The dysentery swept away one third of their army; and the clamors of his subjects, who were impatient to pass the Alps, disposed Theodebert to listen with respect to the mild exhortations of Belisarius.

The memory of this inglorious and destructive warfare was perpetuated on the medals of Gaul; and Justinian, without unsheathing his sword, assumed the title of conqueror of the Franks.

The Merovingian prince was offended by the vanity of the emperor; he affected to pity the fallen fortunes of the Goths; and his insidious offer of a federal union was fortified by the promise or menace of descending from the Alps at the head of five hundred thousand men.

His plans of conquest were boundless, and perhaps chimerical.

The king of Austrasia threatened to chastise Justinian, and to march to the gates of Constantinople: [102] he was overthrown and slain [103] by a wild bull, [104] as he hunted in the Belgic or German forests.