them to anchor in Libya, and from what point as base it would be
advantageous for them to start in carrying on the war against the
Vandals. And he bade him, when he should have accomplished his commands,
return and meet him at the place called Caucana,[45] about two hundred
stades distant from Syracuse, where both he and the whole fleet were to
anchor. But he let it be understood that he was sending him to buy
provisions, since the Goths were willing to give them a market, this
having been decided upon by the Emperor Justinian and Amalasountha, the
mother of Antalaric,[46] who was at that time a boy being reared under
the care of his mother, Amalasountha, and held sway over both the Goths
and the Italians. For when Theoderic had died and the kingdom came to
his nephew, Antalaric, who had already before this lost his father,
Amalasountha was fearful both for her child and for the kingdom and
cultivated the friendship of Justinian very carefully, and she gave heed
to his commands in all matters and at that time promised to provide a
market for his army and did so.

Now when Procopius reached Syracuse, he unexpectedly met a man who had
been a fellow-citizen and friend of his from childhood, who had been
living in Syracuse for a long time engaged in the shipping business, and
he learned from him what he wanted; for this man showed him a domestic
who had three days before that very day come from Carthage, and he said
that they need not suspect that there would be any ambush set for the
fleet by the Vandals. For from no one in the world had they learned that
an army was coming against them at that time, but all the active men
among the Vandals had actually a little before gone on an expedition
against Godas. And for this reason Gelimer, with no thought of an enemy
in his mind and regardless of Carthage and all the other places on the
sea, was staying in Hermione, which is in Byzacium, four days' journey
distant from the coast; so that it was possible for them to sail without