"I have never before felt thus. Let us dismount and die!"
He was taking his left foot out of the stirrup, in order to spring from his horse, when Dagisthæos galloped up.
"Be comforted, my general! The pass is ours--it is Roman weapons that we saw there. It is Cethegus, the Prefect; he occupied the pass in secret!"
"Cethegus?" cried Belisarius. "Is it possible? Is it certain?"
"Yes, my general. Look! It was high time!"
It was indeed. For a troop of Gothic horsemen, sent by King Witichis, had arrived at the pass, crossing the river by a ford, before the fugitives. But just as they were about to enter it, Cethegus, at the head of his Illyrians, broke out of his ambush, and, after a short combat, drove back the surprised Goths.
"The first gleam of victory on this black day!" cried Belisarius. "Up! to the pass!"
And, in better order than before, the commander led his newly-rallied troops to the woody hill.
"Welcome to safety, Belisarius," cried Cethegus, as he cleansed the blade of his sword. "I have waited for you here since daybreak. I was sure that you would come."
"Prefect of Rome," said Belisarius, reaching out his hand, as he sat on his horse, "you have saved the Emperor's army, which I had lost. I thank you!"