"Stay," cried Julius, who was present, "ye shall not tempt the Lord!"
"Seest thou," cried Teja, as he rose and took up his shield, "Julius fears for his God!"
CHAPTER XVII.
Brilliantly arose the sun on the next morning, casting its first beams over the warlike movement in the Gothic camp.
As the King issued from his dwelling in the marketplace of Taginæ, Adalgoth, Thorismuth, and Phaza hurried to meet him with his milk-white charger, sent, together with a magnificent suit of armour, by Valeria, his bride.
His arms rang as the King swung himself into the saddle.
His grooms led up two other horses in reserve, one of which was Pluto, the Prefect's restless and fiery charger.
From Totila's shoulders flowed his long white mantle, held together at the neck by a broad and heavy clasp set with precious stones. His cuirass was of shining silver, richly inlaid with gold, the figure of a flying swan upon the breast. The edges of the cuirass at the neck, arms, and belt, were bound with red silk. Beneath it showed the coat of white silk, reaching over the thighs.
Broad gold bracelets and silvered gauntlets protected his arms and hands; greaves his knees and the top of his feet.
His narrow and gracefully-shaped shield was divided into three fields of silver, gold, and crimson. On the golden field the figure of the flying swan was wrought in white enamel.