ngth,
obliged to retreat; and Taric advanced, and planted his standard on the
rock of Calpe, and fortified it as his stronghold, and as the means of
securing an entrance into the land. To commemorate his first victory, he
changed the name of the promontory, and called it Gibel Taric, or the
mountain of Taric; but, in process of time, the name has gradually been
altered to Gibraltar.

In the mean time, the patriotic chieftain, Theodomir, having collected his
routed forces, encamped with them on the skirts of the mountains, and
summoned the country round to join his standard. He sent off missives, in
all speed, to the king; imparting, in brief and blunt terms, the news of
the invasion, and craving assistance with equal frankness. 'Senior,' said
he, in his letter, 'the legions of Africa are upon us, but whether they
come from heaven or earth I know not. They seem to have fallen from the
clouds, for they have no ships. We have been taken by surprise,
overpowered by numbers, and obliged to retreat; and they have fortified
themselves in our territory. Send us aid, senior, with instant speed; or,
rather, come yourself to our assistance.'

When Don Roderick heard that legions of turbaned troops had poured into
the land from Africa, he called to mind the visions and predictions of the
necromantic tower, and great fear came upon him. But, though sunk from his
former hardihood and virtue, though enervated by indulgence, and degraded
in spirit by a consciousness of crime, he was resolute of soul, and roused
himself to meet the coming danger. He summoned a hasty levy of horse and
foot, amounting to forty thousand; but now were felt the effects of the
crafty council of Count Julian, for the best of the horses and armour
intended for the public service had been sent into Africa, and were really
in possession of the traitors. Many nobles, it is true, took the field
with the sumptuous array with which they had been accustomed to appear at
tournaments and jousts; but most of their vassals were destitute of
weapons, and cased in cuirasses of leather, or suits of armor almost
consumed by rust. They were without discipline or animation; and their
horses, like themselves pampered by slothful peace, were little fitted to
bear the heat, the dust, and toil, of long campaigns.

This army Don Roderick put under the command of his kinsman Ataulpho, a
prince of the royal blood of the Goths, and of a noble and generous
nature; and he ordered him t