Now it so happened that a certain man named Ustrigothus had fled from the Gepaedes to the Lombards in the following circumstances. Elemundus, who had been king of the Gepaedes, had been taken from the world by disease not long before, this Ustrigothus being his only surviving child; but Thorisin had forced him aside (for he was still a stripling) and had thus secured the power. Consequently the boy, having no means of defending himself against the aggressor, departed from his native land and made off to the Lombards, who were then at war with the Gepaedes. But a little later a reconciliation was effected by the Gepaedes with both the Emperor Justinian and the Lombard nation, and they bound themselves by the most solemn oaths that from that time forth they would preserve an eternal friendship with each other. And as soon as the details of the agreement had been most firmly fixed, both the Emperor Justinian and Auduin, ruler of the Lombards, sent to Thorisin, the ruler of the Gepaedes, demanding the surrender of Ildigisal as a common enemy, asking that he make the betrayal of his suppliant the first proof of his friendship to them.
He then conferred on the situation with the notable men of the Gepaedes and eagerly asked whether he was bound to fulfil the demand of the two sovereigns. And they forbade him absolutely to do so, firmly declaring that it was better for the nation of the Gepaedes to perish forthwith with their women and their whole stock rather than to become polluted by such an impiety. Upon hearing this Thorisin was plunged into uncertainty. For neither could he perform the deed against the will of his subjects, nor did he wish to revive once more a war against the Romans and Lombards which had been brought to an end with great labour and expenditure of time. Later, however, he thought of the following plan. He sent to Auduin and demanded the surrender of Ustrigothus, son of Elemundus, urging him to commit a sin equal to the one urged upon himself, and inviting him to betray one suppliant in exchange for the other. In this way he hoped that he would frustrate their demand through dread of a similar transgression and would immediately catch Auduin himself by the proposed illicit compact. So when they had reached these decisions and understood clearly that neither Lombards nor Gepaedes were willing to have any share in the pollution, they did nothing at all openly, but each of them put the enemy of the other to death by stealth. But as to how they did this, I shall not undertake to tell; for the accounts of this matter do not agree with each other, but differ widely, as is natural in matters of a very secret nature. Such was the end of the story of Ildigisal and Ustrigothus.
Τοῖς δὲ ἀμφὶ Ναρσῆν ἀφικομένοις ἐς Ῥάβενναν πόλιν ἀνεμίγνυντο Βαλεριανὸς καὶ Ἰουστῖνος οἱ στρατηγοί, καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο στράτευμα Ῥωμαίων ταύτῃ ἐλέλειπτο. [2] ἐπειδὴ δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐννέα ἡμερῶν χρόνος ἐς Ῥάβενναν ἐτέτριπτο, Οὐσδρίλας, Γότθος ἀνήρ, διαφερόντως ἀγαθὸς τὰ πολέμια, τοῦ ἐν Αριμίνῳ φυλακτηρίου ἄρχων, πρὸς Βαλεριανὸν ἔγραψε τάδε: [3] ‘Πάντα ταῖς φήμαις καταλαβόντες, τοῖς τε φάσμασιν ἤδη ξύμπασαν Ἰταλίαν συσχόντες καὶ ὀφρυάσαντες οὐχ ὅσα γε τὰ ἀνθρώπεια, ταύτῃ τε Γότθους, ὥσπερ οἴεσθε, δεδιξάμενοι, εἶτα κάθησθε νῦν ἐν Ῥαβέννῃ τῷ μὲν ἀποκεκρύφθαι ὡς ἥκιστα τοῖς πολεμίοις ἔνδηλοι, οἶμαι, ξυμφρουροῦντες ἔτι τὸ φρόνημα τοῦτο, βαρβάρων δὲ παμμίκτῳ ὁμίλῳ τὴν οὐδαμόθεν προσήκουσαν ὑμῖν κατατρίβοντες χώραν. ἀλλ̓ ἀνάστητε ὅτι τάχιστα καὶ πολεμίων ἔργων τὸ λοιπὸν ἅπτεσθε, δείξατέ τε ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς Γότθοις, μηδὲ ἀναρτήσητε μακροτέραις ἐλπίσιν ἡμᾶς, [4] προσδεχομένους ἐκ παλαιοῦ τὸ θέαρα.’ ἡ μὲν γραφὴ τοσαῦτα ἐδήλου. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ταῦτα Ναρσῆς ἀπενεχθέντα εἶδε, Γότθων τῆς ἀλαζονείας γελάσας, καθίστατο εὐθὺς παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ ἐς τὴν ἔξοδον, φρουρὰν ξὺν Ἰουστίνῳ ἐν Ῥαβέννῃ ἀπολιπών. [5] γενόμενοί τε πόλεως Ἀριμίνου ἄγχιστα, εὗρον οὐκ εὐπετῆ σφίσι τὸ ἐνθένδε τὴν δίοδον οὖσαν, Γότθων περιῃρηκότων τὴν ἐκείνῃ γέφυραν οὐ πολλῷ πρότερον. [6] ὁ γὰρ ποταμὸς ὁ τὴν Ἀρίμινον παραρρέων ἀνδρὶ μὲν ἀόπλῳ ἑνὶ πεζῇ ἰόντι μόλις διαβατὸς γίνεται διὰ τῆς γεφύρας πόνῳ τε καὶ ταλαιπωρίᾳ πολλῇ, καὶ ταῦτα μηδενὸς ἐνοχλοῦντος ἢ τὴν δίοδον ἀναστέλλοντος: πλήθει δὲ ἀνθρώπων καὶ διαφερόντως ἐξωπλισμένων, ἄλλως τε καὶ πολεμίων ἀντιστατούντων, τρόπῳ ὁτῳοῦν ἐνταῦθα διαπορθμεύσασθαι ἀδύνατά ἐστι. [7] διόπερ ὁ Ναρσῆς ἐν τῷ γεφύρας χώρῳ γενόμενος ξὺν ὀλίγοις τισὶν ἀπορούμενος ἐπὶ πλεῖστον διεσκοπεῖτο ὁπόθεν ἄν ποτε πόρον τινὰ τῷ πράγματι εὕροι. [8] οὗ δὴ καὶ Οὐσδρίλας τινὰς ἐπαγαγόμενος ἱππέων ἦλθε, μή τι τῶν πρασσομένων αὐτὸν διαλάθοι. τῶν δέ τις Ναρσῇ ἐπισπομένων τὸ τόξον ἐντείνας ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ἔβαλλεν, ἑνί τε τῶν ἵππων κατατυχὼν εὐθὺς ἔκτεινεν. [9] οἵ τε ἀμφὶ τὸν Οὐσδρίλαν τότε μὲν ἐνθένδε κατὰ τάχος ἀπαλλαγέντες ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου ἐγένοντο, αὐτίκα δὲ καὶ ἄλλους ἐπαγαγόμενοι τῶν σφίσι μαχιμωτάτων διὰ πύλης ἑτέρας ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ἵεντο, ὡς ἀπροσδόκητοί τε αὐτοῖς ἐπιπεσόντες καὶ τὸν Ναρσῆν διαχρησόμενοι αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα. [10] ἐπὶ θατερα γὰρ τοῦ ποταμοὗδιερευνώμενος τῇ στρατιᾷ τὴν διάβασιν̓ ἤδη ἀφῖκτο. ἀλλὰ τῶν τινὲς Ἐρούλων τύχῃ αὐτοῖς τινὶ ἐνταῦθα ὑπαντιάσαντες κτείνουσί τε τὸν Οὐσδρίλαν, καὶ ὅστις ποτὲ ἦν ἐπιγνωσθέντα παρὰ Ῥωμαίου ἀνδρὸς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀφαιρούμενοι, ἐς τὸ Ῥωμαίων στρατόπεδον ἦλθον, καὶ Ναρσῇ ἐπιδείξαντες τῇ προθυμίᾳ ἐπέρρωσαν πάντας, τεκμηριουμένους τῷ ξυμβεβηκότι τὰ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ Γότθοις πολέμια εἶναι: οἵ γε τῶν πολεμίων τῷ στρατηγῷ ἐνεδρεύσαντες αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς ἢ προνοίας τινὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα σφῶν ἐξαπιναίως ἀφῄρηντο. [11] Ναρσῆς δέ, καίπερ Οὐσδρίλα πεπτωκότος, ὃς τοῦ ἐν Ἀριμήνῳ φυλακτηρίου ἦρχε, πρόσω ἤπειγε τὸ στράτευμα. οὔτε γὰρ Ἀρίμηνον οὔτε ἄλλο τι χωρίον πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων ἐχόμενον ἐνοχλεῖν ἤθελεν, ὡς μή τις αὐτῷ τρίβοιτο χρόνος, μηδὲ τῷ παρέργῳ τῆς χρείας ἡ σπουδαιοτάτη διείργοιτο πρᾶξις. [12] τῶν δὲ πολεμίων ἅτε πεπτωκότος σφίσι τοῦ ἄρχοντος ἡσυχαζόντων τε καὶ οὐκέτι ἐμποδίων καθισταμένων ὁ Ναρσῆς ἀδεέστερον γεφύρᾳ τὸν ποταμὸν ζεύξας διεβίβασε πόνῳ οὐδενὶ τὸν στρατὸν ἅπ�
�ντα. [13] ὁδοῦ δὲ τῆς Φλαμηνίας ἐνθένδε ἀφέμενος ἐν ἀριστερᾷ ᾔει. Πέτρας γὰρ τῆς Περτούσης καλουμένης, ἧσπέρ μοι τὸ τοῦ ὀχυρώματος καρτερὸν χωρίου φύσει ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν δεδιήγηται λόγοις, κατειλημμένης τοῖς ἐναντίοις πολλῷ πρότερον, ἀπόρευτα Ῥωμαίοις καὶ παντάπασιν ἀδιέξοδα, ὅσα γε κατὰ τὴν Φλαμηνίαν ὁδόν, ὄντα ἐτύγχανεν. ὁδὸν οὖν ὁ Ναρσῆς διὰ ταῦτα τὴν ἐπιτομωτέραν ἀφεὶς τὴν βάσιμον ᾔει.
XXVIII
When the forces of Narses reached the city of Ravenna, they were joined by the generals Valerian and Justinus and whatever of the Roman army was left in that region. Now when they had spent nine days’ time at Ravenna, Usdrilas, a Goth and an exceptionally capable warrior, commander of the garrison at Ariminum, wrote to Valerian as follows. “Though you have filled the world with talk of you and have already captivated the whole of Italy with the visions of your power, and have assumed an air of supercilious pride quite above the level of mortal men, and though you have in this way frightened the Goths, as you fondly imagine, you nevertheless now sit in Ravenna without at all shewing your own forces to your enemy, through your policy of keeping hidden — no doubt as a way of guarding still this proud spirit of yours — but using a heterogeneous horde of barbarians with which to ruin the land which belongs to you in no sense whatever. But arise with all speed and henceforth essay the deeds of war; shew yourselves to the Goths, and do not tantalize us longer with mere hope, since we have been awaiting the spectacle a long time.” Such was the message of the letter.
When this was brought to Narses and seen by him, he laughed at the effrontery of the Goths and immediately prepared his whole army for departure, leaving a garrison with Justinus at Ravenna. But when they came close to the city of Ariminum, they found that the road from that point was not easy, since the Goths had not long before damaged the bridge there. For the river which flows by Ariminum is scarcely passable for a single unarmed man making his way on foot over the bridge with great labour and difficulty, and that too when no one is harassing him or disputing the passage; but for a large number of men, particularly when under arms, and above all when confronted by an enemy, it is impossible by any means whatever to make that crossing. Consequently Narses went to the site of the bridge accompanied by a few, and being thoroughly perplexed he was considering carefully what solution he could possibly find for the difficulty. And Usdrilas also came thither, bringing some of his horsemen, lest anything that was done should escape him. Then one of the followers of Narses drew his bow and shot at them, and he hit one of their horses and killed it outright. And the company of Usdrilas for the moment departed from there in haste and got inside the fortifications, but immediately rushed out against the Romans through another gate, bringing with them others of their most warlike men, in order to fall upon them unexpectedly and destroy Narses forthwith. For in reconnoitring the crossing for the army he had already reached the other side of the river. But certain of the Eruli by some chance encountered them there and slew Usdrilas, and since he was identified by a Roman they cut off’ his head, and coming into the Roman camp displayed it to Narses and so strengthened the courage of all; for they inferred from what had happened that Heaven was hostile to the Goths, seeing that in seeking to ambush the general of their enemy they themselves, not through any plot or preconceived plan, had suddenly lost their own commander.
But Narses, in spite of the fall of Usdrilas, commander of the garrison at Ariminum, pushed forward with the army. For he did not wish to trouble Ariminum nor any other place held by the enemy, in order that no time might be wasted by him and the accomplishment of the most important thing be crowded out by that which was incidental to his task. The enemy, for their part, now that their commander had fallen, remained quiet and sought no longer to block his way, so that Narses without a fear spanned the river with a bridge and took the entire army across without any trouble. From there he left the Flaminian Way and went to the left. For the place called Petra Pertusa, whose naturally strong fortress has been described by me in the previous narrative, had been occupied by his opponents long before, and consequently the road was closed to the Romans and it was out of the question to pass through, as far at least as the Flaminian Way was concerned. Narses accordingly left the shorter road on this account and went by the road which could be travelled.
Τῷ μὲν οὖν Ῥωμαίων στρατῷ τά γε ἀμφὶ τῇ πορείᾳ ταύτῃ πη εἶχε. Τουτίλας δὲ πεπυσμένος ἤδη τὰ ἐν Βενετίαις ξυνενεχθέντα Τεΐαν μὲν τὰ πρῶτα καὶ τὴν ξὺν αὐτῷ στρατιὰν προσδεχόμενος ἐν τοῖς ἐπὶ Ῥώμης χωρίοις ἡσυχῆ ἔμενεν. [2] ἐπειδὴ δὲ παρῆσαν, μόνοι τε δισχίλιοι ἱππεῖς ἐλείποντο ἔτι, τούτους δὴ οὐκ ἀναμείνας ὁ Τουτίλας, ἀλλὰ παντὶ ἄρας τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ ὡς τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐν ἐπιτηδείῳ ὑπαντιάσων ᾔει. [3] ἐν δὲ τῇ ὁδῷ ταύτῃ τά τε τῷ Οὐσδρίλᾳ συμπεπτωκότα καὶ Ἀρίμηνον τοὺς πολεμίους διαβεβηκέναι μαθών, ὅλην μὲν Τουσκίαν ἀμείψας, ἐν ὄρει δὲ τῷ Ἀπεννίνῳ καλουμένῳ γενόμενος, αὐτοῦ ἐνστρατοπεδευσάμενος, ἔμενεν ἄγχιστα κώμης ἥνπερ οἱ ἐπιχώριοι Ταγίνας καλοῦσιν. [4] ἥ τε Ῥωμαίων στρατιὰ Ναρσοῦ ἡγουμένου οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον ἐν τῷ ὄρει καὶ αὐτοὶ τῷ Ἀπεννίνῳ ἐνστρατοπεδευσάμενοι ἔμενον, σταδίους ἑκατὸν μάλιστα τοῦ τῶν ἐναντίων στρατοπέδου διέχοντες, ἐν χωρίῳ ὁμαλῷ μέν, λόφους δὲ ἄγχιστά πη περιβεβλημένῳ πολλούς, ἵνα δή ποτε στρατηγοῦντα Ῥωμαίων Κάμιλλον τῶν Γάλλων ὅμιλον διαφθεῖραι μάχῃ νενικηκότα φασί. [5] φέρει δὲ καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ μαρτύριον τοῦ ἔργου τούτου τὴν προσηγορίαν ὁ χῶρος καὶ διασώζει τῇ μνήμῃ τῶν Γάλλων τὸ πάθος, Βουσταγαλλώρων καλούμενος. βοῦστα γὰρ Λατῖνοι τὰ ἐκ τῆς πυρᾶς καλοῦσι λείψανα. [6] τύμβοι τε τῇδε γεώλοφοι τῶν νεκρῶν ἐκείνων παμπληθεῖς εἰσίν. Αὐτίκα δὲ στείλας ἐνθένδε Ναρσῆς τῶν οἱ ἐπιτηδείων τινὰς παραίνεσιν ἐπήγγελλε ποιεῖσθαι τῷ Τουτίλᾳ καταθέσθαι μὲν τὰ πολέμια, βουλεύεσθαι δὲ εἰρηναῖά ποτε, διαριθμουμένῳ ὅτι δὴ αὐτός, ἀνθρώπων ἄρχων ὀλίγων τέ τινων καὶ ὑπόγυον νόμῳ οὐδενὶ ξυνειλεγμένων, πάσῃ τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῇ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον διαμάχεσθαι οὐκ ἂν δύναιτο. [7] ἔφη δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῦτο, ὥστε δὴ αὐτόν, εἰ πολεμησείοντα ἴδοιεν, μελλήσει οὐδεμιᾷ ἐγκελεύεσθαι τακτὴν διορίσαι τινὰ ἡμέραν τῇ μάχῃ. [8] ἐπειδὴ γοῦν οἱ πρέσβεις οὗτοι τῷ Τουτίλᾳ ἐς ὄψιν ἦλθον, τὰ ἐπιτεταγμένα ἐποίουν. καὶ ὁ μὲν νεανιευόμενος ἐκομψεύετο ὡς τρόπῳ αὐτοῖς παντὶ πολεμητέον εἴη, οἱ δὲ ὑπολαβόντες ‘Ἀλλ̓, ὦ γενναῖε’ ἔφασαν ‘ῥητόν τινα καιρὸν τῇ ξυμβολῇ τίθει.’ καὶ ὃς αὐτίκα ‘ὀκτὼ
ἡμερῶν ξυμμίξωμεν’ ἔφη. [9] οἱ μὲν οὖν πρέσβεις παρὰ τὸν Ναρσῆν ἐπανήκοντες τὰ ξυγκείμενα σφίσιν ἐπήγγελλον, ὁ δὲ Τουτίλαν δολώσεις ὑποτοπάζων ἐπινοεῖν παρεσκευάζετο ὡς τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ μαχούμενος. [10] καὶ ἔτυχέ γε τῆς τῶν πολεμίων ἐννοίας. ἡμέρᾳ γὰρ τῇ ἐπιγενομένῃ αὐτάγγελος παντὶ τῷ στρατῷ παρῆν ὁ Τουτίλας. ἤδη δὲ ἀλλήλοις ἑκατεροι ἀντεκάθηντο, οὐ πλέον ἢ δυοῖν διέχοντες τοξευμάτων βολαῖν. [11] Ἦν γέ τι γεώλοφον ἐνταῦθα βραχύ, ὃ δὴ καταλαβεῖν ἀμφότεροι διὰ σπουδῆς εἶχον, ἐν ἐπιτηδείῳ σφίσιν οἰόμενοι κεῖσθαι, ὅπως τε βάλλειν τοὺς ἐναντίους ἐξ ὑπερδεξίων ἔχοιεν καὶ ὅτι χῶροι λοφώδεις, ᾗπέρ μοι δεδήλωται, ἐνταῦθά πη ἦσαν, ταύτῃ τοι κυκλώσασθαί τινας τὸ Ῥωμαίων στρατόπεδον κατὰ νώτου ἰόντας ἀμήχανον ἧν, ὅτι μὴ διὰ μιᾶς τινὸς ἀτραποῦ, [12] ἣ παρὰ τὸ γεώλοφον ἐτύγχανεν οὖσα. διὸ δὴ περὶ πλείονος αὐτὸ ποιεῖσθαι ἀμφοτέροις ἐπάναγκες ἦν, Γότθοις μέν, ὅπως ἐν τῇ ξυμβολῇ κυκλωσάμενοι τοὺς πολεμίους ἐν ἀμφιβόλῳ ποιήσονται, Ῥωμαίοις δέ, ὅπως δὴ ταῦτα μὴ πάθοιεν. [13] ἀλλὰ προτερήσας Ναρσῆς πεντήκοντα ἐκ καταλόγου πεζοὺς ἀπολέξας ἀωρὶ νύκτωρ ὡς καταληψομένους τε καὶ καθέξοντας αὐτὸ ἔστειλε. [14] καὶ οἱ μὲν οὐδενὸς σφίσι τῶν πολεμίων ἐμποδὼν ἱσταμένου ἐνταῦθα γενόμενοι ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον. [15] ἔστι δέ τις χειμάρρους τοῦ γεωλόφου ἐπίπροσθεν, παρὰ μὲν τὴν ἀτραπὸν ἧς ἄρτι ἐμνήσθην, τοῦ δὲ χώρου καταντικρὺ οὗ ἐστρατοπεδεύσαντο Γότθοι, οὗ δὴ οἱ πεντήκοντα ἔστησαν, ἐν χρῷ μὲν ξυνιόντες ἀλλήλοις, ἐς φάλαγγα δὲ ὡς ἐν στενοχωρίᾳ ξυντεταγμένοι. [16] Μεθ̓ ἡμέραν δὲ τὸ γεγονὸς ἰδὼν Τουτίλας ἀπώσασθαι αὐτοὺς ἐν σπουδῇ εἶχεν. ἴλην τε ἱππέων εὐθὺς ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ἔπεμψεν, ἐξελᾶν ὅτι τάχιστα ἐνθένδε αὐτοὺς ἐπιστείλας. [17] οἱ μὲν οὖν ἱππεῖς θορύβῳ τε πολλῷ καὶ κραυγῇ ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ἵεντο, ὡς αὐτοβοεὶ ἐξαιρήσοντες, οἱ δὲ εἰς ὀλίγον ξυντεταγμένοι καὶ ταῖς μὲν ἀσπίσι φραξάμενοι, [18] τὰ δὲ δοράτια ἐπανατεινάμενοι ἔστησαν. εἶτα οἱ μὲν Γότθοι σπουδῇ ἐπιόντες ξυνταράξαντες αὑτοὺς ἤλαυνον, οἱ δὲ πεντήκοντα, τῶν τε ἀσπίδων τῷ ὠθισμῷ καὶ τῶν δορατίων τῇ ἐπιβολῇ πυκνοτάτῃ οὔσῃ καὶ οὐδαμῆ ξυγκεχυμένῃ ὡς καρτερώτατα τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἠμύνοντο, ἐξεπίτηδές τε πάταγον ταῖς ἀσπίσιν ἐποίουν, ταύτῃ μὲν τοὺς ἵππους ἀεὶ δεδισσόμενοι, τοὺς δὲ ἄνδρας ταῖς τῶν δορατίων αἰχμαῖς. [19] καὶ οἵ τε ἵπποι ἀνεχαιτίζοντο τῇ τε δυσχωρίᾳ καὶ τῶν ἀσπίδων τῷ πατάγῳ λίαν ἀχθόμενοι καὶ διέξοδον οὐδαμῆ ἔχοντες, οἵ τε ἄνδρες ἀπεκναίοντο, ἀνθρώποις τε οὕτω ξυμφραξαμένοις μαχόμενοι καὶ τρόπῳ οὐδενὶ εἴκουσι, καὶ ἵπποις ἐγκελευόμενοι ὡς ἥκιστα ἐπαΐουσιν. ἀποκρουσθέντες τε τὴν πρώτην ὀπίσω ἐχώρουν. [20] καὶ αὖθις ἀποπειρασάμενοι καὶ ταὐτὰ πάσχοντες ἀνεπόδιζον. πολλάκις τε οὕτως ἀπαλλάξαντες οὐκέτι ἠνώχλουν, ἀλλ̓ ἑτέραν ἴλην Τουτίλας ἐς τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο ἀντικαθίστη. [21] ὧνπερ ὁμοίως τοῖς προτέροις ἀπαλλαγέντων ἕτεροι ἐς την πρᾶξιν καθίσταντο. πολλάς τε ἴλας ὁ Τουτίλας οὕτως ἀμείψας ἐπὶ πάσαις τε ἄπρακτος γεγονὼς εἶτα ἀπεῖπεν. [22] Οἱ μὲν οὖν πεντήκοντα κλέος ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς ἀπήνεγκαν μέγα, δύο δὲ αὐτῶν διαφερόντως ἐν τῷ πόνῳ τούτῳ ἠρίστευσαν, Παῦλός τε καὶ ᾿Ανσίλας, οἳ δὴ ἐκπεπηδηκότες τῆς φάλαγγος δήλωσιν ἀρετῆς μάλιστα πάντων πεποίηνται. [23] τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀκινάκας σπασάμενοι κατέθεντο εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος, τὰ δὲ τόξα ἐντεινάμενοι ἔβαλλον ἐπικαιριώτατα στοχαζόμενοι τῶν πολεμίων. [24] καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν ἄνδρας, πολλοὺς δὲ ἵππους διεχρήσαντο, ἕως ἔτι εἶχον τοὺς ἀτράκτους αὐτοῖς αἱ φαρέτραι. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἅπαντα αὐτοὺς τὰ βέλη ἤδη ἐπιλελοίπει, οἱ δὲ τά τε ξίφη ἀνελόμενοι καὶ τὰς ἀσπίδας προβεβλημένοι κατὰ μόνας τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἠμύνοντο. [25] ἐπειδάν τε ἱππευόμενοι τῶν ἐναντίων τινὲς ξὺν τοῖς δόρασιν ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ἴοιεν, οἱ δὲ τοῖς ξίφεσι παίοντες ἀπεκαύλιζον τῶν δοράτων εὐθὺς τὰς αἰχμάς. [26] πολλάκις δὲ αὐτῶν οὕτω δὴ ἀναστελλόντων τὰς τῶν πολεμίων ἐπιδρομὰς ξυνηνέχθη τὸ θατέρου ξίφος ῾ἦν δὲ οὗτος ἀνὴρ Παῦλος ὀνόματἰ συγκεκάμφθαι τῇ ἐς τὰ ξύλα συνεχεῖ τομῇ καὶ τὸ παράπαν ἀχρεῖον εἶναι. ὅπερ αὐτίκα μὲν προσουδίζει χαμαί, [27] χερσὶ δὲ ἀμφοτέραις ἐπιλαβόμενος τῶν δοράτων ἀφῃρεῖτο τοὺς ἐπιόντας. τέτταρά τε δόρατα οὕτω τοὺς πολεμίους διαφανῶς ἀφελόμενος αἰτιώτατος γέγονε τοῦ τὴν πρᾶξιν αὐτοὺς ἀπογνῶναι. [28] διὸ δὴ αὐτὸν ὑπασπιστὴν αὑτοῦ ἴδιον ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔργου τούτου Ναρσῆς τὸ λοιπὸν κατεστήσατο.
Delphi Complete Works of Procopius Page 534