nd, and his army grew very great, for they
flocked together and flowed in upon him from all quarters. But when they
continually cried out to attack the enemy, and were impatient of delay,
their inexperienced, disorderly rashness caused Sertorius much trouble,
who at first strove to restrain them with reason and good counsel, but
when he perceived them refractory and unseasonably violent, he gave way
to their impetuous desires, and permitted them to engage with the enemy,
in such a way that they might be repulsed, yet not totally routed, and
so become more obedient to his commands for the future. This happening
as he had anticipated, he soon rescued them, and brought them safe into
his camp. And after a few days, being willing to encourage them again,
when he had called all his army together, he caused two horses to be
brought into the field, one an old, feeble, lean animal, the other a
lusty, strong horse, with a remarkably thick and long tail. Near the
lean one he placed a tall, strong man, and near the strong, young horse
a weak, despicable-looking fellow; and at a given signal the strong man
took hold of the weak horse's tail with both his hands, and drew it to
him with his whole force, as if he would pull it off; the other, the
weak man, in the meantime, set to work to pluck off hair by hair the
great horse's tail. And when the strong man had given trouble enough
to himself in vain, and sufficient diversion to the company, and had
abandoned his attempt, whilst the weak, pitiful fellow in a short time
and with little pains had left not a hair on the great horse's tail,
Sertorius arose and said to his army, "You see, fellow-soldiers, that
perseverance is more prevailing than violence, and that many things
which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield readily when
taken little by little. Assiduity and persistence are irresistible,
and in time overthrow and destroy the greatest powers. Time being the
favorable friend and assistant of those who use their judgment to await
his occasions, and the destructive enemy of those who are unseasonably
urging and pressing forward."

Of all his remarkable exploits, none raised greater admiration than that
which he put in practice against the Characitanians. These are a people
beyond the river Tagus, who inhabit neither cities nor towns, but live
in a vast, high hill, within the deep dens and caves of the rocks, the
mouths of which all open towards the north. The country belo