say, John remarked that death had now a certain sweetness for him, since his prayer regarding Stotzas had reached fulfilment.  And there was a steep place near by, where his horse stumbled and threw him off.  And as he was trying to leap upon the horse again, the enemy caught and killed him, a man who had shown himself great both in reputation and in valour.  And Stotzas learned this and then died, remarking only that now it was most sweet to die.  In this battle John, the Armenian, brother of Artabanes, also died, after making a display of valorous deeds against the enemy.  And the emperor, upon hearing this, was very deeply grieved because of the valour of John; and thinking it inexpedient for the two generals to administer the province, he immediately recalled Sergius and sent him to Italy with an army, and gave over the whole power of Libya to Areobindus.

XXV

And two months after Sergius had departed from there, Gontharis essayed to set up a tyranny in the following manner.  He himself, as it happened, was commanding the troops in Numidia and spending his time there for that reason, but he was secretly treating with the Moors that they might march against Carthage.  Forthwith, therefore, an army of the enemy, having been gathered into one place from Numidia and Byzacium, went with great zeal against Carthage.  And the Numidians were commanded by Coutzinas and Iaudas, and the men of Byzacium by Antalas.  And with him was also John, the tyrant, and his followers; for the mutineers, after the death of Stotzas, had set him up as ruler over themselves.  And when Areobindus learned of their attack, he summoned to Carthage a number of the officers with their men, and among them Gontharis.  And he was joined also by Artabanes and the Armenians.  Areobindus, accordingly, bade Gontharis lead the whole army against the enemy.  And Gontharis, though he had promised to serve him zealously in the war, proceeded to act as follows.  One of his servants, a Moor by birth and a cook by trade, he commanded to go to the enemy’s camp, and to make it appear to all others that he had run away from his master, but to tell Antalas secretly that Gontharis wished to share with him the rule of Libya.  So the cook carried out these directions, and Antalas heard the word gladly, but made no further reply than to say that worthy enterprises are not properly brought to pass among men by cooks.  When this was heard by Gontharis, he immediately sent to Antalas one of his body-guards, Ulitheus by name, whom he had found especially trustworthy in his service, inviting him to come as close as possible to Carthage.  For, if this were done, he promised him to put Areobindus out of the way.  So Ulitheus without the knowledge of the rest of the barbarians made an agreement with Antalas that he, Antalas, should rule Byzacium, having half the possessions of Areobindus and taking with him fifteen hundred Roman soldiers, while Gontharis