axe, I pressed the flanks of my horse, and
set out in this fashion towards the reserve of our army, both for the
purpose of putting the prisoner in safe keeping, and to have my wounds
dressed. I had hardly started, when one of the horsemen of the
_Mahrek-Ha-Droad_, happening that way in his pursuit of the fleeing
Romans, cried out, as he recognized the man I was carrying:

"IT IS CAESAR--STRIKE--KILL HIM!"

Thus I became aware that I had on my horse the direst of Gaul's foes. So
far from entertaining any thought of killing him, and seized with
stupor, my axe slipped from my hand, and I leaned back in order the
better to contemplate that terrible Caesar whom I had in my power.

Unhappy me! Alas for Gaul! Caesar profited by my stupid astonishment,
jumped down from my horse, called to his aid a troop of Numidian
horsemen who were riding in search of him, and when I regained
consciousness from my stupid amazement, the blunder was irreparable.[10]
Caesar had leaped upon one of the Numidian riders' horse, while the
others surrounded me. Furious at having allowed Caesar to escape, I now
defended myself with frenzy. I received several fresh wounds and saw my
brother Mikael die at my side. That misfortune was only the signal for
others. Victory, so long hovering over our standards, went to the
Romans. Caesar rallied his wavering legions; a considerable
re-enforcement of fresh troops came to his aid; and our whole army was
driven back in disorder upon the reserve, where were also our
war-chariots, our wounded, our women and our children. Carried by the
press of retreating combatants, I arrived in the proximity of the
chariots, happy in the midst of defeat at having at least come near my
mother and family, and at being able to defend them--if indeed the
strength were spared me, for my wounds were weakening me more and more.
Alas! The gods had condemned me to a horrible trial. I can now repeat
the words of Albinik and his wife, both killed in the attack on the
Roman galleys, and battling on the water as we did on the land for the
freedom of our beloved country: "None ever saw, nor will ever see the
frightful scene that I witnessed."

Thrown back towards the chariots, still fighting, attacked at once by
the Numidian cavalry, by the legionaries and by the Cretan archers, we
yielded ground step by step. Already we could hear the bellowing of the
oxen, the shrill sound of the numerous brass bells which trimmed their
yokes, and the