Had you remained but a few days longer at Cumae, you would have been seized by the Greeks and sent to Constantinople; for the Emperor Justinian himself had given this command.

You came to Surrentum; you plighted troth with Basil; he would have wedded you, and--not only for safety's sake, but because he wished well to the Goths--would have sought the friendship of Totila.

But you were carried away; vainly we searched for you; we feared you had been delivered to the Greeks.

In Rome, Basil was tempted by a woman, whom he had loved before ever he saw you, a woman beautiful, but evil hearted, her name Heliodora.

She won him back to her; she made him faithless to you and to the cause of the Goths.