Hereby ye know, men: the ships are lost. (_Tumult. Cries of horror_.) Teja. Quiet, friends, quiet! Thy name is Haribalt. Watcher. Yea, Sire! Teja. How long hast thou stood at thy post? Watcher. Since early yesterday, Sire. Teja. Where are thy two companions? Watcher. They remain above, as thou hast commanded, Sire. Teja. Good, then what saw ye? Watcher. The smoke of Vesuvius, Sire, descended upon the sea, beyond the promontory of Misenum. Thus we saw nothing until to-day about the sixth hour of the evening. Then suddenly the ships appeared five in number quite near the shore, there where it is said a city of the Romans lies buried in ruins.... One of us determined to hasten away, since---- Teja. Stay! What signal bare the ships? Watcher. The foresail bound crosswise and---- Teja. And? Watcher. A palm branch at the stern. Teja. Ye saw the palm branch? Watcher. As I see thee, Sire. Teja. Good, go on. Watcher. Then we perceived that the fishing-boats with which the Byzantians take their food, closely surrounded the ships, and then---- Teja. What then? Watcher. Verily, Sire, they steered quite peaceably toward the camp of the enemy. There they unloaded. (_The men cover their heads. Silence_.) Teja. (_Who looks, smiling, from one to the other_.) It is good.... That is: thou shalt say nothing there without.... From me they should learn it. (_Exit Watcher_.) _FIFTH SCENE_. TEJA. THEODEMIR. EURIC. ATHANARIC _and the_ OTHERS. LORDS. Teja. Your counsel, ye men! Theodemir. Sire, we have none to give. Teja. And thou, Euric, with all thy wisdom? Euric. Sire, I have served the great Theoderic. And yet he would have had none to give.