r numbers of the enemy
became wholly irresistible, stood firm and immovable. As soon as he saw
him. Trajan exclaimed that all hope was lost, unless the emperor, thus
deserted by his guards, could be protected by the aid of his foreign
allies.

9. When this exclamation was heard, a count named Victor hastened to
bring up with all speed the Batavians, who were placed in the reserve,
and who ought to have been near at hand, to the emperor's assistance;
but as none of them could be found, he too retreated, and in a similar
manner Richomeres and Saturninus saved themselves from danger.

10. So now, with rage flashing in their eyes, the barbarians pursued our
men, who were in a state of torpor, the warmth of their veins having
deserted them. Many were slain without knowing who smote them; some were
overwhelmed by the mere weight of the crowd which pressed upon them; and
some were slain by wounds inflicted by their own comrades. The
barbarians spared neither those who yielded nor those who resisted.

11. Besides these, many half slain lay blocking up the roads, unable to
endure the torture of their wounds; and heaps of dead horses were piled
up and filled the plain with their carcases. At last a dark moonless
night put an end to the irremediable disaster which cost the Roman state
so dear.

12. Just when it first became dark, the emperor being among a crowd of
common soldiers, as it was believed--for no one said either that he had
seen him, or been near him--was mortally wounded with an arrow, and,
very shortly after, died, though his body was never found. For as some
of the enemy loitered for a long time about the field in order to
plunder the dead, none of the defeated army or of the inhabitants
ventured to go to them.

13. A similar fate befell the Caesar Decius, when fighting vigorously
against the barbarians; for he was thrown by his horse falling, which he
had been unable to hold, and was plunged into a swamp, out of which he
could never emerge, nor could his body be found.

14. Others report that Valens did not die immediately, but that he was
borne by a small body of picked soldiers and eunuchs to a cabin in the
neighbourhood, which was strongly built, with two stories; and that
while these unskilful hands were tending his wounds, the cottage was
surrounded by the enemy, though they did not know who was in it; still,
however, he was saved from the disgrace of being made a prisoner.

15. For when his pursuers, w