the present to risk an engagement with the whole army, but it seemed
wise to skirmish first with the horsemen and make trial of the enemy's
strength, and finally to fight a decisive battle with the whole army.
Sending forward, therefore, the commanders of the foederati,[55] he
himself followed with the rest of the force and his own spearmen and
guards. And when the foederati and their leaders reached Decimum, they
saw the corpses of the fallen--twelve comrades from the forces of John
and near them Ammatas and some of the Vandals. And hearing from the
inhabitants of the place the whole story of the fight, they were vexed,
being at a loss as to where they ought to go. But while they were still
at a loss and from the hills were looking around over the whole country
thereabouts, a dust appeared from the south and a little later a very
large force of Vandal horsemen. And they sent to Belisarius urging him
to come as quickly as possible, since the enemy were bearing down upon
them. And the opinions of the commanders were divided. For some thought
that they ought to close with their assailants, but the others said that
their force was not sufficient for this. And while they were debating
thus among themselves, the barbarians drew near under the leadership of
Gelimer, who was following a road between the one which Belisarius was
travelling and the one by which the Massagetae who had encountered
Gibamundus had come. But since the land was hilly on both sides, it did
not allow him to see either the disaster of Gibamundus or Belisarius'
stockade, nor even the road along which Belisarius' men were advancing.
But when they came near each other, a contest arose between the two
armies as to which should capture the highest of all the hills there.
For it seemed a suitable one to encamp upon, and both sides preferred to
engage with the enemy from there. And the Vandals, coming first, took
possession of the hill by crowding off their assailants and routed the
enemy, having already become an object of terror to them. And the Romans
in flight came to a place seven stades distant from Decimum, where, as
it happened, Uliaris, the personal guard of Belisarius, was, with eight
hundred guardsmen. And all supposed that Uliaris would receive them and
hold his position, and together with them would go against the Vandals;
but when they came together, these troops all unexpectedly fled at top
speed and went on the run to Belisarius.

From then on