And he it was. He sprang upon the ramparts, and attacking the Goth, who had just laid his hand upon the breastwork before swinging himself over, he cut off hand and arm. The man screamed and fell.
"Oh, Cethegus!" cried Piso; "you come in the very nick of time!"
"I hope so," said Cethegus, and overturned the ladder which was raised against the wall just in front of him.
Witichis had mounted it--he sprang down with agility.
"But I must have projectiles; spears, lances! else we can do nothing!" cried Cethegus.
"There is nothing left," answered Balbus; "we hoped that you would come with your Isaurians."
"They are still far, far behind me!" cried Kallistratos, who was the first to arrive after Cethegus.
And the number of ladders and the rising helmets increased. Ruin was imminent. Cethegus looked wildly round.
"Projectiles," he cried, stamping his foot; "we must have them!"
At that moment his eye fell upon a gigantic marble statue of Jupiter, which stood upon the ramparts to his left hand. A thought flashed across him. He sprang up, and with his axe struck off the right arm of the statue, together with the thunderbolt it held.