gates
which led to Rome, and hastened in confused masses to the river.

The first comers reached the two bridges unhindered and unfollowed.
They had some time to spare before Hildebad and Teja could compel
Belisarius to leave the burning camp.

But suddenly--oh, horror!--the Gothic horns sounded close at hand.

Witichis and Totila, as soon as they knew that the camp was taken, had
mounted at once, and now led their horsemen from the right and left, to
attack the fugitives in the flank.

Belisarius had just galloped out of the camp by the Decumanian Gate,
and was hurrying to one of the bridges, when he saw the threatening
troops of horsemen rushing up on both sides.

The great general still preserved his composure.

"Forwards at a gallop to the bridges!" he commanded his Saracens;
"defend them!"

It was too late. A dull crash; then a second--the two narrow
bridges had broken beneath the weight of the crowding fugitives,
and by hundreds the Hunnish horsemen and the Illyrian
lance-bearers--Justinian's pride--fell into the marshy waters.

Without reflecting, Belisarius, who had just reached the steep bank,
spurred his horse into the foaming blood-flecked river, and swam to the
other side.

"Salomo," he said to one of his pretorians, as soon as he had landed,
"take a handful of my guards and gallop as hard as you can to the pass.
Ride over the fugitives; you must reach it before the Goths! Do you
hear? You _must_! It is our last plank of salvation!"

Salomo and Dagisthaeos obeyed, and galloped away as swift as the wind.

Belisarius collected together all whom he could reach. The Goths, as
well as the Byzantines, were detained for a time by the river.

But suddenly Aigan cried:

"Salomo is returning!"

"General," cried Salomo, as he galloped up, "all is lost! Weapons
glitter in the pass! It is already occupied by the Goths!"

For the first time on this unhappy day Belisarius started.

"The pass lost? Then not a man of my Emperor's army will escape. Then
farewell fame, Antonina, and life! Come, Aigan, draw your sword; let me
not fall living into the hands of the barbarians."

"General," said Aigan, "I have never heard you speak thus!"

"I have never before felt thus. Let us dismount and die!"

He was taking his left foot out of the stirrup, in order to spring from
his horse, when Dagisthaeos galloped up.

"Be comforted, my general! The pass is ours--it is Roman weapons that
we saw there. It is Cethegu