OTHIC WAR (_continued_)

I

After this the Romans no longer dared risk a battle with their whole
army; but they engaged in cavalry battles, making sudden sallies in the
same manner as before, and were generally victorious over the
barbarians. Foot-soldiers also went out from both sides, not, however,
arrayed in a phalanx, but accompanying the horsemen. And once Bessas in
the first rush dashed in among the enemy carrying his spear and killed
three of their best horsemen and turned the rest to flight. And another
time, when Constantinus had led out the Huns in the Plain of Nero in the
late afternoon, and saw that they were being overpowered by the superior
numbers of their opponents, he took the following measures. There has
been in that place from of old a great stadium[141] where the gladiators
of the city used to fight in former times, and the men of old built many
other buildings round about this stadium; consequently there are, as one
would expect, narrow passages all about this place. Now on the occasion
in question, since Constantinus could neither overcome the throng of the
Goths nor flee without great danger, he caused all the Huns to dismount
from their horses, and on foot, in company with them, took his stand in
one of the narrow passages there. Then by shooting from that safe
position they slew large numbers of the enemy. And for some time the
Goths withstood their missiles. For they hoped, as soon as the supply of
missiles in the quivers of the Huns should be exhausted, to be able to
surround them without any trouble, take them prisoners, and lead them
back to their camp. But since the Massagetae, who were not only good
bowmen but also had a dense throng to shoot into, hit an enemy with
practically every shot, the Goths perceived that above half their number
had perished, and since the sun was about to set, they knew not what to
do and so rushed off in flight. Then indeed many of them fell; for the
Massagetae followed them up, and since they know how to shoot the bow
with the greatest accuracy even when running at great speed, they
continued to discharge their arrows no less than before, shooting at
their backs, and kept up the slaughter. And thus Constantinus with his
Huns came back to Rome at night.

And when Peranius, not many days later, led some of the Romans through
the Salarian Gate against the enemy, the Goths, indeed, fled as hard as
they could, but about sunset a counter-pursuit was made s