I never be separated from this purple, and may I not live that day on
which those who meet me shall not address me as mistress. If, now, it is
your wish to save yourself, O Emperor, there is no difficulty. For we
have much money, and there is the sea, here the boats. However consider
whether it will not come about after you have been saved that you would
gladly exchange that safety for death. For as for myself, I approve a
certain ancient saying that royalty is a good burial-shroud." When the
queen had spoken thus, all were filled with boldness, and, turning their
thoughts towards resistance, they began to consider how they might be
able to defend themselves if any hostile force should come against them.
Now the soldiers as a body, including those who were stationed about the
emperor's court, were neither well disposed to the emperor nor willing
openly to take an active part in fighting, but were waiting for what the
future would bring forth. All the hopes of the emperor were centred upon
Belisarius and Mundus, of whom the former, Belisarius, had recently
returned from the Persian war bringing with him a following which was
both powerful and imposing, and in particular he had a great number of
spearmen and guards who had received their training in battles and the
perils of warfare. Mundus had been appointed general of the Illyrians,
and by mere chance had happened to come under summons to Byzantium on
some necessary errand, bringing with him Erulian barbarians.

When Hypatius reached the hippodrome, he went up immediately to where
the emperor is accustomed to take his place and seated himself on the
royal throne from which the emperor was always accustomed to view the
equestrian and athletic contests. And from the palace Mundus went out
through the gate which, from the circling descent, has been given the
name of the Snail. Belisarius meanwhile began at first to go straight up
toward Hypatius himself and the royal throne, and when he came to the
adjoining structure where there has been a guard of soldiers from of