On the Palatine, it was at first received with roars of laughter, in
which the lady Muscula's shrill voice had its part. When
confirmation had put the thing beyond dispute, Bessas and his
supporters made a standing joke of it; if any one fell sick their
word was: 'Send for the learned Totila'; and when there was talk of
a siege of Rome, they declared that their greatest fear, should the
city fall, was of being dieted and physicked by the victor.
Romans there were, however, who heard all this in another spirit.
The ill-fed populace had long ago become ready for any change which
might benefit their stomachs, and the name of Totila was to them
significant of all they lacked under the Greeks. 'Let the Goth come
quickly!' passed from mouth to mouth wherever the vulgar durst speak
what they thought. Among the nobles, prejudice of race and religion
and immemorial pride ensured predominance to the Imperialists, but
even here a Gothic party existed, and imprudent utterances had
brought certain senators into suspicion. The most active friend of
Totila, however, was one whom Bessas never thought of suspecting,
having, as he thought, such evidence of the man's devotion to the
Greek cause.
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