Book 24
4.14
Upon this all the soldiers were wild with joy, and aroused to greater confidence awaited under arms the signal for battle.
4.15
And now, as the trumpets sounded their martial note, both sides raised a loud shout. The Romans were the first with repeated onslaughts and threatening roars to attack the foe, who were covered with plates of iron as if by a thin layer of feathers, and were full of confidence since the arrows flew back as they struck the folds of the hard iron; but at times the covering of joined shields, with which our men skilfully covered themselves as if by the protection of irregularly shaped arches, because of their continual movements yawned apart. The Persians, on the other hand, obstinately clinging to their walls, tried with every possible effort to avoid and baffle the death-dealing attacks.
4.16
But when the besiegers, carrying before them hurdles of wicker work, were already threatening the walls, the enemy’s slingers and archers, others even rolling down huge stones, with torches and fiery shaftsSee xxiii. 4, 14. tried to keep them at a distance; then ballistae adapted for wooden arrows were bent and plied with screaming sound, sending forth showers of missiles; and scorpions, hauled to various places by skilled hands, hurled round stones.See xxiii. 4, 4-5.
