e combatants. But finally the Romans by their valour forced back the
enemy and routed them.

In this action Cutilas was struck in the middle of the head by a
javelin, and he kept on pursuing with the javelin still embedded in his
head. And after the rout had taken place, he rode into the city at about
sunset together with the other survivors, the javelin in his head waving
about, a most extraordinary sight. During the same encounter Arzes, one
of the guards of Belisarius, was hit by one of the Gothic archers
between the nose and the right eye. And the point of the arrow
penetrated as far as the neck behind, but it did not shew through, and
the rest of the shaft projected from his face and shook as the man rode.
And when the Romans saw him and Cutilas they marvelled greatly that both
men continued to ride, paying no heed to their hurt. Such, then, was the
course of events in that quarter.

But in the Plain of Nero the barbarians had the upper hand. For the men
of Valerian and Martinus, fighting with a great multitude of the enemy,
withstood them stoutly, to be sure, but suffered most terribly, and came
into exceedingly great danger. And then Belisarius commanded Bochas to
take his troops, which had returned from the engagement unwearied, men
as well as horses, and go to the Plain of Nero. Now it was already late
in the day. And when the men under Bochas had come to the assistance of
the Romans, suddenly the barbarians were turned to flight, and Bochas,
who had impetuously followed the pursuit to a great distance, came to be
surrounded by twelve of the enemy, who carried spears. And they all
struck him at once with their spears. But his corselet withstood the
other blows, which therefore did not hurt him much; but one of the Goths
succeeded in hitting him from behind, at a place where his body was
uncovered, above the right armpit, very close to the shoulder, and smote
the youth, though not with a mortal stroke, nor even one which brought
him into danger of death. But another Goth struck him in front and
pierced his left thigh, and cut the muscles there; it was not a straight
blow, however, but only a slanting cut. But Valerian and Martinus saw
what was happening, and coming to his rescue as quickly as possible,
they routed the enemy, and both took hold of the bridle of Bochas'
horse, and so came into the city. Then night came on and Euthalius
entered the city with the money.

And when all had returned to the city, they