A Struggle For Rome Volume I Part 35

"Which _did_ belong. Your predecessor, Zeno, ceded the West to Theodoric and his Goths when they had overthrown the usurper Odoacer."

"Theodoric was to be the Viceregent of the Emperor, not the King of Italy."

"Admitted. But after he had become King--as he could not fail to do, for a Theodoric could never be the servant of another--the Emperor Anastasius, your uncle Justinus, and, later, you yourself, acknowledged him and his kingdom."

"That was under the pressure of necessity. Now that they are in need, and I the stronger, I revoke that acknowledgment."

"That is exactly what I call unjust."

"You are blunt and disagreeable, Tribonia.n.u.s, and a tough disputant.

You are excellently fitted to compile my pandects. I will never again ask your advice in politics. What has justice to do with politics?"

"Justice, Justinia.n.u.s, is the best policy."

"Bah! Alexander and Caesar thought differently."

"But, first, they never completed their work; and, secondly----"

He stopped.

"Well, secondly?"

"Secondly, you are not Caesar, nor are you Alexander."

All were silent. After a pause, the Emperor said quietly:

"You are very frank, Tribonia.n.u.s."

"Always, Justinia.n.u.s."

The Emperor quickly turned to the third of his advisers:

"Well, what is your opinion, Na.r.s.es?"

CHAPTER XIII.

Na.r.s.es was a stunted little man, considerably shorter than Justinian, for which reason the latter stooped, when speaking with him, much more than was necessary. He was bald, his complexion a sickly yellow, his right shoulder higher than his left, and he limped a little on the left foot, supporting himself upon a stick with a golden crutch. But his eagle eye was so commanding, that it annulled any disagreeable impression made by his insignificant figure, and lent to his plain countenance the consecration of intellectual greatness, while the expression of painful resignation and cool superiority about his mouth had even a singular charm. When addressed by the Emperor, Na.r.s.es quickly banished from his lips a cold smile, which had been excited by the jurist's moral politics, and raised his head.

"Emperor," he said, in a sharp, decided voice, "I would dissuade you from this war--for the present."

The Emperor bit his lips in vexation.

"Also from reasons of justice?" he asked, almost sarcastically.

"I said: for the present."

"Why?"

"Because what is necessary precedes what is pleasant. He who has to defend his own house should not break into strange dwellings."

"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."