But the Moors who dwelt in Byzacium and in Numidia turned to revolt for no good reason, and they decided to break the treaty and to rise suddenly against the Romans.  And this was not out of keeping with their peculiar character.  For there is among the Moors neither fear of God nor respect for men.  For they care not either for oaths or for hostages, even though the hostages chance to be the children or brothers of their leaders.  Nor is peace maintained among the Moors by any other means than by fear of the enemies opposing them.  Now I shall set forth in what manner the treaty was made by them with Belisarius and how it was broken.  When it came to be expected that the emperor’s expedition would arrive in Libya, the Moors, fearing lest they should receive some harm from it, consulted the oracles of their women.  For it is not lawful in this nation for a man to utter oracles, but the women among them as a result of some sacred rites become possessed and foretell the future, no less than any of the ancient oracles.  So on that occasion, when they made enquiry, as has been said, the women gave the response:  “There shall be a host from the waters, the overthrow of the Vandals, destruction and defeat of the Moors, when the general of the Romans shall come unbearded.”  When the Moors heard this, since they saw that the emperor’s army had come from the sea, they began to be in great fear and were quite unwilling to fight in alliance with the Vandals, but they sent to Belisarius and established peace, as has been stated previously,[24] and then remained quiet and waited for the future, to see how it would fall out.  And when the power of the Vandals had now come to an end, they sent to the Roman army, investigating whether there was anyone unbearded among them holding an office.  And when they saw all wearing full beards, they thought that the oracle did not indicate the present time to them, but one many generations later, interpreting the saying in that way which they themselves wished.  Immediately, therefore, they were eager to break the treaty, but their fear of Belisarius prevented them.  For they had no hope that they would ever overcome the Romans in war, at least with him present.  But when they heard that he was making his departure together with his guards and spearmen, and that the ships were already being filled with them and the Vandals, they suddenly rose in arms and displayed every manner of outrage upon the Libyans.  For the soldiers were both few in each place on the frontier and still unprepared, so that they would not have been able to stand against the barbarians as they made inroads at every point, nor to prevent their incursions, which took place frequently and not in an open manner.  But men were being killed indiscriminately and women with their children were being made slaves, and the wealth was being plundered from every part of the frontier and the whole country was being filled with fugitives.  These things were reported to Belisarius when he was just about