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CHAP. XV.
FOr my part, I could not but wonder in this battel to see, how God knowing the event, draws out the model thereof to his own will; and how men are ignorant whether they mistake, or whether they be upon a right counsel, that a way so may be made to the success before determined. If Belisarius had not commanded John to advance before the Army, and the Massagetes to march at our left hand, we could not have escaped the Vandals. And for all this, the Van∣dals could not have been so ruined, if Ammatas had not come to Decimum about noon, three hours sooner then his time, we being then farr short of it, and the Vandals Army also. And this was not all his fault. He came with a few, and those not of his best, to encounter John, leaving the main body in Carthage, with direction to come after to Decimum. He killed 12 good men of ours in the head of Johns troops, but himself fell, having shewn much valour; and being fallen, the rest were routed, and running away, turned the whole body marching from Carthage; who being in no order to fight, but in small parties of thirty and twenty together, and seeing Ammatas troops running, and imagining multitudes pursuing, ran back for company. Whom Johns Troops killed up to the gates of Carthage; And so great was the execution of that 8 miles, that one would have guest it the work of 20000 men at least. Gibamundus at the same time, and his 2000 men, came to the Salt plains, five miles from Decimum, on the left hand of the way to Carthage, a place without men or trees, or ought else (the saltness of the water hindring the grouth of any thing but salt;) here falling upon the Mas∣sagetes, they perisht every man. Among the Massagetes was a man valiant and strong, but Captain of a few; who had a priviledge from his ancestors, in all encounters to charge first; and no Massagete to shoot or strike till he began the fight.
This man rode up close to the Vandals Army; who either amazed with his da∣ring, or suspecting some plot of the enemy, stirred not so much as to shoot at him; fearing (it may be) to venture, hearing the Massagetes to be a warlick Na∣tion, and having never seen their manner of fighting. But he returning, told his Countrymen, that God had sent them those strangers ready drest; So they gave on furiously, and the Vandals breaking their ranks, and not resisting, basely pe∣risht every man. We without hearing these accidents, marcht towards Decimum. And Belisarius, in a convenient place, some four miles from Decimum, fortified an entrenchment, and placed his foot in it; and then made this speech to the Army.
Now, fellow Soldiers! is come the time of our tryal. Our enemies, I hear, are marching towards us; and our ships, by the scituation of the place, are severed from us; and now our only hope of safety is in our swords; having neither Town nor Fortress to be bold upon. If we now do valiantly, we shall in likelyhood subdue our enemies; but if we faint, nothing remains, but to be beaten, and perish by the enemy: Advantages for victory we have: First, We fight for the possession of that which in right is ours; then do the Vandals hate their own usurping Tyrant, and commonly God assists the rightfull cause; and the soldier ill affected to his Prince, never fights valiantly for him. Besides, we have spent our time against Persians and Scythians; but the Vandals, since their Conquest of Africa, have seen no enemy but naked Moors. Now, in every Trade practise breeds skill, and disusage ignorance. Our Entrenchment from whence we are to make the war, is finished; where leaving our arms which we cannot carry, and baggage, we may sallie, and retiring, find what we need. I en∣treat therefore every man to think upon his reputation, and the pledges he hath left at home, and so undanted to encounter the enemy.