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Constantinople, to put himself into a posture of acting against Antonina, and the rest, who had used him so cruelly: But the event manifested the contrary, for he forgot all that had passed, and instead of reflecting upon what he had solenmly promised to Photius, and the rest of his friends, he became a very slave to his Wife, and was most desperately enamored, though she was already threescore years of age and upwards. Having deserved the indignation of Heaven, he was no sooner in Italy, but he began to find his fortune adverse. In his first War against Theodat and Vitiges, though the designs he undertook (in that juncture) seemed rash and unreasonable, yet they hapned generally to succeed well, and had a very good effect. In his second, he was judged a Man of good conduct, and one who understood how to take his measures aright, for he had been well acquainted with the strength, and the weakness both of the Goths, and of Italy; but when things declined, and failed of the success that was expected, the World began to quarrel with him, and his conduct, and he was so unhappy, as to confirm them by his future miscarriage. Certainly the affairs of Man are not regulated by their own Reason (whose bounds are too narrow and contracted) but by the Wisdom and Providence of God, who governs them as he pleases, though some (who are spectators of events, but know nothing of their causes) would attribute all to Fortune; but of that, let every one argue as he pleases.
