hemselves as with a
testudo, opened loosely so as to adapt themselves to their continual
motion. On the other hand the Persians, obstinately clinging to their
walls, laboured with all their might to avoid and frustrate our deadly
attacks.

16. But when the assailants, pushing the osier fences before them,
passed up to the walls, the archers, slingers and others, rolling down
huge stones, with firebrands and fire-pots, repelled them to a distance.
Then the balistae, armed with wooden arrows, were bent and loosened with
a horrid creak, and poured forth incessant storms of darts. And the
scorpions hurled forth round stones under the guidance of the skilful
hands of their workers.

17. The combat was repeated and redoubled in violence till the heat
increasing up to midday, and the sun burning up everything with its
evaporation, recalled from the battle the combatants on both sides,
equally intent as they were on the works and on the fray, but thoroughly
exhausted by fatigue and dripping with sweat.

18. The same plan was followed the next day, the two parties contending
resolutely in various modes of fighting, and again they parted with
equal valour, and equal fortune. But in every danger the emperor was
foremost among the armed combatants, urging on the destruction of the
city lest, by being detained too long before its walls, he should be
forced to abandon other objects which he had at heart.

19. But in times of emergency nothing is so unimportant as not
occasionally to influence great affairs, even contrary to all
expectation. For when, as had often happened, the two sides were
fighting slackly, and on the point of giving over, a battering-ram which
had just been brought up, being pushed forward awkwardly, struck down a
tower which was higher than any of the others, and was very strongly
built of baked brick, and its fall brought down all the adjacent portion
of the wall with a mighty crash.

20. Then in the variety of incidents which arose, the exertions of the
besiegers and the gallantry of the besieged were equally conspicuous
with noble exploits. For to our soldiers, inflamed with anger and
indignation, nothing appeared difficult. To the garrison, fighting for
their safety, nothing seemed dangerous or formidable. At last, when the
fierce contest had raged a long time and was still undecided, great
slaughter having been made on both sides, the close of day broke it off,
and both armies yielded to fatigue.

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