Page 20
CHAP. XVI.
BElisarius having thus spoken, and said a prayer, leaving the guard of his wife and the Camp to the foot, he sallied with his horse. He thought not good to hazard with the whole Army, but first to skirmish with his horse, and try the enemy, then to give battel with the main; so he sent the Confederates be∣fore, and followed with the rest, and with his own Lanciers and Targetiers. The Confederates being come to Decimum, found the bodies of the 12 companions of John; and close by them the body of Ammatas, and some other Vandals. Being in doubt, and not knowing whether to go further; and from a hil discovering round, they saw a dust, and soon after a great troop of Vandals. They sent to Belisarius to come speedily; the enemy being upon them; and the Commanders, some urged to charge the enemy, others alleadged their forces not sufficient. While they were disputing, the Barbarians came up close, with Gelimer in the head of them; ha∣ving passed between the way where Belisarius went, and that where the Massagetes, who had fought with Gibamundus; but the hilly ground between, hindred their sight of Belisarius; or his entrenchment, and of the defeat of Gibamundus. Be∣ing near, each contended to possess the highest down, which seemed apt for an entrenchment. The Vandals running hard, gained the down, and grown terri∣ble, routed the enemy. The Romans fan away to a Town less then a mile from Decimum, where was Ʋliaris, one of Belisarius his life-guard, and 800 of his Targetiers. The Vandals staid their course, thinking that Ʋliaris would stand them; but his troops, so soon as the other began to charge, fled amain to Belisari∣us. It was strange, that Gelimer having thus the victory in his hands, should vo∣luntarily quit it. But God, when he wil have a mischief befall a man, infects his reason, not suffering the most expedient things to come into his mind. If he had followed the execution, Belisarius himself had not stood him, but we had al been absolutely ruined; so great seemed the number of the Vandals, and the Ro∣mans fear. Or if he had rode on to Carthage, he had killed the troops of John, every man, (who were carelesly scattered, and rifling the dead bodies) and had saved the City, and been Master of our ships, and cut off all our hope, either of victory or return home: But he did neither; but riding softly down the hill, and in the plain, finding his brothers dead body, he spent the time in lamentations, and about the funeral, and thus lost his opportunity, which he could never recover. Belisarius stopt his flying men, chiding them; and hearing of the death of Am∣matas; and the brave execution of John; and informed sufficiently of the place and the enemy, he marched against Gelimer and the Vandals: who being in dis∣order, and unprepared, ran away amain, with the loss of many, (the execution lasting till night) and fled not to Carthage, nor Byzacium, from whence they came; but toward the plains of Bule, and the way to Numidia. About evening, John, and the Massagets also came to us; and relating, and hearing the several ad∣ventures, lodged with us that night in Decimum.