The history of the warres of the Emperour Justinian in eight books : of the Persian, II, Vandall, II, Gothicke, IV / written in Greek by Procopivs of Caesarea ; and Englished by Henry Holcroft, Knight.

CHAP. II.

BUT about Midsommer, Euthalius arrived at Taracina, with Monies from Constantinople owing to the Army; who fearing the Enemy, and his Money, wrote to Belisarius to conduct him safe into Rome, who sent out a 100. of his Targetiers, with two of his Lanciers to Taracina, to convoy the Treasure, and himselfe made a shew of giving Battell to the whole Army, to amuse the Ene∣my from going out upon occasion of Forraging. The nex day hearing Euthalius with his convoy would arrive, he ordered his Army for a Fight; and knowing En∣thalius would enter by night, he stood all the morning neer the Gates in Armes, and at Noon he commanded the Army to dine; the Goths did likewise, thinking that he put off the Battell till the next day: Then he sent Martinus, and Valerianus to Nero's Feilds, to give Alarmes to the Enemy there. And at Porta Pinciana he sent out 600. Horse against the Trenches, led by three of his Life-guard, Artacines a Persian, Buchas a Hunne, and Cutilas a Thracian. The Enemy encountred them with many, and a good while they spent in charges, and retirings only, without coming up to the Sword, and Lance, seeming willing so to weare out the day. At last they grew angry, and the Fight being hot, many, and of the best fell, and seconds came in from the City and the Camp; from whence (the Skirmish grow∣ing more and more) the shouts filled the Combatants with Courage. In conclu∣sion the Romans routed them; Cutilas was hit into the head with a Dart, which sticking therein, he followed the Execution; and that being done, he rode with the rest into the City, with the Dart dangling on his head; a strang Sight. Arxes a

Targetier of Belisarius was shot between the nose and the right eye; the Ar∣rowes head peircing to his neck, but not appearing through••, and the Shaft as he rode shaked upon his Fore-head: The Romans wondered to see him, and Cu∣tilas, ride so little sensible of such hurts. This was the Successe here; but in Ne∣ro's Feilds the Goths had the better: Martinus and Valerianus sustaining their great numbers, with much difficulty and danger. Belisarius commanded Buchas, who was come off untoucht, to ride up to Nero's Feilds, to succour there; who falling on suddenly, and in the Evening, defeated them: but charging himselfe too far, he was compast by twelve Enemies with Lances; which troubled him not, his Corselet holding good against the pushes thereof, till a Goth thrust him behind un∣der his right arme-hole, which Wound was not mortall: but another thrust him into the left thigh, and cut the Muscle acrosse. Valerianus, and Martinus, rode speedily to his rescue, and beat off the Enemy, then led him into the City, taking his Horse by the Bridle. Night being come, Euthalius entred the City with the Treasure, and all being within, they lookt to their hurt men; the Surgeons de∣sired to take the Arrow out of Arzes Face, but demurred; not in respect of the eye (which they had no thought to save) but least by tearing the Membranes and Nerves there-about, they might kill one of the bravest men of Belisarius reti∣new. One of them (named Theoctistus) pressing with his hand behind upon the neck, askt if it pained him; he answering that it did: then (quoth the Surgeon) your life is safe, and your Sight unhurt. This his confidence was, because he found the head of the Arrow not far from the Skin; such of the Shaft which stuck out, he cut off and threw away, then opened the Fibres, or small Strings, where his pain was most, and drew out the Arrow head with the rest of the Shaft that way with ease; So Arzes was not only unmaimed, but had not so much as a Skar left in his Face. But the Dart being pulled violently out of Cutilas head (where it stuck deep, and fast) he swounded; then the Meninges inflaming, he fell into a Phrensie, and died quickly. Buchas thigh fell into such a bleeding, by reason the Muscle was cut crosse-way, that he died within three daies. The Romans mourned that night for these mis-fortunes, and from the Goths Trenches heard extream Lamentations. They wondred at it, not supposing the Enemy to have received any notable losse, but to have had much more in former Skirmishes, which troubled them not, by reason of their multitudes.* 1.1 The next day they knew that it was for many of the bra∣vest men they had slain, in Buchas first Encounter in Nero's Feilds. Many petty Skirmishes there were, which I mention not: In all there were during the Seige, 67. the two last shall be related in their due place. And then ended the Winter, and the second yeare of this War, written by Procopius.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Incipit Annus 3. bel. Goth. 11. Reg. Ju∣stinian An. Dom. 537.