7.9
East Roman army occupies the city of Rome. The soldiers loot and harm inhabitants which creates the anti-East Roman sentiment in Rome. King Totila wants to exploit this situation on his favour and first sends a letter to the Roman Senate offering help and protection. The East Roman commander Ioannes prevents replying to that letter.
20. [...] For this reason Totila made a second attempt, writing many short letters in which he placed the most solemn oaths, swearing in explicit terms that the Goths would never harm any of the Romans. 21. Now I have no idea what persons conveyed these writings to Rome, for all of them were posted late at night in the conspicuous places in the city, and only when it was day were they discovered. The commanders of the Roman army suspected the priests of the Arians and expelled them all from the city immediately.
(trans. Dewing, rev. Kaldellis 2014: 399)
