Without reflecting, Belisarius, who had just reached the steep bank, spurred his horse into the foaming blood-flecked river, and swam to the other side.
"Salomo," he said to one of his pretorians, as soon as he had landed, "take a handful of my guards and gallop as hard as you can to the pass. Ride over the fugitives; you must reach it before the Goths! Do you hear? You must! It is our last plank of salvation!"
Salomo and Dagisthæos obeyed, and galloped away as swift as the wind.
Belisarius collected together all whom he could reach. The Goths, as well as the Byzantines, were detained for a time by the river.
But suddenly Aigan cried:
"Salomo is returning!"
"General," cried Salomo, as he galloped up, "all is lost! Weapons glitter in the pass! It is already occupied by the Goths!"
For the first time on this unhappy day Belisarius started.
"The pass lost? Then not a man of my Emperor's army will escape. Then farewell fame, Antonina, and life! Come, Aigan, draw your sword; let me not fall living into the hands of the barbarians."
"General," said Aigan, "I have never heard you speak thus!"