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