and Artabanes, the one seizing the sword of Gontharis and the other that of Ulitheus who had fallen, killed on the spot those of the body-guards who remained.  Thus there arose, as was natural, an exceedingly great tumult and confusion.  And when this was perceived by those of the Armenians who were standing by the tyrant’s guards, they immediately picked up the shields according to the plan which had been arranged with them, and went on the run to the banquet-room.  And they slew all the Vandals and the friends of Gontharis, no one resisting.

Then Artabanes enjoined upon Athanasius to take charge of the money in the palace:  for all that had been left by Areobindus was there.  And when the guards learned of the death of Gontharis, straightway many arrayed themselves with the Armenians; for the most of them were of the household of Areobindus.  With one accord, therefore, they proclaimed the Emperor Justinian triumphant.  And the cry, coming forth from a multitude of men, and being, therefore, an exceedingly mighty sound, was strong enough to reach the greater part of the city.  Wherefore those who were well-disposed to the emperor leaped into the houses of the mutineers and straightway killed them, some while enjoying sleep, others while taking food, and still others while they were awe-struck with fear and in terrible perplexity.  And among these was Pasiphilus, but not John, for he with some of the Vandals fled to the sanctuary.  To these Artabanes gave pledges, and making them rise from there, sent them to Byzantium, and having thus recovered the city for the emperor, he continued to guard it.  And the murder of the tyrant took place on the thirty-sixth day of the tyranny, in the nineteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Justinian. [545-546 A.D.]

And Artabanes won great fame for himself from this deed among all men.  And straightway Prejecta, the wife of Areobindus, rewarded him with great sums of money, and the emperor appointed him general of all Libya.  But not long after this Artabanes entreated the emperor to summon him to Byzantium, and the emperor fulfilled his request.  And having summoned Artabanes, he appointed John, the brother of Pappus, sole general of Libya.  And this John, immediately upon arriving in Libya, had an engagement with Antalas and the Moors in Byzacium, and conquering them in battle, slew many; and he wrested from these barbarians all the standards of Solomon, and sent them to the emperor—­standards which they had previously secured as plunder, when Solomon had been taken from the world.[75] And the rest of the Moors he drove as far as possible from the Roman territory.  But at a later time the Leuathae came again with a great army from the country about Tripolis to Byzacium, and united with the forces of Antalas.  And when John went to meet this army, he was defeated in the engagement, and losing many of his men, fled to Laribus.  And then indeed the enemy, overrunning the whole country there as far as Carthage, treated in a terrible manner