[879] See p. 539.
[880] Procopius, De Bel. Goth., iv, 17; Theophanes Byz. etc.
[881] Agathias, ii, 15.
[882] Ibid., v, 9; Theophanes, an. 6051, etc.
[883] Procopius, Anecd., 18.
[884] The reign of Theodoric has been treated most fully by Hodgkin, Italy and her Invaders, Lond., 1880, etc.
[885] Procopius, Anecd., 18.
[886] It appears that Justinian kept up an army of no more than 150,000 men, whereas for the Eastern Empire alone twice that number at least was considered necessary by former rulers. Agathias, v, 13; see p. 167. Thus, notwithstanding the numerous forts he built ostentatiously, he neglected to garrison them, both in Europe and Asia; (Procopius, Anecd., 24; see p. 541), whilst the lavish subsidies paid to the barbarians constituted a standing invitation for the most distant tribes to present themselves constantly in order to receive those gratifications (Ibid., 8, 11, 19). As for the Long Walls, they were so devoid of troops that, as Agathias remarks (v, 13), they were not even so well protected as a farm yard, where at least a watch-dog's bark might be heard.
[887] It is said that in his latter days he incurred the enmity of his subordinates through parsimony, whence they petitioned for his recall. On his refusal to return to the capital in obedience to a mandate, Sophia taunted him by writing, "Come and take up your proper place among the handmaids who ply the distaff in the women's apartments," to which he replied, "I will find a yarn for her to spin which she will not be able to get through in her lifetime"; Paulus Diac., Hist. Miscell., xviii, etc.
[888] Agnellus, Lib. Pontif., Agnellus, Peter Sen.