IV

So the Vandals, having wrested Libya from the Romans in this way, made it their own.  And those of the enemy whom they took alive they reduced to slavery and held under guard.  Among these happened to be Marcian, who later upon the death of Theodosius assumed the imperial power.  At that time, however, Gizeric commanded that the captives be brought into the king’s courtyard, in order that it might be possible for him, by looking at them, to know what master each of them might serve without degradation.  And when they were gathered under the open sky, about midday, the season being summer, they were distressed by the sun and sat down.  And somewhere or other among them Marcian, quite neglected, was sleeping.  Then an eagle flew over him spreading out his wings, as they say, and always remaining in the same place in the air he cast a shadow over Marcian alone.  And Gizeric, upon seeing from the upper storey what was happening, since he was an exceedingly discerning person, suspected that the thing was a divine manifestation, and summoning the man enquired of him who he might be.  And he replied that he was a confidential adviser of Aspar; such a person the Romans call a “domesticus” in their own tongue.  And when Gizeric heard this and considered first the meaning of the bird’s action, and then remembered how great power Aspar exercised in Byzantium, it became evident to him that the man was being led to royal power.  He therefore by no means deemed it right to kill him, reasoning that, if he should remove him from the world, it would be very clear that the thing which the bird had done was nothing (for he would not honour with his shadow a king who was about to die straightway), and he felt, too, that he would be killing him for no good cause; and if, on the other hand, it was fated that in later times the man should become king, it would never be within his power to inflict death upon him; for that which has been decided upon by God could never be prevented by a man’s decision.  But he bound Marcian by oaths that, if it should be in his power, he would never take up arms against the Vandals at least. [450 A.D.] Thus, then, Marcian was released and came to Byzantium, and when at a later time Theodosius died he received the empire.  And in all other respects he proved himself a good emperor, but he paid no attention at all to affairs in Libya.  But this happened in later times.

At that time Gizeric, after conquering Aspar and Boniface in battle, displayed a foresight worth recounting, whereby he made his good fortune most thoroughly secure.  For fearing lest, if once again an army should come against him from both Rome and Byzantium, the Vandals might not be able to use the same strength and enjoy the same fortune, (since human affairs are wont to be overturned by Heaven and to fail by reason of the weakness of men’s bodies), he was not lifted up by the good fortune he had enjoyed, but rather