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having conquered the enemy. "Remembering these things, prove yourselves brave men and do not disgrace the glory of Gizeric." 4.2.23 Having said these things, Gelimer ordered his brother Tzazon, for the Vandals who had come with him from Sardinia, 4.2.24 to make a private exhortation. And he, having gathered them a short distance from the camp, spoke as follows: "For all Vandals, fellow soldiers, the struggle is for these things of which you have just now heard the king speak, but for you, in addition to all the other things, 4.2.25 it happens that you must also contend with yourselves. For you were recently victorious, fighting for the kingdom, and you won back the island for the rule of the Vandals; it is therefore fitting for you to make a greater display4.2.26 of your valour. For those for whom the danger is for the greatest things, it is necessary that their eagerness for war also be the greatest. For those who fight for the kingdom, if they are defeated, if it so happens, have not failed in the most essen4.2.27 tial things; but for those for whom the battle is for everything, life is altogether regulated by the outcome of the war. Besides, if you prove yourselves brave men at the present time, you confirm for yourselves that the overthrow of the tyrant Godas was a deed of valour; but if you grow soft now, you will be deprived even of the glory for those deeds as 4.2.28 belonging to you in no way. And yet in 4.2.28 other ways too it is fitting for you to have the advantage over the rest of the Vandals in this 4.2.29 battle. For their previous fortune dismays those who have failed, but those who have stumbled in nothing enter the contest with unalloyed 4.2.30 courage. And I think this will not be said inappropriately, that if we defeat the enemy, you will claim for yourselves the greatest part of the victory, and all will call you saviours of the 4.2.31 Vandal nation. For those who win glory along with those who were previously unfortunate reasonably claim the better 4.2.32 fortune for themselves. Therefore I say that you, considering all these things, must bid your children and wives who are lamenting to be of good courage now and to call upon God for an alliance, and to go against the enemy with spirit, and to lead your countrymen into this battle." 4.3.1 Having given these exhortations, Gelimer and Tzazon led out the Vandals, and around the time of the midday meal, with the Romans not expecting it, but preparing the midday meal for themselves, they arrived and by the of the river 4.3.2 banks drew up for battle. The river flowing there is indeed perennial, but its stream is so small that it does not even receive its own name from the locals, 4.3.3 but is named as a brook. To the other bank of this very river the Romans, having prepared themselves as best they could under the circumstances, came and drew up as follows. 4.3.4 The left wing was held by Martinus and Valerian and John and Cyprian and Althias and Marcellus and as many others as were commanders of foederati, and the right wing by Pappus and Barbatus and 4.3.5 Aïgan and as many as commanded the cavalry troops. And in the center John was stationed, bringing with him both the shield-bearers and guardsmen of Belisarius and the general's 4.3.6 standard. And thither Belisarius also in due time arrived with the five hundred horsemen, leaving the infantry 4.3.7 behind, approaching on foot. For all the Huns were stationed in another place, it being their custom even before to mix very little with the Roman army, and at that time, having in mind what has been previously disclosed, they were not willing to be stationed with the rest of the army. So for the Ro4.3.8 mans, the arrangement was something like this. But of the Vandals, the chiliarchs held each wing, and each led the company around him, and in the center was Tzazon, the brother of Gelimer, and behind, the 4.3.9 Maurusii were stationed. Gelimer himself, however, going about everywhere, both gave encouragement and roused them to boldness. And it had been proclaimed to all the Vandals to use neither a spear nor any other weapon in this engagement, except their swords. 4.3.10 When a long time had been spent and no one was beginning the battle, John, having picked out a few of those around him by the decision of Belisarius, the river

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πολεμίων κρατήσασιν. ὧν «ἐνθυμηθέντες ἄνδρες τε ἀγαθοὶ γίγνεσθε καὶ μὴ «καταισχύνητε τὴν Γιζερίχου δόξαν.» 4.2.23 Τοσαῦτα εἰπὼν Γελίμερ Τζάζωνα τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐκέλευσε Βανδίλοις τοῖς μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐκ Σαρδοῦς ἥκουσι 4.2.24 παραίνεσιν ἰδίᾳ ποιεῖσθαι. ὁ δὲ αὐτοὺς ξυναγείρας μικρὸν ἄποθεν τοῦ στρατοπέδου ἔλεξε τοιάδε «Βαν»δίλοις μὲν ἅπασιν, ἄνδρες συστρατιῶται, ὑπὲρ τού»των ὁ ἀγών ἐστιν, ὧν δὴ ἀρτίως λέγοντος τοῦ βα»σιλέως ἠκούσατε, ὑμῖν δὲ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασι 4.2.25 «καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἁμιλλᾶσθαι ξυμβαίνει. νενι»κήκατε γὰρ ἔναγχος ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἀγωνιζόμενοι «καὶ τὴν νῆσον ἀνεκτήσασθε τῇ Βανδίλων ἀρχῇ· «ὑμᾶς οὖν μείζω ποιεῖσθαι εἰκὸς τῆς ἀρετῆς τὴν ἐπί4.2.26 «δειξιν. οἷς γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῶν μεγίστων ὁ κίνδυνος, «μεγίστην εἶναι καὶ τὴν ἐς τὸ πολεμεῖν προθυμίαν «ἀνάγκη. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἀγωνιζό»μενοι ἡσσηθέντες, ἂν οὕτω τύχῃ, οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ἀναγ4.2.27 «καιοτάτοις ἐσφάλησαν· οἷς δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅλων ἡ «μάχη, πάντως ὁ βίος πρὸς τὸ τοῦ πολέμου ῥυθμί»ζεται πέρας. ἄλλως τε, ἢν μὲν ἄνδρες ἀγαθοὶ ἐν τῷ «παρόντι γένησθε, βεβαιοῦτε ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς ἀρετῆς ἔργον «τὴν τοῦ τυράννου Γώδα γεγονέναι καθαίρεσιν· μα»λακισθέντες δὲ νῦν καὶ τῆς ἐπ' ἐκείνοις εὐδοξίας ὡς 4.2.28 «οὐδὲν ὑμῖν προσηκούσης στερήσεσθε. καίτοι καὶ 4.2.28 «ἄλλως ὑμᾶς γε εἰκὸς τῶν λοιπῶν Βανδίλων ἐν ταύτῃ 4.2.29 «πλεονεκτεῖν τῇ μάχῃ. τοὺς μὲν γὰρ σφαλέντας ἡ «προλαβοῦσα τύχη ἐκπλήσσει, οἱ δὲ οὐδὲν ἐπταικότες «μετ' ἀκραιφνοῦς τοῦ θάρσους ἐς τὸν ἀγῶνα καθίσταν4.2.30 «ται. κἀκεῖνο δὲ οἶμαι οὐκ ἄπο τρόπου εἰρήσεται, ὡς «ἢν τῶν πολεμίων κρατήσωμεν, τὸ πλεῖστον τῆς νίκης «ὑμεῖς ἀναδήσεσθε μέρος, σωτῆράς τε ὑμᾶς ἅπαντες τοῦ 4.2.31 «τῶν Βανδίλων καλέσουσιν ἔθνους. οἱ γὰρ σὺν τοῖς πρό»τερον ἠτυχηκόσιν εὐδοκιμοῦντες εἰκότως αὐτοὶ τὴν 4.2.32 «ἀμείνω σφετερίζονται τύχην. ταῦτα τοίνυν ἅπαντα «λογιζομένους ὑμᾶς φημι χρῆναι παῖδάς τε καὶ γυναῖκας «ἀπολοφυρομένους κελεύειν θαρσεῖν τε ἤδη καὶ τὸν «θεὸν ἐς ξυμμαχίαν παρακαλεῖν, καὶ θυμῷ μὲν ἐπὶ «τοὺς πολεμίους ἰέναι, τοῖς δὲ ὁμοφύλοις ἐς ταύτην «ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν μάχην.» 4.3.1 Τοσαῦτα Γελίμερ τε καὶ Τζάζων παραινέσαντες ἐξῆγον τοὺς Βανδίλους, καὶ ἀμφὶ τὸν τοῦ ἀρίστου καιρὸν, οὐ προσδεχομένων Ῥωμαίων, ἀλλ' ἄριστον σφίσι παρασκευαζόντων, παρῆσαν καὶ παρὰ τὰς τοῦ ποταμοῦ 4.3.2 ὄχθας ὡς ἐς μάχην ἐτάξαντο. ἔστι δὲ ποταμὸς ὁ ταύτῃ ῥέων ἀένναος μὲν, οὕτω δὲ τὸ ῥεῦμα βραχὺς ὥστε οὐδὲ ὀνόματος ἰδίου πρὸς τῶν ἐπιχωρίων μεταλαγχάνει, 4.3.3 ἀλλ' ἐν ῥύακος μοίρᾳ ὠνόμασται. τούτου δὴ τοῦ ποταμοῦ Ῥωμαῖοι ἐς τὴν ἑτέραν ὄχθην ὡς ἐκ τῶν παρόντων παρασκευασάμενοι ἧκον καὶ ἐτάξαντο ὧδε. 4.3.4 κέρας μὲν τὸ ἀριστερὸν Μαρτῖνός τε καὶ Βαλεριανὸς καὶ Ἰωάννης καὶ Κυπριανός τε καὶ Ἀλθίας καὶ Μάρκελλος εἶχον καὶ ὅσοι ἄλλοι φοιδεράτων ἄρχοντες ἦσαν, τὸ δὲ δὴ δεξιὸν Πάππος τε καὶ Βαρβᾶτος καὶ 4.3.5 Ἀιγὰν καὶ ὅσοι τῶν ἱππικῶν καταλόγων ἦρχον. κατὰ δὲ τὸ μέσον Ἰωάννης ἐτάσσετο, τούς τε ὑπασπιστὰς καὶ δορυφόρους Βελισαρίου καὶ σημεῖον τὸ στρατηγι4.3.6 κὸν ἐπαγόμενος. οὗ δὴ καὶ Βελισάριος εἰς καιρὸν ξὺν τοῖς πεντακοσίοις ἱππεῦσιν ἀφίκετο, τοὺς πεζοὺς 4.3.7 ὄπισθεν βάδην προσιόντας ἀπολιπών. οἱ γὰρ Οὖννοι ἅπαντες ἐν ἄλλῃ ἐτάξαντο χώρᾳ, εἰθισμένον μὲν σφίσι καὶ πρότερον ἥκιστα ἐπιμίγνυσθαι τῷ Ῥωμαίων στρατῷ, τότε δὲ καὶ ἐν νῷ ἃ προδεδήλωται ἔχουσιν οὐκ ἦν βουλομένοις ξὺν τῇ ἄλλῃ στρατιᾷ τάσσεσθαι. Ῥω4.3.8 μαίοις μὲν οὖν τὰ τῆς τάξεως ὧδέ πη εἶχε. Βανδίλων δὲ κέρας μὲν ἑκάτερον οἱ χιλίαρχοι εἶχον, ἕκαστός τε ἡγεῖτο τοῦ ἀμφ' αὐτὸν λόχου, κατὰ δὲ δὴ τὸ μέσον Τζάζων ἦν ὁ τοῦ Γελίμερος ἀδελφὸς, ὄπισθεν δὲ οἱ 4.3.9 Μαυρούσιοι ἐτετάχατο. αὐτὸς μέντοι ὁ Γελίμερ πανταχόσε περιιὼν ἐνεκελεύετό τε καὶ ἐς εὐτολμίαν ἐνῆγε. προείρητο δὲ Βανδίλοις ἅπασι μήτε δορατίῳ μήτε ἄλλῳ ὁτῳοῦν ὀργάνῳ ἐς ξυμβολὴν τήνδε, ὅτι μὴ τοῖς ξίφεσι, χρῆσθαι. 4.3.10 Χρόνου δὲ τριβέντος συχνοῦ καὶ μάχης οὐδενὸς ἄρχοντος Ἰωάννης τῶν ἀμφ' αὐτὸν ὀλίγους ἀπολέξας Βελισαρίου γνώμῃ τόν τε ποταμὸν