A Struggle for Rome, v. 3

  CHAPTER XXI.

  Meanwhile Teja and Hildebrand had arrived upon the chapel hill,whither, as they had been apprised, the wounded King had been carried.

  News of later events had not yet reached them.

  Before they entered the walls which enclosed the grove before thechapel, the two leaders had agreed upon the plan which they wouldpropose to the King. There was no other way but to retreat to the southunder the protection of the truce. But when they entered the grove,what a sight met their view!

  Sobbing loudly, Adalgoth hurried up to Teja, and led him to an ancientand ivy-grown sarcophagus. Within it, upon his shield, lay King Totila.The majesty of death gave to his noble features a solemnity that madethem more beautiful than they had ever been when brightened by joy.

  On his left hand rested Julius, in the open hollow cover of thesarcophagus, which had long since fallen from its proper place. Underthe common shadow of death, the resemblance between the "Dioscuri" wasmore striking and touching than ever.

  And between the two friends lay a third form, which had been carefullylaid by Gotho and Liuta upon the King's blood-stained mantle. Upon agently-rising mound lay Valeria, the Roman virgin.

  Fetched from the neighbouring cloister to receive her lover, she hadthrown herself, without a scream, without even a sigh, upon the broadshield with its solemn burthen, which Adalgoth and Aligern werecarrying through the gate with sad and slow steps. Before any one couldspeak, she had cried:

  "I know all--he is dead!"

  She had assisted them to lay the corpse in the sarcophagus, and whileso occupied she had repeated to herself, in a low voice, these words:

  "'Him too thou seest, how stalwart, tall, and fair! Yet must he yield to death and stubborn fate, Whene'er, at morn or noon or eve, the spear Or arrow from the bow may rend his life. Then may I, too, visit th' eternal shades!"

  Then, without haste, quietly and slowly, she drew a dagger from hergirdle, and with the words, "Here, stern Christian God, take my soul!thus I fulfil the vow!" the Roman maiden thrust the sharp steel intoher bosom.

  Cassiodorus, a little cross of cedar in his hand, went, deeplymoved--the tears trickled down his venerable white beard--from corpseto corpse, repeating the prayers of the Church.

  And the pious women of the cloister, who had accompanied Valeria, beganthe simple and noble chant:

  "Vis ac splendor seculorum, Belli laus et flos amorum Labefacta mox marcescunt; Dei laus et gratia sine AEvi termino vel fine In eternum perflorescunt."

  Gradually the grove had become filled with warriors, who had followedtheir leaders. Among them were Earls Wisand and Markja.

  Teja heard the report of the weeping Adalgoth in silence. Then he wentclose to the King's corpse. Without a tear, he laid his mailed righthand upon the King's wounded breast, bent over him, and whispered:

  "I will complete the work."

  Then he went back and took his place under a mighty tree, which roseabove a forgotten grave-mound, and spoke to the little group ofsoldiers who stood silently and reverently round the dead.

  "Gothic men! the battle is lost, and the kingdom likewise. Whoever willnow go to Narses, whoever will subject himself to the Emperor, I willnot keep him back. But I am resolved to fight to the end; not forvictory, but to die the free death of a hero. Whoever wishes to sharethis fate with me, may remain. You all wish it? 'Tis well."

  Hildebrand interposed.

  "The King has fallen. The Goths cannot--even to die--fight without aKing. Athalaric, Witichis, Totila--_one_ only can be the fourth; onlyone is worthy to succeed these three; thou, Teja, our last, ourgreatest hero!"

  "Yes," said Teja; "I will be your King. Under me you shall not livejoyfully; you shall only die greatly. Be still! No cry of joy, no clangof arms must greet me. Whoever will have me for his King, let him do asI do."

  And he broke a small branch from the tree under which he stood, andtwisted it round his helmet. All silently followed his example.

  Adalgoth, who stood next him, whispered:

  "O King Teja! it is a cypress bough! Thus is crowned a victim doomed tosacrifice!"

  "Yes, my Adalgoth, thou speakest prophecy;" and Teja swung his sword ina circle round his head. "Doomed to death!"

  BOOK VI. TEJA

  "I have now to describe a most remarkable battle, and the highheroism of the man who was inferior to none of the heroes--ofTeja."--_Procopius: Gothic War_, iv. 35.