The nephew of Gelimer was defeated after a slight combat by
the six hundred Massagetae; they did not equal the third part
of his numbers, but each Scythian was fired by the example
of his chief, who gloriously exercised the privilege of his
family by riding foremost and alone to shoot the first arrow
against the enemy. In the meantime Gelimer himself, ignorant
of the event, and misguided by the windings of the hills,
inadvertently passed the Roman army and reached the scene of
action where Ammatas had fallen. He wept the fate of his
brother and of Carthage, charged with irresistible fury the
advancing squadrons, and might have pursued and perhaps
decided the victory, if he had not wasted those inestimable
moments in the discharge of a vain though pious duty to the
dead. While his spirit was broken by this mournful office,
he heard the trumpet of Belisarius, who, leaving Antonina
and his infantry in the camp, pressed forward with his
guards and the remainder of the cavalry to rally his flying
troops, and to restore the fortune of the day.
Pages:
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229