when we did not join battle
with them at all, joyfully and considering that matters had gone better
for them than they had hoped, they withdrew to the wall. For this reason
too it happened that they were not thrown into confusion, for they had
not yet come into the dangers of battle. But if the fighting comes to
close quarters, fear will seize upon them, and this, together with their
inexperience, will throw them, in all probability, into their customary
disorder. Such, therefore, is the case with regard to the enemy; but do
you, O men of Persia, call to mind the judgment of the King of Kings.
For if you do not play the part of brave men in the present engagement,
in a manner worthy of the valour of the Persians, an inglorious
punishment will fall upon you." With this exhortation the mirranes began
to lead his army against the enemy. Likewise Belisarius and Hermogenes
gathered all the Romans before the fortifications, and encouraged them
with the following words: "You know assuredly that the Persians are not
altogether invincible, nor too strong to be killed, having taken their
measure in the previous battle; and that, although superior to them in
bravery and in strength of body, you were defeated only by reason of
being rather heedless of your officers, no one can deny. This thing you
now have the opportunity to set right with no trouble. For while the
adversities of fortune are by no means such as to be set right by an
effort, reason may easily become for a man a physician for the ills
caused by himself. If therefore you are willing to give heed to the
orders given, you will straightway win for yourselves the superiority in
battle. For the Persians come against us basing their confidence on
nothing else than our disorder. But this time also they will be
disappointed in this hope, and will depart just as in the previous
encounter. And as for the great numbers of the enemy, by which more than
anything else they inspire fear, it is right for you to despise them.
For their whole infantry is nothing more than a crowd of pitiable
peasants who come into battle for no other purpose than to dig through
walls and to despoil the slain and in general to serve the soldiers. For
this reason they have no weapons at all with which they might trouble
their opponents, and they only hold before themselves those enormous
shields in order that they may not possibly be hit by the enemy.
Therefore if you shew yourselves brave men in this str