Volume Ii Part 75 (2/2)
”Yes, living walls. There they stand,” and the Prefect pointed forward with his sword.
”Under the still tottering ruins, these Goths! Truly,” cried Procopius--
”'Si fractus illabatur orbis, Impavidos ferient ruinae!'
They are courageous men!”
But now Belisarius was at hand with his compact lines, ready for the a.s.sault.
One moment more--the leaders were still hurrying to and fro, giving orders--and a terrible slaughter would begin.
But suddenly all the sky above the city was flooded with a red light.
A column of flame shot up into the air, and countless sparks descended.
It seemed to rain fire from heaven. All Ravenna glowed in the crimson light. It was a fearful but beautiful spectacle.
Both armies, ready to mingle in a hand-to-hand combat, halted and hesitated.
”Fire! fire! Witichis, King Witichis!” shouted a horseman, who came galloping from the city; ”it burns!”
”We see it. Let it burn, Markja! First fight and then extinguish.”
”No, no, sire; all the granaries burn! The grain flies in myriads of sparks through the air.”
”The granaries are burning!” cried Goths and Byzantines.
Witichis had no heart to ask questions.
”The lightning must have kindled the interior long ago. It is quite burnt out. Look! look!”
A stronger gust of wind fanned the fire, which flamed up higher than ever. The flames caught the nearest roofs, and, at the same time, the wooden ridge of the lofty building seemed to fall, for, after a heavy crash, the sparks shot up thicker than ever.
It was a sea of fire.
Witichis tried to lift his hand to give an order--but his arm fell, faint and powerless. Cethegus saw it.
”Now!” he cried; ”now let us a.s.sault!”
”No; halt!” thundered Belisarius. ”He who lifts his sword is the Emperor's enemy and dies! Back to the camp--all. Now Ravenna is mine!
To-morrow it will fall without a struggle.”
His troops obeyed him and drew back.
Cethegus was in a fury. He alone was too weak to oppose the order. He was obliged to yield.
His plans were ruined. He had wished to take the city by storm in order--as he had done in Rome--to take possession of its princ.i.p.al defences. And he foresaw that it would be now delivered completely into the hand of Belisarius. He led his troops away in disgust.
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