most of the
horsemen made their escape in greater security. Now Principius fell
where he stood, his whole body hacked to pieces, and around him fell
forty-two foot-soldiers. But Tarmutus, holding two Isaurian javelins,
one in each hand, continued to thrust them into his assailants as he
turned from side to side, until, finally, he desisted because his body
was covered with wounds; but when his brother Ennes came to the rescue
with a detachment of cavalry, he revived, and running swiftly, covered
as he was with gore and wounds, he made for the fortifications without
throwing down either of his javelins. And being fleet of foot by
nature, he succeeded in making his escape, in spite of the plight of
his body, and did not fall until he had just reached the Pincian Gate.
And some of his comrades, supposing him to be dead, lifted him on a
shield and carried him. But he lived on two days before he died, leaving
a high reputation both among the Isaurians and in the rest of the army.

The Romans, meanwhile, being by now thoroughly frightened, attended to
the guarding of the wall, and shutting the gates they refused, in their
great excitement, to receive the fugitives into the city, fearing that
the enemy would rush in with them. And such of the fugitives as had not
already got inside the fortifications, crossed the moat, and standing
with their backs braced against the wall were trembling with fear, and
stood there forgetful of all valour and utterly unable to ward off the
barbarians, although they were pressing upon them and were about to
cross the moat to attack them. And the reason was that most of them had
lost their spears, which had been broken in the engagement and during
the flight, and they were not able to use their bows because they were
huddled so closely together. Now so long as not many defenders were seen
at the battlement, the Goths kept pressing on, having hopes of
destroying all those who had been shut out and of overpowering the men
who held the circuit-wall. But when they saw a very great number both of
soldiers and of the Roman populace at the battlements defending the
wall, they immediately abandoned their purpose and rode off thence to
the rear, heaping much abuse upon their opponents. And the battle,
having begun at the camps of the barbarians, ended at the moat and the
wall of the city.

FOOTNOTES:

[139] Matasuntha.

[140] Cf. Book IV. xxvii. 38, note.

HISTORY OF THE WARS: BOOK VI

THE G