Volume Ii Part 64 (1/2)
”You have saved me? how?”
”When I laid you, as pale as death, upon this bed, I fetched my Snake-G.o.d and showed you to him; and I said, 'Thou seest, O Snake-G.o.d, that my master's eyes are closed. Make them open. Until thou dost so, thou shalt not receive one drop of milk or crumb of bread. And if he never open his eyes again--then, on the day when they burn his corpse, Syphax will burn by his side, and thou, O great Snake-G.o.d, also. Thou hast the power to heal him, then do so--or burn!' Thus I spoke, and he has healed you.”
”The city is safe--I feel it. Else I had never slept! Is Belisarius alive? Where is Procopius?”
”In the library with your tribunes. According to the physician's sentence, they expected to-day either your recovery, or your----”
”Death? This time your G.o.d has saved me, Syphax.--Let the tribunes enter.”
Very soon Piso, the Licinii, Salvius Julia.n.u.s, and some others stood before the Prefect; they would have hurried up to his couch with emotion, but he signed to them to compose themselves.
”Rome, through me, thanks you! You have fought like--like Romans! I can say nothing more, or more flattering.”
He looked at the row of men before him reflectively, and then said:
”One is missing--ah, my Corinthian! His corpse is saved, for I recommended it, and the two statues, to Piso. Let a slab of black Corinthian marble be placed upon the spot where he fell; set the statue of Apollo above the urn, and inscribe on the latter, 'Here died, for Rome, Kallistratos of Corinth; he saved the G.o.d, and not the G.o.d him.'
Now go. We shall soon meet again upon the walls.--Syphax, send Procopius to me. And bring a large cup of Falernian.--Friend,” he cried to Procopius as the latter entered, ”it seems to me as if, before I fell into this feverish sleep, I had heard some one whisper, 'Procopius has saved the great Belisarius!' A deed which will give you immortality. Posterity will thank you--therefore I need not. Sit by my side and tell me all. But wait--first arrange my cus.h.i.+ons, so that I may see my Caesar. The sight of that statue strengthens me more than medicine. Now speak.”
Procopius looked sharply at the sick man.
”Cethegus,” he then said, in a grave voice, ”Belisarius knows everything.”
”Everything?” said the Prefect with a smile. ”That is much.”
”Cease your mockery, and do not refuse admiration to n.o.bleness of mind, you, who yourself are n.o.ble!”
”I? I know nothing of it.”
”As soon as Belisarius recovered his senses,” continued Procopius, ”Bessas naturally informed him of all that had pa.s.sed. He described to him minutely how you had ordered the Tiburtinian Gate to be kept closed, when Belisarius lay outside in his blood, with Teja raging at his heels. He told him that you commanded that his body-guard should be beaten down if they attempted to open the gate by force. He repeated your every word, also your cry: 'Rome first, then Belisarius!' And he demanded your head in the Council. I trembled; but Belisarius said: 'He did right! Here, Procopius, take him my sword, and the armour which I wore that day, as a sign that I thank him.' And in the report to the Emperor he dictated these words to me: 'Cethegus saved Rome, and Cethegus alone! Send him the patricians.h.i.+p of Byzantium.'”
”Many thanks! I did not save Rome for Byzantium!” observed Cethegus.
”You need not tell Belisarius that, you un-Attic Roman!”
”I am in no Attic humour, you life-preserver! What was your reward?”
”Peace. He knows nothing of it, and shall never learn it.”
”Syphax, wine! I cannot bear so much magnanimity. It makes me weak.
Well, what was the joke with the ambush?”
”Friend, it was no joke, but as terrible earnest as I have ever seen.
Belisarius was saved by a hair's-breadth.”
”Yes; it was one of those hairs which are always in the way of these Goths! They are clumsy fools, one and all!”
”You speak as if you were sorry that Belisarius was not killed!”
”It would have served him right. I had warned him thrice. He ought by this time to know what becomes an old general and what a young brawler.”