All at once it fell beneath him, and before he could rise, Witichis stood over him.
Springing from his saddle, Witichis now silently pushed the sword of the fallen man, which had dropped from the latter's hand, towards him.
Then Calpurnius took courage--the courage of despair.
He rose to his feet, took up his sword, and sprang at the Goth with a leap like that of a tiger.
But in the middle of his leap he fell prone to the ground; the sword of Witichis had split his forehead open.
The King set his foot upon the breast of the corpse, and looked into the distorted face. He sighed deeply.
"Revenge is sweet, but it will not bring back my child!"
With deep ire Belisarius had witnessed this unhappy commencement of the battle. But his confidence and composure did not abandon him, even when he saw the Armenians swept away, and the horsemen of Calpurnius overthrown and scattered.
He was now convinced of the strength and superiority of the enemy. But he determined to advance upon his whole line, leaving a gap in which to receive his fugitive horsemen.
But this the Goths were quick to perceive; and, Witichis foremost, they followed Totila and Hildebrand--who had annihilated the surrounded Huns--and pressed forward so furiously that they threatened to reach and break through the lines of Belisarius at the same moment with the fugitives.