himself was at hand.

10. And they suddenly turned their backs, still offering occasional
resistance, to leave no chance for safety untried; but at last they were
routed with such slaughter that of their whole number not above 9,000,
as was reckoned, escaped, and these owed their safety to the thickness
of the woods. Among the many bold and gallant men who perished was their
king, Priarius, who had been the principal cause of this ruinous war.

11. Gratian was greatly delighted and encouraged by this success; and
intending now to proceed to the East, he secretly crossed the Rhine, and
turned his march to the left, being full of sanguine hopes, and
resolving, if fortune should only favour his enterprise, to destroy the
whole of this treacherous and turbulent nation.

12. And as intelligence of this design was conveyed to the people of
Lintz by repeated messengers, they, who had already been reduced to
great weakness by the almost entire destruction of their forces, and
were now greatly alarmed at the expected approach of the emperor,
hesitated what to do, and as neither by resistance, nor by anything
which they could do or devise, did they perceive any possibility of
obtaining ever so brief a respite, they withdrew with speed to their
hills, which were almost inaccessible from the steepness of their
precipices, and reaching the most inaccessible rocks by a winding path,
they conveyed thither their riches and their families, and prepared to
defend them with all their might.

13. Having deliberated on this difficulty, our general selected 500 men
of proved experience in war out of each legion, to station opposite to
the entrances to this wall of rock. And they, being further encouraged
by the fact that the emperor himself was continually seen actively
employed among the front rank, endeavoured to scale the precipices, not
doubting but that if they could once set foot upon the rocks they should
instantly catch the barbarians, like so much game, without any conflict;
and so an engagement was commenced towards the approach of noon, and
lasted even to the darkness of night.

14. Both sides experienced heavy losses. Our men slew numbers, and fell
in numbers; and the armour of the emperor's body-guard, glittering with
gold and brilliant colours, was crushed beneath the weight of the heavy
missiles hurled upon them.

15. Gratian held a long deliberation with his chief officers; and it
seemed to them fruitless and mischievou