xt morning at daybreak the two armies, breathing terrible
threats against each other, advanced to engage in battle: nearly twenty
thousand barbarians constituted the front of their army, with very large
reserves posted behind, out of sight, with the intention that they
should steal forward gradually, and hem in our battalions with their
vast and unexpected numbers. These were also supported by a great number
of auxiliaries of the Jesalenian tribes, whom we have mentioned as
having promised reinforcements and supplies to ourselves.

48. On the other side, the Roman army, though scanty in numbers,
nevertheless being full of natural courage, and elated by their past
victories, formed into dense columns, and joining their shields firmly
together, in the fashion of a testudo, planted their feet firmly in
steady resistance; and from sunrise to the close of day the battle was
protracted. A little before evening Firmus was seen mounted on a tall
horse, expanding his scarlet cloak in order to attract the notice of his
soldiers, whom he was exciting with a loud voice at once to deliver up
Theodosius, calling him a ferocious and cruel man--an inventor of
merciless punishments--as the only means of delivering themselves from
the miseries which he was causing them.

49. This unexpected address only provoked some of our men to fight with
more vigour than ever, but there were others whom it seduced to desert
our ranks. Therefore when the stillness of night arrived, and the
country became enveloped in thick darkness, Theodosius returned to the
fortress of Duodiense, and, recognizing those soldiers who had been
persuaded by fear and Firmus's speech to quit the fight, he put them all
to death by different modes of execution; of some he cut off the right
hands, others he burnt alive.

50. And conducting himself with ceaseless care and vigilance, he routed
a division of the barbarians who, though afraid to show themselves by
day, ventured, after the moon had set, to make an attempt upon his camp:
some of those who advanced further than their comrades he took
prisoners. Departing from this place, he made a forced march through
by-roads to attack the Jesalensians, who had shown themselves disloyal
and unfaithful. He could not obtain any supplies from their country, but
he ravaged it, and reduced it to complete desolation. Then he passed
through the towns of Mauritania and Caesarensis, and returned to Sitifis,
where he put to the torture Ca