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may they not suffer these things. 8.29.13 But Narses, acting first, selected fifty foot-soldiers from the regular army and sent them at an unseasonable hour of the night to seize 8.29.14 and hold it. And they, 8.29.14 since none of the enemy stood in their way, 8.29.15 arrived there and remained quiet. And there is a certain torrent-bed in front of the hill, beside the path which I just mentioned, and opposite the place where the Goths had encamped, where the fifty indeed had taken their stand, coming close together with one another, and formed into a phalanx 8.29.16 as in a narrow space. And after daybreak, Totila, seeing what had happened, was eager to drive them away. And he immediately sent a squadron of horsemen against them, having ordered them to drive them from there as quickly as possible. 8.29.17 So the horsemen rushed against them with much noise and shouting, as if to destroy them with a single shout, but they, drawn up in a small space and having fenced themselves with their shields, 8.29.18 and having raised their spears, stood their ground. Then the Goths, attacking eagerly, charged in confusion, but the fifty, with the pushing of their shields and with the very dense and in no way confused thrusting of their spears, defended themselves most stoutly against the attackers, and on purpose they were making a din with their shields, in this way always frightening the horses, and the men 8.29.19 with the points of their spears. And the horses were rearing up, being greatly distressed by the difficult terrain and by the clash of the shields and having no way through, and the men were becoming exhausted, fighting against men so closely packed and yielding in no way, and urging on horses which were hardly obeying. And having been beaten back 8.29.20 the first time, they retreated. And having tried again and suffering the same things, they drew back. And having thus withdrawn many times, they no longer troubled them, but Totila set another squadron in their place for this task. 8.29.21 And when these had withdrawn just like the first, others were set to the action. And Totila, having thus changed many squadrons and having been unsuccessful with all of them, then 8.29.22 gave up. So the fifty won great glory for their valor, but two of them, both Paul and Ansilas, pre-eminently excelled in bravery in this struggle, who indeed having leaped forth from the phalanx had made a demonstration of valor above all 8.29.23 others. For having drawn their short swords, they placed them on the ground, and stringing their bows they were shooting, aiming at the most opportune spots of the enemy. 8.29.24 And they killed many men and many horses, as long as their quivers still held arrows. But when all their missiles had now failed them, they, picking up their swords and holding their shields before them, were defending themselves alone against the attackers. 8.29.25 And whenever some of the enemy on horseback came against them with their spears, they, striking with their swords, 8.29.26 would immediately break off the points of the spears. And as they were thus many times checking the charges of the enemy, it happened that the sword of one of them (and this man was named Paul) was bent by the continuous cutting into the wood and was completely useless. 8.29.27 He immediately dashes this to the ground, and seizing the spears with both hands, he was taking them from the attackers. And thus having openly taken away four spears from the enemy, he became most responsible for their despairing of the action. 8.29.28 For which reason indeed, from this deed Narses for the future appointed him also his own personal shield-bearer. 8.30.1 So these things have proceeded in this way. and both sides were preparing for battle. And Narses, having gathered the army in a small space, exhorted them as follows: "For those who enter into a contest with the enemy from an evenly matched strength, there would perhaps be need of much exhortation and of advice urging them to eagerness, so that in this way having an advantage over their opponents, they may come out of the battle most according to their desire; but for you, O men, for whom the battle is against inferiors, with a great difference both in valor and in number and in all other preparation, I think there is need of nothing else than with God propitious for this 8.30.2 engagement

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ταῦτα 8.29.13 μὴ πάθοιεν. ἀλλὰ προτερήσας Ναρσῆς πεντήκοντα ἐκ καταλόγου πεζοὺς ἀπολέξας ἀωρὶ νύκτωρ ὡς καταλη8.29.14 ψομένους τε καὶ καθέξοντας αὐτὸ ἔστειλε. καὶ οἱ 8.29.14 μὲν οὐδενὸς σφίσι τῶν πολεμίων ἐμποδὼν ἱσταμένου 8.29.15 ἐνταῦθα γενόμενοι ἡσυχῆ ἔμενον. ἔστι δέ τις χειμάρρους τοῦ γεωλόφου ἐπίπροσθεν, παρὰ μὲν τὴν ἀτραπὸν, ἧς ἄρτι ἐμνήσθην, τοῦ δὲ χώρου καταντικρὺ οὗ ἐστρατοπεδεύσαντο Γότθοι, οὗ δὴ οἱ πεντήκοντα ἔστησαν, ἐν χρῷ μὲν ξυνιόντες ἀλλήλοις, ἐς φάλαγγα 8.29.16 δὲ ὡς ἐν στενοχωρίᾳ ξυντεταγμένοι. μεθ' ἡμέραν δὲ τὸ γεγονὸς ἰδὼν Τουτίλας ἀπώσασθαι αὐτοὺς ἐν σπουδῇ εἶχεν. ἴλην τε ἱππέων εὐθὺς ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἔπεμψεν, ἐξελᾶν ὅτι τάχιστα ἐνθένδε αὐτοὺς ἐπιστείλας. 8.29.17 οἱ μὲν οὖν ἱππεῖς θορύβῳ τε πολλῷ καὶ κραυγῇ ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἵεντο, ὡς αὐτοβοεὶ ἐξαιρήσοντες, οἱ δὲ εἰς ὀλίγον ξυντεταγμένοι καὶ ταῖς μὲν ἀσπίσι φραξάμενοι, 8.29.18 τὰ δὲ δοράτια ἐπανατεινάμενοι ἔστησαν. εἶτα οἱ μὲν Γότθοι σπουδῇ ἐπιόντες ξυνταράξαντες αὑτοὺς ἤλαυνον, οἱ δὲ πεντήκοντα, τῶν τε ἀσπίδων τῷ ὠθισμῷ καὶ τῶν δορατίων τῇ ἐπιβολῇ πυκνοτάτῃ οὔσῃ καὶ οὐδαμῆ ξυγκεχυμένῃ ὡς καρτερώτατα τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἠμύνοντο, ἐξεπίτηδές τε πάταγον ταῖς ἀσπίσιν ἐποίουν, ταύτῃ μὲν τοὺς ἵππους ἀεὶ δεδισσόμενοι, τοὺς δὲ 8.29.19 ἄνδρας ταῖς τῶν δορατίων αἰχμαῖς. καὶ οἵ τε ἵπποι ἀνεχαιτίζοντο τῇ τε δυσχωρίᾳ καὶ τῶν ἀσπίδων τῷ πατάγῳ λίαν ἀχθόμενοι καὶ διέξοδον οὐδαμῆ ἔχοντες, οἵ τε ἄνδρες ἀπεκναίοντο, ἀνθρώποις τε οὕτω ξυμφραξαμένοις μαχόμενοι καὶ τρόπῳ οὐδενὶ εἴκουσι, καὶ ἵπποις ἐγκελευόμενοι ὡς ἥκιστα ἐπαΐουσιν. ἀποκρου8.29.20 σθέντες τε τὴν πρώτην ὀπίσω ἐχώρουν. καὶ αὖθις ἀποπειρασάμενοι καὶ ταὐτὰ πάσχοντες ἀνεπόδιζον. πολλάκις τε οὕτως ἀπαλλάξαντες οὐκέτι ἠνώχλουν, ἀλλ' ἑτέραν ἴλην Τουτίλας ἐς τὸ ἔργον τοῦτο ἀντικαθίστη. 8.29.21 ὧνπερ ὁμοίως τοῖς προτέροις ἀπαλλαγέντων ἕτεροι ἐς τὴν πρᾶξιν καθίσταντο. πολλάς τε ἴλας ὁ Τουτίλας οὕτως ἀμείψας ἐπὶ πάσαις τε ἄπρακτος γεγονὼς εἶτα 8.29.22 ἀπεῖπεν. οἱ μὲν οὖν πεντήκοντα κλέος ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς ἀπήνεγκαν μέγα, δύο δὲ αὐτῶν διαφερόντως ἐν τῷ πόνῳ τούτῳ ἠρίστευσαν, Παῦλός τε καὶ Ἀνσίλας, οἳ δὴ ἐκπεπηδηκότες τῆς φάλαγγος δήλωσιν ἀρετῆς μάλιστα 8.29.23 πάντων πεποίηνται. τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀκινάκας σπασάμενοι κατέθεντο εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος, τὰ δὲ τόξα ἐντεινάμενοι ἔβαλλον ἐπικαιριώτατα στοχαζόμενοι τῶν πολε8.29.24 μίων. καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν ἄνδρας, πολλοὺς δὲ ἵππους διεχρήσαντο, ἕως ἔτι εἶχον τοὺς ἀτράκτους αὐτοῖς αἱ φαρέτραι. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἅπαντα αὐτοὺς τὰ βέλη ἤδη ἐπιλελοίπει, οἱ δὲ τά τε ξίφη ἀνελόμενοι καὶ τὰς ἀσπίδας προβεβλημένοι κατὰ μόνας τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἠμύνοντο. 8.29.25 ἐπειδάν τε ἱππευόμενοι τῶν ἐναντίων τινὲς ξὺν τοῖς δόρασιν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἴοιεν, οἱ δὲ τοῖς ξίφεσι παίοντες 8.29.26 ἀπεκαύλιζον τῶν δοράτων εὐθὺς τὰς αἰχμάς. πολλάκις δὲ αὐτῶν οὕτω δὴ ἀναστελλόντων τὰς τῶν πολεμίων ἐπιδρομὰς ξυνηνέχθη τὸ θατέρου ξίφος (ἦν δὲ οὗτος ἀνὴρ Παῦλος ὀνόματι) τῷ συγκεκάμφθαι τῇ ἐς τὰ ξύλα συνεχεῖ τομῇ καὶ τὸ παράπαν ἀχρεῖον εἶναι. 8.29.27 ὅπερ αὐτίκα μὲν προσουδίζει χαμαὶ, χερσὶ δὲ ἀμφοτέραις ἐπιλαβόμενος τῶν δοράτων ἀφῃρεῖτο τοὺς ἐπιόντας. τέτταρά τε δόρατα οὕτω τοὺς πολεμίους διαφανῶς ἀφελόμενος αἰτιώτατος γέγονε τοῦ τὴν πρᾶξιν 8.29.28 αὐτοὺς ἀπογνῶναι. διὸ δὴ αὐτὸν καὶ ὑπασπιστὴν αὑτοῦ ἴδιον ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔργου τούτου Ναρσῆς τὸ λοιπὸν κατεστήσατο. 8.30.1 Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τῇδε κεχώρηκεν. ἑκάτεροι δὲ παρεσκευάζοντο εἰς παράταξιν. καὶ Ναρσῆς τὸ στράτευμα ἐν χώρῳ ὀλίγῳ ξυναγαγὼν τοιάδε παρεκελεύσατο «Τοῖς μὲν ἐξ ἀντιπάλου τῆς δυνάμεως ἐς ἀγω»νίαν τοῖς πολεμίοις καθισταμένοις παρακελεύσεώς «τε ἂν ἴσως δεήσειε πολλῆς καὶ παραινέσεως ἐς τὴν «προθυμίαν ὁρμώσης, ὅπως δὴ ταύτῃ τῶν ἐναντίων «πλεονεκτοῦντες κατὰ νοῦν μάλιστα τῆς παρατάξεως «ἀπαλλάξωσιν· ὑμῖν δὲ, ὦ ἄνδρες, οἷς καὶ τῇ ἀρετῇ «καὶ τῷ πλήθει καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ παρασκευῇ πάσῃ πολλῷ «τῷ διαλλάσσοντι πρὸς καταδεεστέρους ἡ μάχη ἐστὶν, «οὐδὲν ἄλλο προσδεῖν οἴομαι ἢ τῷ θεῷ ἵλεῳ ἐς ξυμ8.30.2 «βολὴν τήνδε