THE HORSE OF BELISARIUS 85 



An animal so marked was termed by the 

 Greeks phalios, and by the barbarians balas, 

 words signifying "bald." While the battle was 

 in progress a number of Belisarius' soldiers left 

 his ranks and joined the Goths'. Thus it came 

 about that suddenly Belisarius heard shouts from 

 the enemy's lines, and the cries distinctly audible : 



" Belisarius rides the bald-faced horse ! Strike 

 him ! Slay it !" 



And most likely the bald-faced horse and his 

 gallant rider would have been slaughtered had 

 Belisarius' bodyguard not hastened to rally round 

 him and eventually succeeded in beating off his 

 assailants, many of whom, earlier in the day, had 

 fought beside him. 



