e had got well out
in the plain the other Romans rode back, but Chorsamantis went on with
the pursuit alone. As soon as the Goths perceived this, they turned
their horses about and came against him. And he advanced into their
midst, killed one of the best of them with his spear, and then went
after the others, but they again turned and rushed off in flight. But
they were ashamed before their comrades in the camp, who, they
suspected, could already see them, and wished to attack him again. They
had, however, precisely the same experience as before and lost one of
their best men, and so turned to flight in spite of their shame, and
after Chorsamantis had pursued them as far as their stockade he returned
alone. And a little later, in another battle, this man was wounded in
the left shin, and it was his opinion that the weapon had merely grazed
the bone. However, he was rendered unfit for fighting for a certain
number of days by reason of this wound, and since he was a barbarian he
did not endure this patiently, but threatened that he would right
speedily have vengeance upon the Goths for this insult to his leg. So
when not long afterwards he had recovered and was drunk at lunch time,
as was his custom, he purposed to go alone against the enemy and avenge
the insult to his leg; and when he had come to the small Pincian Gate he
stated that he was sent by Belisarius to the enemy's camp. And the
guards at the gate, who could not doubt the word of a man who was the
best of the guards of Belisarius, opened the gates and allowed him to go
wherever he would. And when the enemy spied him, they thought at first
that some deserter was coming over to them, but when he came near and
put his hand to his bow, twenty men, not knowing who he might be, went
out against him. These he easily drove off, and then began to ride back
at a walk, and when more Goths came against him he did not flee. But
when a great throng gathered about him and he still insisted upon
fighting them, the Romans, watching the sight from the towers, suspected
that the man was crazy, but they did not yet know that it was
Chorsamantis. At length, after making a display of great and very
noteworthy deeds, he found himself surrounded by the army of the enemy,
and paid the penalty for his unreasonable daring. And when Belisarius
and the Roman army learned this, they mourned greatly, lamenting that
the hope which all placed in the man had come to naught.

FOOTNOTES:

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