xtent of their
daring. And Belisarius, in astonishment at their shamelessness, changed
his exhortation and now seemed to be urging them on against the enemy
and drawing them up for battle, saying that he had not known before
their eagerness to fight, but that now he was of good courage and would
go against the enemy with a better hope. He then formed the phalanx with
a single front, disposing his men as follows: on the left wing by the
river he stationed all the infantry, while on the right where the ground
rose sharply he placed Arethas and all his Saracens; he himself with the
cavalry took his position in the centre. Thus the Romans arrayed
themselves. And when Azarethes saw the enemy gathering in battle line,
he exhorted his men with the following words: "Persians as you are, no
one would deny that you would not give up your valour in exchange for
life, if a choice of the two should be offered. But I say that not even
if you should wish, is it within your power to make the choice between
the two. For as for men who have the opportunity to escape from danger
and live in dishonour it is not at all unnatural that they should, if
they wish, choose what is most pleasant instead of what is best; but for
men who are bound to die, either gloriously at the hands of the enemy or
shamefully led to punishment by your Master, it is extreme folly not to
choose what is better instead of what is most shameful. Now, therefore,
when things stand thus, I consider that it befits you all to bear in
mind not only the enemy but also your own Lord and so enter this
battle."

After Azarethes also had uttered these words of exhortation, he
stationed the phalanx opposite his opponents, assigning the Persians the
right wing and the Saracens the left. Straightway both sides began the
fight, and the battle was exceedingly fierce. For the arrows, shot from
either side in very great numbers, caused great loss of life in both
armies, while some placed themselves in the interval between the armies
and made a display of valorous deeds against each other, and especially
among the Persians they were falling by the arrows in great numbers. For
while their missiles were incomparably more frequent, since the Persians
are almost all bowmen and they learn to make their shots much more
rapidly than any other men, still the bows which sent the arrows were
weak and not very tightly strung, so that their missiles, hitting a
corselet, perhaps, or helmet or shield