noon
It was indeed not likely that he would entirely renounce the hope of reconquering Italy , but he saw the impossibility of doing so at present . He therefore willingly entered into negotiations of peace , and accepted our proposals for further consideration . His first thought was , as he told us , to bring about a provisional division of the peninsula ; the far larger portion of the country , to the south of the Padus , to belong to the Emperor , the northern half to the Goths . One day at noon , we had left the Emperor 's presence with great hopes ; the audience had turned out more favourably than all former ones . But in the evening of the same day we were surprised by the arrival of the Curo-palata Marcellus , accompanied by slaves carrying the gifts which it is customary to present to parting guests -- a not-to-be-mistaken sign that all negotiations were broken off . Confounded at this sudden change , Cassiodorus decided , for the sake of his work of peace , to dare the utmost -- namely , to seek an audience of the Emperor after the presentation of the parting gifts . Tribonianus , who had always opposed the war , and who highly esteemed Cassiodorus , allowed himself to be prevailed upon to sue for this extraordinary grace .