Chap. xlI] OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 349 cuted, or rather murdered, by the guards, at the arbitrary com- Death of maud of Belisarius. 110 In this hasty act of violence, the guilt of tine Constantine was no longer remembered ; the despair and death of that valiant officer were secretly imputed to the revenge of Antonina ; and each of his colleagues, conscious of the same rapine, was apprehensive of the same fate. The fear of a com- mon enemy suspended the effects of their envy and discontent ; but, in the confidence of approaching victory, they instigated a powerful rival to oppose the conqueror of Kome and Africa. From The the domestic service of the palace and the administration of the Narses private revenue, Narses the eunuch was suddenly exalted to the head of an army ; and the spirit of an hero, who afterwards equalled the merit and glory of Belisarius, served only to perplex the operations of the Gothic war. To his prudent counsels, the relief of Eimini was ascribed by the leaders of the discontented faction, who exhorted Narses to assume an independent and sepa- rate command. The epistle of Justinian had indeed enjoined his obedience to the general; but the dangerous exception, "as far as may be advantageous to the public service," reserved some freedom of judgment to the discreet favourite, who had so lately departed from the sacred and familiar conversation of his sove- reign. In the exercise of this doubtful right, the eunuch per- petually dissented from the opinions of Belisarius ; and, after yielding with reluctance to the siege of Urbino, he deserted his colleague in the night, and marched away to the conquest of the iEmilian province. The fierce and formidable bands of the Heruli were attached to the person of Narses ; m ten thousand 110 This transaction is related in the public history (Goth. 1. ii. c. 8) with candour or caution, in the Anecdotes (c. 7) [leg. 1] with malevolence or freedom ; but Mareellinus, or rather his continuator (in Chron.), casts a shade of premeditated assassination over the death of Constantine. He had performed good service at Rome and Spoleto (Procop. Goth. 1. i. c. 7, 14) ; but Alemannus confounds him with a Constantianus comes stabuli. [In the Public History Procopius dares to observe that this was the only iniquitous act committed by Belisarius and that it was foreign to his nature ; for he was generally very lenient. The implication is explained in the Secret History, where Procopius states that Constantine would have been let off if Antonina had not inteiwened. The cause of her grudge against Constantine is told below, p. 359. Procopius adds (Aneed. 1) that Justinian and the Roman aristocracy did not forgive Belisarius for Constantine's death. This episode offers a good instance of the relation between the Military and the Secret History. Hodgkin can hardly be right in supposing that Constantine actually wounded Belisarius. The words are &<pvw re avrb (the dagger) <=Vi ri)v BeMaaplov yacrrepa Sxrey, which signify merely an attempt to wound.] 111 They refused to serve after his departure ; sold their captives and cattle to the Goths ; and swore never to fight against them. Procopius introduces a curious ^
