Triumph by David Donachie

Author:David Donachie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McBooks Press
Published: 2023-06-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The time had come to send away those of his generals who may cause him trouble. Flavius despatched John Vitalianus and several of the commanders who had come with Narses, their task to take over with their contingents various Goth fortresses dotted over northern Italy. His reasons being sound this was readily accepted; such a move would nullify the risk of any attempt to relieve Ravenna as well as ease what might become a drain on supplies.

Not stated by either party was the motive for the way his orders were eagerly welcomed. With the Goths virtually beaten, these men would be free to plunder at will and in a polity that would willingly give up its possessions to avoid being ravaged. To the likes of John Vitalianus, Ravenna, though a wealthier prize, might turn into a siege of months, if not years. Better a bird in the hand when it came to full coffers.

If moving problem generals proved easy to accomplish, there was as yet many a dilemma to solve, not least the probing curiosity of Procopius. To avoid his secretary was impossible; they worked in close harmony on a daily basis on such matters as feeding the army, the state of the men’s health and corresponding with the various other commands and functionaries all over the Italian peninsula and Illyria, as well as communicating with Constantinople.

If Procopius probed to little avail that was as nothing to Antonina, who had a nose that could smell conspiracy a league away. In addition to her curiosity she added another problem to the life of her husband, for Flavius had sent Photius back to the capital once more. His wife had then sent for Theodosius, a man too fearful of Antonina’s natural son and possible violence to ever be in the same place.

Her husband was too preoccupied to give it the attention it deserved; having challenged Antonina in Sicily, following on from the revelations made by her maid, and having received an outright denial of any impropriety, he had to accept that even with what he had been told by Photius he had no actual proof that she had transgressed.

He had a plan to implement and for once it was held within himself, not even discussed with Procopius, not yet confided to his generals and certainly kept well secret from his wife. He had supplies moved closer to Ravenna, so that the besieged city could be fed, and then called a conference to gain support for his aims.

’Though I will not yet refer to the conditions under which this has been made, the Goths have sent envoys offering to surrender their capital and bring an end to the war in Italy.’

That set them talking, as each mind calculated what this would mean to them; war brought rewards, but so did peace. Flavius let it rumble on until it began to naturally diminish, eyes turning from neighbourly exchanges regarding what offices might fall to the successful and back onto the man who would control them.

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