A Struggle for Rome, v. 2

by Felix Dahn

  CHAPTER XIII.

  During these occurrences among the Romans and Byzantines, decisiveevents were in preparation on the part of the Goths.

  Duke Guntharis and Earl Arahad, leaving a small garrison behind them,and taking their Queen with them as prisoner, had left Florentia andgone, by forced marches to Ravenna.

  If they could reach and win this fortress, which was consideredimpregnable, before Witichis, who pressed forward after them, theywould be able to make any conditions with the King.

  They had a capital start, and hoped that their enemies would be stoppedfor some time before Florentia. But they lost almost all the advantagesof their start; for the towns and castles bordering the nearest road toRavenna had declared for Witichis, and this circumstance obliged therebels to take a circuitous route northwards to Bononia (Bologna),whose inhabitants had embraced their cause, and thence march eastwardsto Ravenna.

  Notwithstanding this delay, when they reached the marshy landsurrounding that fortified city, and were only half a day's march fromits gates, nothing could be seen of the King's army.

  Guntharis allowed his greatly-fatigued troops to rest for the remainderof the day, which was already drawing to a close, and sent a smalltroop of horsemen under the command of his brother, to announce theirarrival to the Goths in the fortress.

  But at dawn the next day Earl Arahad came flying back into the campwith a greatly diminished troop.

  "By the sword of God!" exclaimed Guntharis, "whence comest thou?"

  "We come from Ravenna. We reached the outermost ramparts of the cityand demanded admittance; but were roughly repulsed, although I showedmyself and called for old Grippa the commander. He insolently declaredthat to-morrow we should learn the decision of the city; we, as well asthe army of the King, whose vanguard is already approaching the cityfrom the south-east."

  "Impossible!" cried Guntharis angrily. "I could do nothing but withdraw,although I could not understand the behaviour of our friend. Besides, Iheld the report of the approach of the King to be an empty threat,until some of my horsemen, who were seeking for a dry place on which tobivouac, were suddenly attacked by a troop of the enemy under thecommand of Earl Teja, with the cry, 'Hail, King Witichis!' After asharp combat they were worsted."

  "Thou ravest!" cried Guntharis. "Have they wings? Has Florentia beenblown away out of their path?"

  "No! but I learned from Picentinian peasants that Witichis marched toRavenna by the coast-road, past Auximum and Ariminum."

  "And he left Florentia in his rear unconquered? He shall repent ofthat!"

  "Florentia has fallen! He sent Hildebad against it, who took it bystorm. He broke in the Gate of Mars with his own hand, the furiousbull!"

  Duke Guntharis listened to these evil tidings with a gloomy face; buthe quickly came to a decision.

  He at once set forth with all his troops, intending to take the city ofRavenna by surprise.

  His attack failed.

  But the rebels had the consolation of seeing that the fortress, whosepossession would determine the result of the civil war, had at leastrefused to open its gates to the enemy.

  The King had encamped to the south-east, before the harbour town ofClassis.

  Duke Guntharis's experienced eye soon perceived that the marshes on thenorth-west would also afford a secure position, and there he shortlyafterwards pitched his well-protected camp.

  So the rival parties, like two impetuous lovers of a coy maiden,pressed from opposite sides upon the royal residence, which seemeddisinclined to lend an ear to either.

  The day following two embassies, consisting of Ravennese and Goths,issued from the Gates of Honorius and of Theodoric, on the north-westand south-east, and brought to the camp of the rebels, as well as tothat of the King, the fateful decision of the city.

  This decision must have been a strange one.

  For the two commanders, Guntharis and Witichis, kept it, in singularconformity, strictly secret, and took great care that not a word shouldbecome known to their troops.

  The ambassadors were immediately conducted from the tents of thecommanders of either camp to the very gates of the fortress, escortedby generals who forbade any communication with the troops.

  And in other ways the effect of the embassy in both camps was singularenough.

  In the rebel camp it led to a violent altercation between the twobrothers, and afterwards to a very animated interview between DukeGuntharis and his fair prisoner, who, it was said, had only been savedfrom his rage by the intervention of Earl Arahad. Finally, the rebelcamp sank into the repose of helpless indecision.

  More important consequences ensued in the opposite camp. The firstanswer which King Witichis gave the embassy was the order for a generalattack upon the city.

  Hildebrand and Teja and the whole army received this order withastonishment. They had hoped that the strong fortress would voluntarilyopen its gates.

  Contrary to all Gothic custom and his own usually frank manner, KingWitichis imparted to no one, not even to his friends, the object of theembassy, or the reason of his angry attack.

  Silently, but with doubting shakes of the head and little hope ofsuccess, the army prepared for the assault.

  They were repulsed with great loss.

  In vain the King urged his Goths again and again to storm theprecipitous and rocky walls.

  In vain he himself was the first, three several times, to climb thescaling-ladders. From early morning to sunset the assaulters stormedthe place without making the least progress; the fortress wellpreserved its old reputation of invincibility.

  And when at last the King, stunned by a stone, was carried out of theturmoil, Teja and Hildebrand ceased their efforts and led the wearytroops back to the camp.

  The temper of the army during the following night was very sad anddepressed. They had to complain of great losses, and had now nothingbut the conviction that the city could not be taken by force.

  The Gothic garrison of Ravenna had fought side by side with thecitizens on the walls. The King of the Goths lay encamped before hisown residence, before the stronghold of his kingdom, in which he hadhoped to find protection and the time to arm against Belisarius!

  But the worst was, that the army laid the whole blame of the unhappystruggle and the necessity of civil war upon the King. Why had thenegotiations with the city been so abruptly broken off? Why was not thecause of this breach, if it were a just one, made known to the troops?Why did the King shun the light?

  The soldiers sat dejected by their watch-fires, or lay in their tentsnursing their wounds and mending their weapons; no ancient heroic songssounded, as usual, from the mess-tables of the camp; and when theleaders walked through the lanes of tents, they heard many a word ofanger and vexation directed against the King.

  Towards morning Hildebad arrived in the camp from Florentia with histhousands. He heard with indignation of the news of the bloody defeat,and wished to go at once to the King; but as the latter still layunconscious under Hildebrand's care. Earl Teja took Hildebad into histent to answer his impatient questions.

  Some time after the old master-at-arms joined them; with such anexpression on his features that Hildebad sprang affrighted from thebear-skin which served him for a couch, and even Teja asked hastily:

  "How is the King? What of his wound? Is he dying?"

  The old man shook his head sadly.

  "No; but if I guess rightly, judging him by his honest heart, it wouldbe far better for him to die."

  "What meanest thou? What dost thou suspect?"

  "Peace, peace," said Hildebrand sadly, and seating himself, "poorWitichis! it will be spoken of soon enough, I fear."

  And he was silent.

  "Well," said Teja, "how didst thou leave him?"

  "The fever has left him, thanks to my herbs. He will be able to mounthis horse to-morrow. But he spoke of strange things in his confuseddreams--I hope that they are but dreams--else, woe to the faithfulman!"

  Nothing more coul
d be got out of the taciturn old man.

  Some hours after, Witichis sent for the three leaders. To theirastonishment, they found him in full armour, although he was obliged,while standing, to support himself on his sword. On a table near himlay his crown-shaped helmet and a sceptre of white ivory, surmountedwith a golden ball.

  The friends were startled by the impaired look of his usually socomposed, handsome, and manly features.

  He must have gone through some fearful inward struggle. His sound,simple nature, which seemed to be all of one piece, could not endurethe strife of doubtful duties and contradictory feelings.

  "I have summoned you," he said with great effort, "to hear and supportmy decision in our grave position. How heavy have been our losses inthis attack?"

  "Three thousand dead," said Earl Teja, very gravely.

  "And about six thousand wounded," added Hildebrand.

  Witichis closed his eyes as if in pain. Then he said:

  "It cannot be helped, Teja. Give at once the command for a secondattack!"

  "How! what!" cried the three leaders like one man.

  "It cannot be helped," repeated the King. "How many thousands hast thoubrought us, Hildebad?"

  "Three; but they are dead tired from the march. They cannot fightto-day."

  "Then we will storm alone again," said Witichis, taking his spear.

  "King," said Teja, "we did not win a single stone of the fortressyesterday, and to-day we have nine thousand men less----"

  "And those not wounded are faint, their weapons and their couragebroken."

  "We _must_ have Ravenna!" repeated Witichis.

  "We shall never take it by force," said Earl Teja.

  "We will see about that!" retorted Witichis.

  "I besieged the city with the great King," said Hildebrand warningly."He stormed it in vain seventy times. We only took it by starvingit--after three years."

  "We must attack!" cried Witichis. "Give the command."

  Teja was about to leave the tent.

  Hildebrand stopped him.

  "Remain," he said; "we dare not hide it from him any longer. King! theGoths murmur. To-day they would not obey thee; the attack isimpossible."

  "Stand things so?" said Witichis bitterly. "The attack is impossible?Then only one thing remains: the course which I should have takenyesterday--then those three thousand would have been still living. Go,Hildebad, take that crown and sceptre! Go to the rebels' camp; lay themat the feet of young Arahad; tell him that he may woo Mataswintha; Iand my army will greet him as our King."

  And, so speaking, he threw himself exhausted upon his couch.

  "Thou speakest feverishly again," cried Hildebrand.

  "That is impossible!" cried Teja.

  "Impossible!" repeated Witichis. "Everything is impossible? The fightimpossible? and the renunciation? I tell thee, old man, there isnothing else to be done, after that message from Ravenna."

  He ceased.

  His three companions looked at each other significantly.

  At last the old man said:

  "What was that message? Perhaps an expedient may be found? Eight eyessee more than two."

  "No," said Witichis, "not in this case. Here there is nothing to see,otherwise I would have asked your advice long since. But it could haveled to nothing. There lies the parchment from Ravenna; but be silentbefore the army."

  The old man took the roll and read:

  "'The Gothic warriors and the citizens of Ravenna, to Earl Witichis ofFaesulae----'"

  "What insolence!" cried Hildebad.

  "'And to Duke Guntharis of Florentia, and Earl Arahad of Asta. TheGoths and the citizens of this city declare to the two armies encampedbefore their gates, that they, faithful to the distinguished House ofAmelung, and remembering the benefits of the great King Theodoric, willfirmly cling to his royal line as long as a scion of it lives.Therefore we acknowledge Mataswintha as sole mistress of the Goths andItalians; only to her will we open our gates, and we will defend themagainst any other to the utmost.'"

  "What madness!" said Earl Teja.

  "Incomprehensible!" cried Hildebad.

  But Hildebrand folded the parchment and said:

  "I understand it very well. As to the Goths, you must know that thegarrison is formed of the followers of Theodoric, and these followershave sworn to him never to prefer a strange king to one of his line. I,too, swore this oath, but, in doing so, I ever thought of the spear andnot of the spindle. It was this oath which obliged me to adhere toTheodahad, and only after his treachery was I free to do homage toWitichis. But old Earl Grippa, of Ravenna, and his companions, believethat they are equally bound to the females of the royal line. And, besure of it, these grey-headed heroes--the oldest in the nation, andTheodoric's brothers-at-arms--will let themselves be hewn in pieces,man for man, rather than break that oath as they understand it. And, byTheodoric, they are right! But the Ravennese are not only grateful,they are cunning; they hope that Goths and Byzantines will fight outtheir affair before their walls. If Belisarius win--who, as he says,comes to avenge Amalaswintha--he cannot then be angry with the citywhich has remained faithful to her daughter; and if we win, then it wasthey who obliged the garrison to close their gates."

  "However that may be," interposed the King, "you will now understand mysilence. If the army knew the contents of that parchment, they might bediscouraged, and go over to the rebels, who hold the Princess in theirpower. There remain to me only two courses: either to take the city bystorm--and that we tried yesterday in vain--or, to yield. You say thefirst course cannot be repeated, so there only remains the last--toyield. Arahad may woo the Princess and wear the crown; I will be thefirst to do him homage and protect the kingdom, in concert with hisbrave brother."

  "Never!" cried Hildebad. "Thou art our King, and shall remain so. Neverwill I bow my head to that young coxcomb! Let us march to-morrowagainst the rebels; I alone will drive them out of their camp, andcarry the royal child--at the touch of whose hands those fast-shutgates will fly open as if by magic--into _our_ tents."

  "And when we have her," asked Earl Teja, "what then? She is of no useto us if we do not make her our Queen. Wilt thou do so? Hast thou nothad enough with Amalaswintha and Gothelindis? Once more the rule of awoman?"

  "God forbid!" laughed Hildebad.

  "I think so too," said the King, "otherwise I should have taken thiscourse long since."

  "Well, then, let us remain here and wait until the city is weariedout."

  "It is impossible." said Witichis, "we cannot wait. In a few daysBelisarius may descend from yonder mountains and conquer us, DukeGuntharis, and the city; then the kingdom and people of the Goths arelost for ever! There are only two ways--to storm--"

  "Impossible!' said Hildebrand.

  "Or to yield. Go, Teja, take the crown. I see no other expedient."

  The two young men hesitated.

  Then old Hildebrand, with a sad and earnest and loving look at theKing, said:

  "I know of another course to take; a painful, but the only one. Thoumust take this course, my Witichis, even if thy heart should break."

  Witichis looked at him inquiringly. Even Teja and Hildebad were struckby the tender manner of the old man.

  "Go out," continued Hildebrand, turning to Hildebad and Teja. "I mustspeak to the King alone."