us, taking example from what has happened in the past, to fear the outcome of war, on what grounds is it not better to love a state of quiet rather than the dangers of mortal strife?  Thou art purposing to make an expedition against Carthage, to which, if one goes by land, the journey is one of a hundred and forty days, and if one goes by water, he is forced to cross the whole open sea and go to its very end.  So that he who brings thee news of what will happen in the camp must needs reach thee a year after the event.  And one might add that if thou art victorious over thy enemy, thou couldst not take possession of Libya while Sicily and Italy lie in the hands of others; and at the same time, if any reverse befall thee, O Emperor, the treaty having already been broken by thee, thou wilt bring the danger upon our own land.  In fact, putting all in a word, it will not be possible for thee to reap the fruits of victory, and at the same time any reversal of fortune will bring harm to what is well established.  It is before an enterprise that wise planning is useful.  For when men have failed, repentance is of no avail, but before disaster comes there is no danger in altering plans.  Therefore it will be of advantage above all else to make fitting use of the decisive moment.”

Thus spoke John; and the Emperor Justinian, hearkening to his words, checked his eager desire for the war.  But one of the priests whom they call bishops, who had come from the East, said that he wished to have a word with the emperor.  And when he met Justinian, he said that God had visited him in a dream, and bidden him go to the emperor and rebuke him, because, after undertaking the task of protecting the Christians in Libya from tyrants, he had for no good reason become afraid.  “And yet,” He had said, “I will Myself join with him in waging war and make him lord of Libya.”  When the emperor heard this, he was no longer able to restrain his purpose, and he began to collect the army and the ships, and to make ready supplies of weapons and of food, and he announced to Belisarius that he should be in readiness, because he was very soon to act as general in Libya.  Meanwhile Pudentius, one of the natives of Tripolis in Libya, caused this district to revolt from the Vandals, and sending to the emperor he begged that he should despatch an army to him; for, he said, he would with no trouble win the land for the emperor.  And Justinian sent him Tattimuth and an army of no very great size.  This force Pudentius joined with his own troops and, the Vandals being absent, he gained possession of the land and made it subject to the emperor.  And Gelimer, though wishing to inflict punishment upon Pudentius, found the following obstacle in his way.