A Struggle For Rome Volume Ii Part 48

Calpurnius, rejoiced at the change of plan, placed his hors.e.m.e.n below the steepest part of a hill, where he thought himself safe from an attack, and waited for the result of the movements of Ambazuch and Bessas, in order to pursue the flying Goths or support the retreating Armenians according to circ.u.mstances.

On the summit of the heights the Goths placed themselves in an extended line of battle.

Totila's hors.e.m.e.n had arrived the first; he was soon joined by Teja, mounted and feverish with thirst for battle. The axe-bearing foot were far behind, for Teja had begged permission to join in the hand-to-hand fight when and where he pleased.

Hildebrand followed later; and lastly the King with the main army.

Duke Guntharis, with his own and Teja's men, was expected to arrive shortly.

Swift as an arrow Teja flew back to the King.

"King," he cried, "beneath yonder hill stands Belisarius. By the G.o.d of Revenge, he is lost! He has been mad enough to advance. Do not suffer him to be beforehand with us in the attack."

"Forward!" cried King Witichis; "the Goths to the front!"

In a moment he had reached the edge of the hill and overlooked the valley at his feet.

"Hildebad--the left wing! Thou, Totila, wilt charge in the centre with thy hors.e.m.e.n down that road. I shall keep the right, ready to follow or cover thee."

"That will be needless," said Totila, drawing his sword. "I warrant that they will not be able to withstand my charge down that hill."

"We shall drive the enemy back to the camp, take it, and force them into that s.h.i.+ning brook just behind. Those who still remain, Totila and Teja, you will drive over the plain to Rome."

"Yes, when we have won the pa.s.s in those wood-crowned hills just beyond the river," said Teja, pointing with his sword as he spoke.

"It appears to be unoccupied; you must reach it before the fugitives,"

said Witichis.

Just then the standard-bearer. Earl Wisand of Vulsinii, rode up to the King.

"King, thou hast promised to grant me a request."

"Yes, because at Solona, thou overthrewest the magister militum for Illyrium, Mundus, and his son."

"I have a grudge against all magistri militum. I should like to try the same spear on Belisarius. Relieve me of my banner to-day, and allow me to seek the magister militum. He has a celebrated charger, Phalion or Balion, and my horse is getting stiff. And thou knowest the ancient right of a Gothic horseman. 'Throw the rider and take his horse.'"

"A good old Gothic right," cried old Hildebrand.

"I cannot refuse thy request," said Witichis, taking the flag from the hand of Wisand, who at once galloped away.

"Guntharis is not here. Totila, thou shalt bear the banner to-day."

"King," said Totila, "I cannot carry it if I am to show my hors.e.m.e.n the way to the enemy."

Witichis signed to Teja.

"Forgive me," said Teja, "to-day I need both hands."

"Well then, Hildebad!"

"Many thanks for the honour; but I do not intend to do worse than the others."

"What?" cried Witichis, almost angry; "must I be my own standard-bearer? Will none of my friends honour my trust?"

"Give me the flag of Theodoric," said old Hildebrand, grasping the mighty shaft. "It pleases me that the youths so thirst for fame. Give me the banner, I will defend it to-day as I did forty summers ago."

And from that moment he rode at the King's right hand.

"The enemy's foot are advancing up the hill," said Witichis, raising himself in the saddle.

"They are Huns and Armenians," said Teja, looking forward with his eagle-eyes, "I recognise their long s.h.i.+elds!" And spurring his horse, he cried: "And Ambazuch, the perjured murderer of Petra, leads them."

"Forward, Totila!" cried the King; "and of _these_ troops--make no prisoners!"

Totila rapidly galloped off to his hors.e.m.e.n, who were placed at the top of the steep road which led down the hill. He carefully examined the armour of the Armenians, who were slowly advancing up the ascent in close columns. They carried very long and heavy s.h.i.+elds, and short spears for thrusting and throwing.

"They must not have time to hurl their spears," cried Totila.

He then ordered his hors.e.m.e.n, at the moment of encountering the enemy, to change their lances from their right hand to their left, letting their bridles hang loosely from the wrist, and pa.s.sing their lances across the manes of their horses into the bridle hand. In this way they would hit the enemy on their unprotected side.

"As soon as the encounter has taken place--they will not be able to withstand it--throw your lances back into the arm-strap, draw your swords, and kill whoever still stands."

He now placed his men in the shape of a wedge on the road and on each side of it, outflanking the enemy's column. He himself led the thin edge of the wedge. He determined to allow the enemy to ascend halfway up the hill.

Both parties looked forward to the shock in breathless expectation.

Ambazuch, an experienced warrior, quietly marched forward.

"Let them come on," he said to his people, "until you feel their horses' breath upon your faces. Then, and not before, hurl your lances.

Aim low, at the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of the horses, and immediately after draw your swords. In this way I have always succeeded in overthrowing hors.e.m.e.n."

But it turned out otherwise.

For when Totila gave the order to charge, it seemed as if a thundering avalanche were descending the hill upon the terrified enemy. The s.h.i.+ning, clattering, snorting, threatening ma.s.s rushed on like a hurricane, and before the first row of the Armenians had found time even to raise their spears, they lay upon the ground, pierced through by the long lances. They had been swept away as if they had never stood there.

All this had taken place in a moment of time; and when Ambazuch was about to order his second line, in which he himself stood, to kneel and shorten their spears, he found it already ridden over; the third rank dispersed; and the fourth, under Bessas, able to offer but a faint resistance to the terrible hors.e.m.e.n, who now began to draw their swords.

He tried to rally his men; he flew back and called to his wavering lines to stand and fight; but just then Totila's sword reached him; a mighty stroke crushed in his helmet.

He fell on his knees, and held the hilt of his sword towards the Goth.

"Take a ransom!" he cried. "I am yours!"

Totila was about to stretch forth his hand to take the sword, when Teja cried:

"Remember Petra!"

A weapon flashed, and Ambazuch sank dead on the ground.