, he marshalled his army and arrayed it for
battle; the Moors, however, had no intention of ever again engaging in
battle with the Romans in level country (for already an irresistible
fear had come over them), but on the mountain they hoped to overcome
them more easily. Now Mt. Bourgaon is for the most part precipitous and
on the side toward the east extremely difficult to ascend, but on the
west it is easily accessible and rises in an even slope. And there are
two lofty peaks which rise up, forming between them a sort of vale, very
narrow, but of incredible depth. Now the barbarians left the peak of the
mountain unoccupied, thinking that on this side no hostile movement
would be made against them; and they left equally unprotected the space
about the foot of the mountain where Bourgaon was easy of access. But at
the middle of the ascent they made their camp and remained there, in
order that, if the enemy should ascend and begin battle with them, they
might at the outset, being on higher ground, shoot down upon their
heads. They also had on the mountain many horses, prepared either for
flight or for the pursuit, if they should win the battle.

Now when Solomon saw that the Moors were unwilling to fight another
battle on the level ground, and also that the Roman army was opposed to
making a siege in a desert place, he was eager to come to an encounter
with the enemy on Bourgaon. But inasmuch as he saw that the soldiers
were stricken with terror because of the multitude of their opponents,
which was many times greater than it had been in the previous battle, he
called together the army and spoke as follows: "The fear which the enemy
feel toward you needs no other arraignment, but voluntarily pleads
guilty, bringing forward, as it does, the testimony of its own
witnesses. For you see, surely, our opponents gathered in so many tens
and tens of thousands, but not daring to come down to the plain and
engage with us, unable to feel confidence even in their own selves, but
taking refuge in the difficulty of this place. It is therefore not even
necessary to address any exhortation to you, at the present time at
least. For those to whom both the circumstances and the weakness of the
enemy give courage, need not, I think, the additional assistance of
words. But of this one thing it will be needful to remind you, that if
we fight out this engagement also with brave hearts, it will remain for
us, having defeated the Vandals and reduc