"Wouldst thou overcome that King of Hell with this stick?" asked Haduswinth.
"No," cried the boy; "I have now a sword."
And he took up his prisoner's sword, which was lying on the ground; brandished it over his head and rushed away.
Totila gave Piso in charge to the Goths, who had now landed in great numbers.
"Hasten!" he cried again. "Save the Capitol, which the Romans are destroying!"
CHAPTER XII.
Meanwhile the Prefect had left the river and gone in the direction of the Capitol.
He passed the Porta Trigemina and arrived at the Forum Boarium.
Before the Temple of Janus he met with a crowd of people by which he was detained for a short time.
In spite of his wound he had made such haste that Lucius and Syphax could scarcely follow. They had repeatedly lost sight of him. Only now did they overtake him.