he received a fuel allowance to do the baking, which he doubtless pocketed. The man’s no better than a traitor and a murderer. We must find a way to get rid of him.
I am furthermore convinced that there was more to this than sheer greed. I believe John did his level best to weaken Belisarius and undermine Justinian. Had we not been able to make land and reprovision, the entire expedition could well have ended in failure. We would have had to limp back abjectly, as so many people thought we would.
We have finally reached the port of Catania in Sicily. I shall ask Procopius to post this letter to you in Syracuse; Belisarius is sending him there in a fast galley to procure wine, oil and fresh vegetables. We have been promised that whatever we require will be made available according to the orders of the Gothic regent Amalasuintha. (I’m told her young son Athalaric is completely debauched and addicted to drugs – at least my unloved and unloving son Photius is a disciplined soldier.) Grateful thanks to the Emperor, for arranging the compact that ensured her support. Once we are again well provisioned, we’ll be able to continue our voyage.
It has been tiring and often dangerous, but I have never had a moment’s regret that I did not stay at home. I am happy to be at the side of Belisarius, and to have the company of my dear son Theodosius, given up perforce so long ago, and now by great good fortune close enough to touch. I pray that the Virgin Mother may intercede for you to bless you with a son. Meanwhile, my dear friend, do not neglect your part in achieving this. There surely cannot be more than one immaculate conception.
Ever your loving friend
Antonina
Theodora smiled when she read this. Justinian’s ire about young Areobindus had subsided, and the thrice-weekly trysts in the Sigma suite had resumed. Ah, my friend, she thought, I am indeed doing my utmost. Soon I’ll be able to write to you a letter with the glorious news that I have quickened once again. It will happen. It must happen. Soon, soon.
The allegations regarding the hundreds of lives lost due to mouldy bread were repeated in dispatches. Justinian was furious and ordered an immediate enquiry. Cappadocian John defended himself with vigour, maintaining that he had himself been cheated by a supplier whom he had, unfortunately, trusted. He produced invoices and receipts and witnesses. It was a tragic loss, he said, but he was not at fault.
“And you believe him?” asked Theodora.
“He has supplied proof,” said Justinian.
“Could all have been forged. Witnesses can be intimidated, or bribed.”
“Why would he have done such a thing?”
“To sabotage your war effort. To undermine Belisarius. He is underhand and devious.”
“But he serves us devotedly. Since the riots he has brought in extensive revenues. He is indispensable. No, my love, I think you are unreasonably suspicious. I am convinced of his innocence.”
Narses was inclined to side with Theodora. “I am having that man closely watched, Despoina,” he assured her. “Two of his witnesses have disappeared, and one has acquired a smallholding near Blachernae. Sooner or later he will overreach himself.”
“We must be vigilant,” said Theodora.
It was not long before reports from Africa were brought to Constantinople by fast dromon, sailing before a favourable wind.
Theodora found her husband surrounded by dispatches. “Theodora, my love, hear this! Gelimer has been evicted from Carthage!” exclaimed Justinian. “Belisarius has made his formal entry into the city with his wife at his side! We have reconquered the Vandal kingdom of North Africa!”
“Congratulations, my dearest!” Theodora thought Antonina must have thoroughly enjoyed that dramatic event.
“Ha! That will silence all those feeble nay-sayers who kept reminding me of the defeat in 468,” gloated Justinian.
“Including Cappadocian John. I remember he said success would bring you no lasting gain, while failure would risk the ruin of the state.”
“And even if we were victorious, which he did not expect, we would never hold Africa while Italy and Sicily are in the hands of others. Yes, well, that’s probably true, but they’ll not long remain in the hands of others, if my grand plan succeeds, and I believe it will. God is on our side! Listen to this,” and he read from the most recent report:
“Despotes, your plan to stage a distraction by inciting a revolt in Sardinia worked perfectly. Gelimer took the bait and sent the bulk of his Vandal army under his brother Tzazon to suppress the rebels. Meanwhile, our fleet landed at Caput Vada. The cavalry and the infantry set off to the north towards Carthage, over 140 miles, with the fleet keeping pace with us offshore.
“News of our approaching army had reached the ears of Gelimer. He immediately executed Hilderic, since a deposed king friendly to the Romans could form a nexus of rebellion, and then decided to oppose Belisarius before he reached Carthage.
“In short order, the Byzantines thoroughly routed the Vandal army. They fled westward into the deserts of Numidia. As we prepared to enter the city, Belisarius ordered his army not to kill or enslave any of the people of Carthage, because they were Roman citizens who had suffered under Vandal tyranny for a century. Therefore we were hailed as liberators and the gate was thrown open to welcome our triumphant entry.
“Ha! Do you remember that when Gelimer deposed Hilderic and imprisoned him, I strongly protested?” asked Justinian. “And he replied to my protest that ‘nothing is more desirable than that a monarch should mind his own business’?”
“I remember that,” said Theodora.
“He is now discovering what happens to arrogant Barbarians when a Roman Emperor does decide to mind his own business.”
“But Gelimer, it seems, is still at large?”
“Yes, he is. And so is his brother Tzazon. There will be more battles yet to come.”
“A remarkable triumph,” said Narses. “It seems that Belisarius is truly smiled upon by Fortune.”
“It does indeed. He has tremendous support among the common people. They revere him as a hero. You don’t think, Narses, that they might wish to elevate him to the throne?”
“The common people,” said Narses, “do not have the power to elect an emperor. They have tried a rebellion, which did not succeed.”
“Yet one must always be aware of their sentiments,” said Theodora. “They almost did succeed. I’ll not forget that.” She sighed. “Narses …”
“Despoina?”
“What do you know of Amalasuintha?”
“Regent of the Goths? Well-born, accomplished, very beautiful woman. Shrewd politically, too.”
“Is she, now?”
“Bore Eutharic one son, Athalaric. She did her best to have him educated in the Roman tradition, as she’d been, but his father died while he was quite small. The Gothic nobles said she was making a weakling of him – said the study of literature and philosophy was completely useless. He should be brought up as a warrior.”
“And she listened?”
“Had to. Child grew up without any discipline. Far from being a warrior, he ended up a wastrel. He’s completely dissipated, they say, drinks so much he passes out regularly, and he’s addicted to opium.”
“A weak government, then.”
“Vulnerable,” said Narses. “The Emperor is aware of this.”
By the time winter came, more good news arrived from the African expedition. Gelimer had regrouped, said the report from Procopius, but still he could not resist the Roman onslaught.
Rather than struggling on alone, Gelimer sent an urgent dispatch to recall his brother, Tzazon, and his troops from their military expedition to Sardinia. When Tzazon arrived