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Chap.xli] OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 321 by the surprising intelligence that their revenge was executed beyond the measure of their hopes, or perhaps of their wishes. To their friendship the emperor was indebted for the kingdom of Africa, and the Goths might reasonably think that they were entitled to resume the possession of a barren rock, so recently separated as a nuptial gift from the island of Sicily. They were soon undeceived by the haughty mandate of Belisarius, which excited their tardy and unavailing repentance. " The city and promontory of Lilybseum," said the Eoman general, " belonged to the Vandals, and I claim them by the right of conquest. Your submission may deserve the favour of the emperor; your obstinacy will provoke his displeasure, and must kindle a war that can terminate only in your utter ruin. If you compel us to take up arms, we shall contend, not to re- gain the possession of a single city, but to deprive you of all the provinces which you unjustly withhold from their lawful sovereign." A nation of two hundred thousand soldiers might have smiled at the vain menace of Justinian and his lieutenant ; but a spirit of discord and disaffection prevailed in Italy, and the Goths supported, with reluctance, the indignity of a female reign. S9 The birth of Amalasontha, the regent and queen of Italy, 60 Govem- united the two most illustrious families of the Barbarians. Her death of mother, the sister of Clovis, was descended from the long-haired sontha, kings of the Merovingian race ; 61 and the regal succession of itaiy. a.d. the Amali was illustrated in the eleventh generation by her father, the great Theodoric, whose merit might have ennobled a plebeian origin. The sex of his daughter excluded her from the Gothic throne; but his vigilant tenderness for his family and his people discovered the last heir of the royal line, whose ancestors had taken refuge in Spain ; and the fortunate Eutharic was suddenly exalted to the rank of a consul and a prince. He 59 Compare the different passages of Procopius (Vandal. 1. ii. c. 5, Gothic. 1. i. c. 3). 60 For the reign and character of Amalasontha, see Procopius (Gothic. 1. i. c. 2, 3, 4, and Anecdot. c. 16, with the notes of Alemannus), Cassiodorius (Var. viii. ix. x. and xi. 1), and Jornandes (de Rebus Geticis, c. 59, and De Successione Reg- norum, in Muratori, torn. i. p. 241). 61 The marriage of Theodoric with Audefleda, the sister of Clovis, may be placed in the year 495, soon after the conquest of Italy (de Buat, Hist, des Peuples, torn. ix. p. 213). The nuptials of Eutharic and Amalasontha were celebrated in 515 (Cassiodor. in Chron. p. 453). [For the consulship of Eutharic, cp. Appendix 7.] VOL. IV. — 21