learning what had befallen the Ephthalitae, was advancing against the
enemy with all speed, he noticed that the water of the brook was
disturbed, and divining what was going on, he came to the conclusion
that his opponents were unprepared, and gave orders to charge upon them
immediately at full speed. [Aug., 503 A.D.] Straightway, then, they fell
upon them feasting and unarmed. And the Romans did not withstand their
onset, nor did they once think of resistance, but they began to flee as
each one could; and some of them were captured and slain, while others
climbed the hill which rises there and threw themselves down the cliff
in panic and much confusion. And they say that not a man escaped from
there; but Patricius and Hypatius had succeeded in getting away at the
beginning of the onset. After this Cabades retired homeward with his
whole army, since hostile Huns had made an invasion into his land, and
with this people he waged a long war in the northerly portion of his
realm. In the meantime the other Roman army also came, but they did
nothing worth recounting, because, it seems, no one was made
commander-in-chief of the expedition; but all the generals were of equal
rank, and consequently they were always opposing one another's opinions
and were utterly unable to unite. However Celer, with his contingent,
crossed the Nymphius River and made some sort of an invasion into
Arzanene. This river is one very close to Martyropolis, about three
hundred stades from Amida. So Celer's troops plundered the country
thereabout and returned not long after, and the whole invasion was
completed in a short time.


IX

After this Areobindus went to Byzantium at the summons of the emperor,
while the other generals reached Amida, and, in spite of the winter