wager my right hand that I will conquer Italy for you.”
”And I wager my head, which is more,” said Na.r.s.es, ”that Belisarius will conquer Italy neither with thirty, nor with sixty, nor with a hundred thousand men.”,
”Well,” asked Justinia.n.u.s, ”and who can do it, and with what forces?”
”I,” said Na.r.s.es, ”with eighty thousand.”
Belisarius grew red with anger; he was silent for want of words.
”You have never yet, with all your self-esteem, Na.r.s.es,” said the jurist, ”vaunted yourself thus highly above your rival.”
”I do not now, Tribonia.n.u.s. See, the difference is this: Belisarius is a great hero, and I am not; but I am a great general, and Belisarius is not, and none but a great general can conquer the Goths.”
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