When the Empress learned that he had amassed much treasure in the East; she sent one of the palace eunuchs to fetch it away to the Court.  Antonina, as I have already said, was now at variance with her husband, and the nearest and dearest friend of the Empress, because she had just destroyed John of Cappadocia.  To please Antonina, the Empress arranged everything in such a fashion that she appeared to have pleaded for her husband’s pardon, and to have saved him from these great disasters; whereby the unhappy man not only became finally reconciled to her, but her absolute slave, as though he had been preserved by her from death.  This was brought about as follows: 

One day Belisarius came early to the palace as usual, accompanied by a small and miserable retinue.  He was ungraciously received by the Emperor and Empress, and even insulted in their presence by low-born villains.  He went home towards evening, often turning himself about, and looking in every direction for those whom he expected to set upon him.  In this state of dread, he went up to his chamber, and sat down alone upon his couch, without a brave man’s spirit, and scarce remembering that he had ever been a man, but bathed with sweat, his head dizzy, trembling and despairing, racked by slavish fears and utterly unmanly thoughts.  Antonina, who knew nothing of what was going on, and was far from expecting what was about to come to pass, kept walking up and down the hall, on pretence of suffering from heartburn; for they still regarded each other with suspicion.  Meanwhile, an officer of the palace, named Quadratus, came just after sunset, passed through the court, and suddenly appeared at the door of the men’s apartments, saying that he brought a message from the Empress.

Belisarius, on hearing him approach, drew up his hands and feet on to the bed, and lay on his back in the readiest posture to receive the final stroke, so completely had he lost his courage.

Quadratus, before entering, showed him the Empress’ letter.  It ran as follows: 

“You are not ignorant, my good sir, of all your offences against me; but I owe so much to your wife, that I have determined to pardon all your offences for her sake, and I make her a present of your life.  For the future you may be of good cheer as regards your life and fortune:  we shall know by your future conduct what sort of husband you will be to your wife!”

When Belisarius read this, he was greatly excited with joy, and, as he wished at the same time to give some present proof of his gratitude, he straightway rose, and fell on his face at his wife’s feet.  He embraced her legs with either hand, and kissed the woman’s ankles and the soles of her feet, declaring that it was to her that he owed his life and safety, and that hereafter he would be her faithful slave, and no longer her husband.