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and4.2.2 having instructed them to skirmish, if opportunity should arise. And he himself on the next day followed with the infantry and the five4.2.3 hundred horsemen. But to the Massagetae, having deliberated among themselves, it seemed best, in order that they might appear to keep faith with both Gelimer and Belisarius, neither to begin a battle on behalf of the Romans nor to go against the Vandals before the action, but whenever the fortunes of either army should be in a bad way, then with the victors to make the pursuit upon the vanquished. These things, 4.2.4 then, had been decided by the barbarians in this way. And the Roman army found the Vandals encamped at Tricamarum, one hundred and forty stades 4.2.5 distant from Carthage. There indeed both sides encamped at some distance from one another. And when it was late in the night, a portent 4.2.6 of the following sort occurred in the Roman camp. The tips of their spears were lit up with a great fire and their spear-points seemed to them to be burning for a very long time. This did not become apparent to many, but it terrified the few who saw it, not 4.2.7 knowing how it would turn out. And this happened to the Romans again in Italy a long time later. At which time, indeed, knowing from experience, they believed it to be a symbol of victory. But at that time, as has been said, since it had happened for the first time, they were terrified and passed the night in great fear. 4.2.8 On the next day Gelimer ordered the Vandals to place their children and women and all their possessions in the middle of the camp, although it had no fortification, 4.2.9 and having called them all together he spoke as follows: "Not for glory to us, men of the Vandals, nor only for the loss of our empire is this contest, so that even if we should play the coward and abandon these things it would be possible to live, sitting at home 4.2.10 and possessing our own property; but you see, I suppose, how our fortunes have come to this point that, if we do not defeat the enemy, at our death we shall leave them masters of these children and women and our land and all our possessions, and for those of us who survive it will be our lot to be 4.2.11 slaves and to witness all these things; but if we should prevail in the war over our enemies, while living we shall pass our lives in all good things, and after a glorious end of life, the blessings of prosperity will be left to our children and women, and for the name of the Vandals 4.2.12 to survive and to preserve their empire. For if it has ever fallen to the lot of any others to fight for their all, we ourselves now especially of all people know that we are entering the line of battle bearing upon ourselves 4.2.13 the hopes for everything. The fear, therefore, is not for our bodies, nor is the danger in dying, but in being defeated by the enemy. For to those who are deprived of victory, death 4.2.14 will be a benefit. Since, therefore, things are thus, let no one of the Vandals be soft, but with courage let him offer up his body, and from shame of the evils that follow defeat 4.2.15 let him seek the end of his life. For he who is ashamed of what is shameful always possesses the quality of not fearing danger. And of the battle which happened before, 4.2.16 let no memory enter you. For we were not defeated by our own cowardice, but stumbling upon the adversities of fortune we failed. And its current is not wont always to flow in the same direction, but on each day for the most part 4.2.17 it is accustomed to change; and in courage we boast of surpassing the enemy and in number by far to ex4.2.18 ceed them. For by measure we think that we outnumber them not less than tenfold. And I will add that there are many great things which now especially urge us on to valour, both the glory of our ancestors and the empire handed down 4.2.19 to us by them. For the one is obscured in our case by our unlikeness to our ancestors, while the other is insistent to escape us as un4.2.20 worthy. And I am silent about the wailings of these women and the tears of our children, for whom now, as you see, being deeply grieved, I cannot 4.2.21 prolong my speech. But having said this one thing I shall cease, that there will be no return for us to these most dear ones 4.2.22 unless we have...

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καὶ4.2.2 ἀκροβολίσασθαι ἐπιστείλας, ἢν καιρὸς γένηται. αὐτὸς δὲ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ξὺν τῷ πεζῷ στρατῷ καὶ τοῖς πεντα4.2.3 κοσίοις ἱππεῦσιν εἵπετο. τοῖς δὲ Μασσαγέταις, βουλευσαμένοις ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς, ἔδοξεν, ὅπως δὴ εὐσυνθετεῖν πρός τε Γελίμερα καὶ Βελισάριον δόξωσι, μήτε μάχης ὑπὲρ Ῥωμαίων ἄρξαι μήτε πρὸ τοῦ ἔργου ἐς Βανδίλους ἰέναι, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὰν ὁποτέρας στρατιᾶς τὰ πράγματα πονηρὰ εἴη, τηνικαῦτα ξὺν τοῖς νικῶσι τὴν δίωξιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἡσσωμένους ποιήσασθαι. ταῦτα μὲν 4.2.4 οὖν τοῖς βαρβάροις ἐδέδοκτο τῇδε. ὁ δὲ Ῥωμαίων στρατὸς κατέλαβε τοὺς Βανδίλους ἐν Τρικαμάρῳ στρατοπεδεύσαντας, τεσσαράκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν σταδίους 4.2.5 Καρχηδόνος ἀπέχοντι. ἔνθα δὴ μακράν που ἀπ' ἀλλήλων ηὐλίσαντο ἑκάτεροι. ἐπειδὴ δὲ πόρρω ἦν τῶν νυκτῶν, τέρας ἐν τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατοπέδῳ ἐγεγόνει 4.2.6 τοιόνδε. τῶν δοράτων αὐτοῖς τὰ ἄκρα πυρὶ πολλῷ κατελάμπετο καὶ αὐτῶν αἱ αἰχμαὶ καίεσθαι ἐπὶ πλεῖστον σφίσιν ἐδόκουν. τοῦτο οὐ πολλοῖς μὲν φανερὸν γέγονεν, ὀλίγους δὲ τοὺς θεασαμένους κατέπληξεν, οὐκ 4.2.7 εἰδότας ὅπη ἐκβήσεται. ξυνέπεσε δὲ Ῥωμαίοις τοῦτο καὶ αὖθις ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ χρόνῳ πολλῷ ὕστερον. ὅτε δὴ αὐτὸ καὶ νίκης ξύμβολον ἅτε πείρᾳ εἰδότες ἐπίστευον εἶναι. τότε δὲ, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, ἐπεὶ πρῶτον ἐγεγόνει, κατεπλάγησάν τε καὶ ξὺν δέει πολλῷ ἐνυκτέρευσαν. 4.2.8 Τῇ δὲ ὑστεραίᾳ Γελίμερ Βανδίλους ἐκέλευε παῖδάς τε καὶ γυναῖκας καὶ πάντα χρήματα ἐν μέσῳ καταθέσθαι τῷ χαρακώματι, καίπερ ὀχύρωμα οὐδὲν ἔχοντι, 4.2.9 καὶ ξυγκαλέσας ἅπαντας ἔλεξε τοιάδε «Οὐχ ὑπὲρ «δόξης ἡμῖν, ἄνδρες Βανδίλοι, οὐδὲ ἀρχῆς στερήσεως «μόνον ὁ ἀγών ἐστιν, ὥστε κἂν ἐθελοκακήσασι καὶ «ταῦτα προεμένοις δυνατὸν εἶναι βιοῦν, οἴκοι τε 4.2.10 «καθημένοις καὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα αὐτῶν ἔχουσιν· ἀλλ' «ὁρᾶτε δήπουθεν ὡς ἐς τοῦτο ἡμῖν περιέστηκε τύχης «τὰ πράγματα ὥστε, ἢν μὴ τῶν πολεμίων κρατήσωμεν, «τελευτῶντες μὲν κυρίους αὐτοὺς καταλείψομεν παί»δων τῶνδε καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ χώρας καὶ πάντων χρη»μάτων, περιοῦσι δὲ ἡμῖν προσέσται τὸ δούλοις τε 4.2.11 «εἶναι καὶ ταῦτα ἐπιδεῖν ἅπαντα· ἢν δέ γε περιεσώ»μεθα τῷ πολέμῳ τῶν δυσμενῶν, καὶ ζῶντες ἐν πᾶσιν «ἀγαθοῖς βιοτεύσομεν καὶ μετὰ τὴν εὐπρεπῆ τοῦ βίου «καταστροφὴν παισὶ μὲν καὶ γυναιξὶ τὰ τῆς εὐδαι»μονίας ἀπολελείψεται, τῷ δὲ τῶν Βανδίλων ὀνόματι 4.2.12 «τὸ περιεῖναί τε καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν διασώσασθαι. εἰ γάρ «τισι καὶ ἄλλοις πώποτε ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅλων τετύχηκεν «ἀγωνίζεσθαι, καὶ αὐτοὶ νῦν μάλιστα πάντων γινώσκο»μεν ὡς τὰς ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων ἐλπίδας ἐφ' ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς 4.2.13 «φέροντες ἐς τὴν παράταξιν καθιστάμεθα. οὐκ ἐπὶ «τοῖς σώμασι τοίνυν τοῖς ἡμετέροις ὁ φόβος οὐδ' ἐπὶ «τῷ θνήσκειν ὁ κίνδυνος, ἀλλ' ὥστε μὴ τῶν πολεμίων «ἡσσῆσθαι. τῆς γὰρ νίκης ἀπολελειμμένοις τὸ τεθνάναι 4.2.14 «ξυνοίσει. ὅτε τοίνυν ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει, μαλακιζέσθω «Βανδίλων μηδεὶς, ἀλλὰ τῷ μὲν φρονήματι προϊέσθω «τὸ σῶμα, αἰσχύνῃ δὲ τῶν μετὰ τὴν ἧτταν κακῶν 4.2.15 «ζηλούτω τὴν τοῦ βίου καταστροφήν. τῷ γὰρ τὰ «αἰσχρὰ αἰσχυνομένῳ πάρεστιν ἀεὶ τὸ μὴ δεδιέναι «τὸν κίνδυνον. μάχης δὲ τῆς πρότερον γεγενημένης 4.2.16 «μηδεμία ὑμᾶς εἰσίτω μνήμη. οὐ γὰρ κακίᾳ ἡμετέρᾳ «ἡσσήθημεν, ἀλλὰ τύχης ἐναντιώμασι προσεπταικότες «ἐσφάλημεν. ταύτης δὲ τὸ ῥεῦμα οὐκ ἀεὶ κατὰ ταὐτὰ «φέρεσθαι πέφυκεν, ἀλλ' ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἑκάστῃ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ 4.2.17 «μεταπίπτειν φιλεῖ· τῷ δὲ ἀνδρείῳ τοὺς πολεμίους «ὑπεραίρειν αὐχοῦμεν καὶ πλήθει παρὰ πολὺ ὑπερ4.2.18 «βάλλεσθαι. μέτρῳ γὰρ αὐτῶν περιεῖναι οὐχ ἧσσον «ἢ δεκαπλασίῳ οἰόμεθα. καὶ προσθήσω πολλά τε καὶ «μεγάλα εἶναι τὰ νῦν μάλιστα ἡμᾶς ἐς ἀρετὴν ὁρμῶντα, «τήν τε τῶν προγόνων δόξαν καὶ τὴν παραδοθεῖσαν 4.2.19 «ἡμῖν ὑπ' ἐκείνων ἀρχήν. ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἐφ' ἡμῖν τῷ «ἀνομοίῳ τοῦ ξυγγενοῦς ἐγκαλύπτεται, ἡ δὲ ὡς ἀνα4.2.20 «ξίους ἡμᾶς ἀποφυγεῖν ἰσχυρίζεται. καὶ σιωπῶ τού»των τῶν γυναίων τὰς οἰμωγὰς καὶ τῶν παίδων τῶν «ἡμετέρων τὰ δάκρυα, οἷς νῦν, ὡς ὁρᾶτε, περιαλγήσας 4.2.21 «μηκῦναι τὸν λόγον οὐ δύναμαι. ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο μόνον «εἰπὼν παύσομαι, ὡς ἐπάνοδος ἡμῖν εἰς τὰ φίλτατα 4.2.22 «ταῦτα οὐκ ἔσται μὴ τῶν