TOT 



TOT 



TOTANO, or ToTANUS, in Ornithology, the name of a 

 bird common in the Italian markets, and more ufuaHy 

 known by the name of Vetola ; which fee. 



The totanus of Linnaeus is a fpecies of Scolopax, (which 

 fee,) and the crex of other aufhors.- See Rail. 



TOTANUS isalfoufedby fomeforthe Limofa; which fee. 



TOTAQUESTAC, in Ornithology, the name of a beau- 

 tiful American bird, defcribed by Nieremberg from Anto- 

 nius Herrera. It is faid to be fomething fmaller than a 

 pigeon, and all over of a moft beautiful green ; its tail-feathers 

 are of a very great length, and are greatly efteemed. The 

 Indians value the bird fo highly, that it is death by their 

 laws to kill it, fo that when it is caught they only ilrip it 

 and let it go again. Ray. 



TOTEN, in Geography, a town of Norway, in the pro- 

 vince of Aggerhuus ; 47 miles N. of Chriiliania. 



TOTES, a town of France, in the department of the 

 Lower Seine ; 14 miles N. of Rouen. 



TOTEZVA, a town of Hungary, on the river Bodrog ; 

 5 miles S.W. of Patak. 



TOTFALU, a town of Hungary; i mile N. of 

 Siclos. — Alfo, a town of Hungary ; 8 miles W. of 

 Podolicz. 



TOTILA, in Biography, king of the Oftrogoths in 

 Italy, was a commander of the Gothic garrifon at Trevigo, 

 and upon the depofition and murder of his uncle Eraric, was 

 chofen to fuccecd him A.D. 541. After feveral fucccfsful 

 conflifts with the Romans, and the capture of their chief 

 cities, he advanced to Tibur, within eighteen miles of the 

 capital. In every ftep of his progrefs his conduft was con- 

 ciliatory ; he reftrained his foldiers, in the career of viftory, 

 from all afts of licentioufnefs ; and by the exercife of hu- 

 manity and liberality, he attached to his fervice and caufe 

 his vanqui{hed enemies. Upon his approach to the capital, 

 the emperor Juftinian was alarmed, and recalling Belifarius 

 from the Perfian war, fent him, already renowned for his 

 charafter and exploits, to its relief. Failing in his attempts 

 to throw fuccours into the city, he withdrew, and abandoned 

 it to the diftrefs of famine ; fo that thofe inhabitants who 

 could make their efcape deferted it, and thofe that remained 

 importunately folicited the governor to capitulate. At 

 length the Roman garrifon retired, and one of the gates 

 was opened to the Gothic troops, by which Totila entered 

 the city December 17, A.D. 546. Although the con- 

 queror fpared the lives of the inhabitants, he allowed his 

 foldiers to pillage the city, and by fo doing reduced the 

 wealthy fenators and their families to abfolute beggary. 

 Having convened thofe few of this rank that remained^ he 

 reprehended and threatened them ; but pacified by the in- 

 terceffion of Pelagius, he fent a refpeftful meffage to Juf- 

 tinian, offering to live with him upon amicable terms ; and 

 yet intimating, that on the rejeftion of his propofal he would 

 utterly deftroy Rome, and remove the feat of war to lUyri- 

 cum. The emperor referred him for an anfwer to Belifarius, 

 upon which flight he began to dcmolifh the city. As he 

 was proceeding in the work of deftruftion, Belifarius re- 

 monitrated with him on the barbarity of his condudt, and 

 fo far fucceeded as to induce Totila to defift, and to march 

 off, with his troops and the fenators, to Lucania. The remain- 

 ing inhabitants were difperfed in exile, and Rome was for 

 forty days in a ftate of total depopulation. Belifarius feized 

 the opportunity of taking poffenion of the city, repairing 

 the fortifications to the utmoft of his power, and recalling 

 the inhabitants. Upon receiving this intelligence, the Gothic 

 fovercign returned, and having made many unfuccefsful at- 

 tempts for regaining poffeflion of the city, and, facrificed, in 

 repeated affaults, trie choiceil of his troops, he was under 

 a neceffity of decamping, and of marcliing, with degraded 



reputation, and a diffcontented army, to the fiege of Pe- 

 rugia. He contrived, however, to regain the confidence of 

 his troops, and after obtaining a reinforcement, marched 

 again for Rome, and by the treachery of fome Ifaurian cen- 

 tinels, became mafter of the city. Experience had now 

 taught him wifdom ; and he adopted every meafure which 

 found policy didlated for conciliating his enemies. He not 

 only repaired the walls and edifices which he had demo- 

 lifhed, but recalled the fenators, and reftored them to th&ir 

 rank, and at the fame time invited the citizens to take pof- 

 fefTion of their property, fupplying them in the mean while 

 with provifions. He alfo exliibited the Circenfian games, 

 and prefided at them with the dignity of a Roman emperor. 

 Totila renewed his embaffy to Juflinian, making an offer of 

 peace and alliance ; but the emperor would not admit the 

 Gothic ambaffadors to an audience. The Gothic fovereign 

 was incenfed by this treatment ; and fitting out a powerful 

 fleet, took Rhegium and Tarentum, and pafled over to Si- 

 cily, which he fpeedily reduced and pillaged ; and having 

 made himfelf mailer of Sardinia and Corfica, and ravaged 

 the whole fea-coafl of Greece, whilft his troops were be- 

 fieging Ancona, his fleet was defeated, fo that he was obliged 

 to raife the fiege, and foon after he loil Sicily. Jullinian, 

 encouraged by thefe fortunate events, detei'mined to preferve 

 Italy from the power of Totila ; and having recalled Beli- 

 farius, devolved the command of his army on Narfes, who 

 marched direftly to Rome, and meeting Totila in his pro- 

 grefs, prefented to him the emperor's meffage, which was 

 merely an offer of pardon. Totila feemed to regard it as an 

 infult, and replied, that lie would conquer or die. In the 

 furious combat between tlie hoflile armies that enfued, the 

 Goths were driven fi-om the field of battle, .ind Totila fled 

 with no more than five attendants. In his flight he was 

 overtaken by Afbad, a leader of the Gepidce, who pierced 

 liim through the body with a lance. His faithful compa- 

 nions hurried him away feven miles beyond the fcene of 

 aflion, and had his wound dreffed ; but he foon after ex- 

 pired. A private burial terminated the glory of this con- 

 queror of Rome, whom his eulogifts have celebrated fbr va- 

 lour tempered by humanity and moderation, and for a go- 

 vernment condufled with a regard to juftice and equity. 

 With this battle, fought in July 552, the nth year of To- 

 tila's reign, the triumph and dominion of the Goths in Italy 

 alfo terminated. Anc. Un. Hift. Gibbon's Rom. Emp. 

 TOTMA, in Geography, a town of RufTia, in the go- 

 vernment of Vologda. In the environs are feveral fait -pits ;. 

 92 miles N.E. of Vologda. N. lat. 60° lo'. E. long.. 



42° 34'- . , 



TOTNESS, an ancient borough and market-town m the 

 hundred of Colerid'ge, and county of Devon, England ; is 

 fituated on the banks of the river Dart, 22 miles S.S.W. 

 from Exeter, and 195 miles W.S.W.. from London. It 

 ranks among the moil ancient towns in the kingdom ; and if 

 credit could be given to Geoffrey of Monmouth, would 

 affume an origin coeval with the firfl ; for here, according 

 to this author. Brute firft landed ; and the inhabitants, to 

 corroborate the tale, ftill point out a ilone near the fpot 

 where the eait gate flood, as the very one on which he firft 

 fet his foot. It is certainly, however, of remote antiquity ; 

 for Leland mentions that the Roman fofs-way, extending 

 through Devonfhire and Somerfetfhire, began here : and 

 Rifdon quotes a pafTage from Bede, which notices the ar- 

 rival of Ambrofius and Uther-Pendragon at Totnefs, when 

 they returned from Bretagne to oppofe the tyranny of Vor- 

 tigern. The fcite of the town is pecuharly fine : from the 

 margin of the Dart it climes the fleep acclivity of a hill, and 

 flretches itfelf along its brow ; commanding a view of the 

 winding ll;ream and the country in its vicinity ; but fheltered 



