Let us complete our examination of Procopius with a discussion of a short episode relating to the siege of Rome in 537-538, by which the historian relates a striking story of cooperation between Goths and East Romans that presents the combatants as human beings, not just faceless soldiers. Amidst the mayhem of battle, an East Roman soldier falls blindly into a deep hole. Surrounded by enemy soldiers, the Roman fears to cry out for help, and so he is trapped. The next day a Gothic warrior falls into the pit. Instead of killing one another, the two trapped men set aside their differences for a time; to expedite their escape, they pledge to work together. As Procopius puts it, ‘the two men were reconciled to mutual friendship and goodwill, brought together as they were by their necessity, and they exchanged solemn pledges that each would work earnestly for the salvation of the other; then both of them began shouting as loudly as they could’. A group of Gothic soldiers hears their cries for help and offers to rescue the pair. Speaking in the native Gothic language, the Goth explains to his colleagues what had happened and asks them to lower a rope. Fearing for his new friend's safety, the Goth purposefully makes no mention of the Roman soldier's presence. He has the Roman go up the rope first, explaining to him that ‘the Goths would never abandon their comrade, but if they discovered that merely one of the enemy was there, they would take no account of him’. After retrieving the Roman from the pit, the Goths initially are astonished at the sight of him, but, when told of the pledge, allow him to return to his own side.

Was Procopius there on the day when the East Roman soldier surprised his comrades by returning from the dead? Or did he learn about the encounter from one of the soldiers he knew? Perhaps he wrote or read an official report about the encounter. Maybe there was no edifying purpose, perhaps Procopius just thought that his readers would find the story intriguing. More alarming for those seeking the ‘truth’ is the possibility that the entire episode is a fabrication, composed to serve Procopius’ literary art.