Volume Ii Part 50 (1/2)
Belisarius had set forth with such certainty of victory, that he had ordered all the carriages and baggage of the army, and even the herds of cattle--which, according to the custom of the time, were driven after--to follow the troops upon the high-roads.
The retreating ma.s.ses now encountered this slowly advancing body, difficult to move and difficult to disperse, and indescribable confusion ensued.
Soldiers and drivers came to blows; the order of march was broken against the wagons, carriages, and chests. The l.u.s.t of booty was awakened, and many of the soldiers began to plunder the wagons, before they should fall into the hands of the enemy.
On all sides arose altercations, curses, laments, and throats, accompanied by the crash of broken wagons, and the bleating and bellowing of the terrified herds.
”Sacrifice the baggage! Fire the wagons! Gallop through the herds!”
cried Belisarius, who, sword in hand, now broke a path through the turmoil with the remnant of his body-guard.
But it was all in vain.
Ever thicker, ever more entangled became the coil; it seemed impossible to unravel it.
Despair at length tore it asunder.
The cry, ”The barbarians are upon us!” sounded from the rear.
And it was no idle rumour.
Hildebad, with his foot-soldiers, had descended to the plain, and his foremost ranks now attacked the defenceless ma.s.s. There ensued a fearful press to the front; cries of terror--of rage from the body-guard, who, mindful of their former valour, attempted to fight, but could not--of anguish from those trampled and crushed; and suddenly the greater part of the wagons, with their teams and the thousands who were crowded upon them or jammed between them, fell with a thundering crash into the ditches on the right and left of the high-road.
So at last the way was open--and impetuously, all discipline at an end, the stream of fugitives rushed on to the camp.
With loud cries of victory the Gothic foot-soldiers followed, slaying their easy prey with arrows, slings, and spears; while Belisarius, in the rear, resisted with difficulty the unceasing attacks of Totila and the King.
”Help, Belisarius!” cried Aigan, the leader of the Ma.s.sagetian mercenaries, as he rode up from among the scattered groups, wiping the blood from his face. ”My countrymen swear they see the devil amidst the enemy. They will not stand. Help me! Usually they fear you much more than the devil!”
Grinding his teeth, Belisarius looked across at his right wing, which was flying in disorder over the fallows, pursued by the Goths.
”O Justinian, my imperial master,” he exclaimed, ”how badly I keep my word!”
And, entrusting the further defence of the retreat to the camp to Demetrius--for the uneven ground upon which they had now entered embarra.s.sed the pursuit of the enemy's horse---he galloped across country with Aigan and his mounted guard to join the mercenaries.
”Halt!” he thundered; ”halt, you cowardly dogs! Who flies, when Belisarius stands? I am with you; turn and win!” And he raised his visor, and showed them his majestic countenance.
And such was the power of his personality, so great the belief in his invincibility, that all who recognised the tall form of the commander on his roan, hesitated, halted, and with a cry of encouragement, turned once more to face the pursuing Goths.
Here, at least, the flight was at an end.
Up came a tremendous Goth, easily forcing his way.
”Ha, ha! I am glad you are tired of running, you swift-footed Greeks! I could no longer pant after you! Your legs are superior to ours; let us see if your arms be so too. Ha! why do you fall back, my lads? Because of him on the roan? What of him?”
”Sir, that must be a King among the southerners; one can hardly bear the glance of his angry eye.”
”That would indeed be curious. Ah! that must be Belisarius! I am glad to meet thee, thou bold hero!” he cried across to Belisarius.
”Dismount, and let us measure the strength of our arms. Look, I too am on foot. Thou wilt not?” he cried angrily. ”Must I fetch thee down from thy hack?”