ertorius was now sustaining several defeats, though he
always saved himself and those with him from defeat; but his losses
were occasioned by the other generals. Yet he gained more credit from
the means by which he repaired his defeats than the generals on the
other side who won the victories; an instance of which occurred in the
battle against Pompeius, on the Sucro, and another in the battle near
Tuttia,[152] against Pompeius[153] and Metellus together. Now the
battle on the Sucro is said to have been brought about by the
eagerness of Pompeius, who wished Metellus to have no share in the
victory. Sertorius, on his part, also wished to engage Pompeius before
Metellus arrived; and, drawing out his forces when the evening was
coming on, he commenced the battle, thinking that, as the enemy were
strangers and unacquainted with the ground, the darkness would be a
disadvantage to them, whether they were the pursued or the pursuers.
When the battle began, it happened that Sertorius was not engaged with
Pompeius, but with Afranius at first, who commanded the left wing of
the enemy, while Sertorius commanded his own right. But, hearing that
those who were opposed to Pompeius were giving way before his attack
and being defeated, Sertorius left the right wing to the care of other
generals, and hastened to the support of the wing that was giving way.
Bringing together the soldiers who were already flying, and those who
were still keeping their ranks, he encouraged them and made a fresh
charge upon Pompeius, who was pursuing, and put his men to the rout;
on which occasion Pompeius himself nearly lost his life, and had a
wonderful escape after being wounded. The Libyans of Sertorius seized
the horse of Pompeius, which was decked with golden ornaments and
loaded with trappings; but while they were dividing the booty and
quarrelling about it, they neglected the pursuit. As soon as Sertorius
quitted the right wing to relieve the other part of the army,
Afranius[154] put to flight his opponents and drove them to their
camp, which, he entered with the captives, it being now dark, and
began to plunder, knowing nothing of the defeat of Pompeius, and being
unable to stop his soldiers from seizing the booty. In the mean time
Sertorius returned, after defeating the enemy who were opposed to him,
and falling on the soldiers of Afranius, who were all in disorder and
consequently panic-stricken, he slaughtered many of them. In the
morning he agai