owing behind, without letting it be known to us, except, indeed,
that, on that night when we bivouacked in Grasse, scouts coming from
both armies met each other, and after an exchange of blows they each
retired to their own camp, and in this way it became evident to us that
the enemy were not far away. As we proceeded from there it was
impossible to discern the ships. For high rocks extending well into the
sea cause mariners to make a great circuit, and there is a projecting
headland,[54] inside of which lies the town of Hermes. Belisarius
therefore commanded Archelaus, the prefect, and Calonymus, the admiral,
not to put in at Carthage, but to remain about two hundred stades away
until he himself should summon them. And departing from Grasse we came
on the fourth day to Decimum, seventy stades distant from Carthage.

XVIII

And on that day Gelimer commanded his nephew Gibamundus with two
thousand of the Vandals to go ahead of the rest of the army on the left
side, in order that Ammatas coming from Carthage, Gelimer himself from
the rear, and Gibamundus from the country to the left, might unite and
accomplish the task of encircling the enemy with less difficulty and
exertion. But as for me, during this struggle I was moved to wonder at
the ways of Heaven and of men, noting how God, who sees from afar what
will come to pass, traces out the manner in which it seems best to him
that things should come to pass, while men, whether they are deceived or
counsel aright, know not that they have failed, should that be the
issue, or that they have succeeded, God's purpose being that a path
shall be made for Fortune, who presses on inevitably toward that which
has been foreordained. For if Belisarius had not thus arranged his
forces, commanding the men under John to take the lead, and the
Massagetae to march on the left of the army, we should never have been
able to escape the Vandals. And even with this planned so by Belisarius,
if Ammatas had observed the opportune time, and had not anticipated this
by about the fourth part of a day, never would the cause of the Vandals
have fallen as it did; but as it was, Ammatas came to Decimum about
midday, in advance of the time, while both we and the Vandal army were
far away, erring not only in that he did not arrive at the fitting time,
but also in leaving at Carthage the host of the Vandals, commanding them
to come to Decimum as quickly as possible, while he with a few men and
not even