from the north toward this southern gate, riders, riderless horses,
foot-soldiers, and slaves came rushing in a wild flight with frantic
cries.

"Fly," cried a warrior in scale armor, dashing past Herculanus and
Davus. "The Barbarians are upon us!"

"The camp is taken!" shouted a Celt, hurrying out of a side street.

"They have climbed over the wall at the Praetorian Gate."

"No, the earth opened. Orcus spewed the Barbarians into the middle of
the camp!"

"Fly!" shrieked a camp-follower's wife, "I saw Saturninus run down by
his own men! All is lost!" And in truth it seemed so.

Ausonius had been waked by Prosper, and while he was arming, Decius, a
gallant officer, appeared and in the Tribune's name invited him to
undertake the defence of the Porta Principalis Dextra with a cohort of
the Twenty second Legion, which had already been ordered there.

"I will accompany you," said he.

"What is the matter? The Barbarians? Are they attacking?"

"Don't you hear them?"

"Yes, of course I do! On which side?"

"On all sides!"

"I will hasten." With these words Ausonius, putting on his helmet, left
the tent.

"What is the Tribune's decision?" he asked as they turned to the right
into the nearest street. "To make a sally?"

"No! To remain in the camp. It will be defended to the last. There is
too great a superiority in the force outside." With these words the two
officers reached the legionaries and, followed by them, soon gained the
eastern gate of the camp. From here Ausonius sent Prosper to protect
Bissula, but also to watch that she did not escape.

Meanwhile Saturninus had convinced himself that, for the moment, no
pressing danger threatened the northern or Praetorian Gate, and hurrying
down the steps inside the wall, he exchanged, his part of warrior for
that of Commander. Gathering his officers about him in the open space
at the foot of the wall, about a hundred paces north of the pine-tree
of the earth-goddess, he curtly issued swift commands. "Let all the
horsemen dismount and fight on the walls, except the first squadron of
mailed riders; but these are not to dismount--do you hear?--on pain of
death, under any pretext. All the riderless horses must be led to the
Porta Decumana; for if a sally should be made, or"--he added in a lower
tone so that only his officers could hear--"if it should be necessary
to leave the camp, we shall go to the south to aid Nannienus. If he be
not attacked himself, he will in