promontories of Sicily, which are three in number,--the one which they
call Lilybaeum,--and as a result of this Trasamundus was accounted the
strongest and most powerful of all those who had ruled over the Vandals.
He became also a very special friend of the emperor Anastasius. It was
during the reign of Trasamundus that it came about that the Vandals
suffered a disaster at the hands of the Moors such as had never befallen
them before that time.

There was a certain Cabaon ruling over the Moors of Tripolis, a man
experienced in many wars and exceedingly shrewd. This Cabaon, upon
learning that the Vandals were marching against him, did as follows.
First of all he issued orders to his subjects to abstain from all
injustice and from all foods tending towards luxury and most of all from
association with women; and setting up two palisaded enclosures, he
encamped himself with all the men in one, and in the other he shut the
women, and he threatened that death would be the penalty if anyone
should go to the women's palisade. And after this he sent spies to
Carthage with the following instructions: whenever the Vandals in going
forth on the expedition should offer insult to any temple which the
Christians reverence, they were to look on and see what took place; and
when the Vandals had passed the place, they were to do the opposite of
everything which the Vandals had done to the sanctuary before their
departure. And they say that he added this also, that he was ignorant of
the God whom the Christians worshipped, but it was probable that if He
was powerful, as He was said to be, He should wreak vengeance upon those
who insulted Him and defend those who honoured Him. So the spies came to
Carthage and waited quietly, observing the preparation of the Vandals;
but when the army set out on the march to Tripolis, they followed,
clothing themselves in humble garb. And the Vandals, upon making camp
the first day, led their horses and their other animals into the temples