shed tears. The spectators were at first surprised; then clapping
their hands and shouting, they conducted Sertorius to his residence,
considering him to be a man superior to other mortals and beloved by
the gods; and they were full of good hopes.

XXI. Sertorius, who had reduced the enemy to the greatest straits in
the plains about Seguntum[156] was compelled to fight a battle with
them when they came down to plunder and forage. The battle was well
contested on both sides. Memmius, one of the most skillful of the
commanders under Pompeius, fell in the thick of the fight, and
Sertorius, who was victorious, and making a great slaughter of those
who opposed him, attempted to get at Metellus, who stood his ground
with a resolution above his years, and, while fighting bravely, was
struck by a spear. This made the Romans who were on the spot, as well
as those who heard of it, ashamed to desert their leader, and inspired
them with courage against their enemies. After covering Metellus with
their shields and rescuing him from danger, by making a vigorous onset
they drove the Iberians from their ground; and, as the victory now
changed sides, Sertorius, with a view of securing a safe retreat for
his men, and contriving the means of getting together another army
without any interruption, retired to a strong city in the mountains,
and began to repair the walls and strengthen the gates, though his
object was anything rather than to stand a siege: but his design was
to deceive the enemy, in which he succeeded; for they sat down before
the place, thinking they should take it without difficulty, and in the
mean time they let the defeated barbarians escape, and allowed
Sertorius to collect a fresh army. It was got together by Sertorius
sending officers to the cities, and giving orders that when they had
collected a good body of men, they should dispatch a messenger to him.
When the messenger came, he broke through the besiegers without any