But though our m
e
n were superior to the en
emy in courage, the latter nevertheless
defended them
selves so well by the advantag
e of the higher ground, and the shouts w
e
re
so loud, and the discharge of darts on both side
s so great, that we al
m
o
st began to despair
of victory. F
o
r the first onset and shout, by which an enem
y is m
o
st apt to be dism
ayed,
were pretty equal in the present encounter.
All fought with equal
valor; the place was
covered with arrows and darts, and great num
bers of the enemy fell. W
e
have already
observed that the tenth legion was on the ri
ght, which, though not considerable for the
num
b
er of m
e
n, was neverthele
ss fo
rm
idable for its cou
r
age; and so pres
sed the en
emy
on that side that they were
obliged to draw a legion from
the right wing to reinforce the
left, lest we should com
e
upon their flank;
but they fought so bravely that the
reinforcem
ent could not find an opportunity
of entering the ranks. Upon this m
o
tion, our
cavalry on the left fell upon Pom
p
ey'
s
right
wing. Meanwhile the clashing of ar
m
o
r
m
i
ngled with the shouts of com
b
atants, a
nd the groans of th
e dying and the wounded,
terrified th
e new-raised soldie
rs. On this occasion
,
as Ennius says, "they fo
ught hand to
hand, foot to foot, and shield to shield;"
but though the enem
y fought with the utm
o
st
vigor, they were obliged to give ground, a
nd retire toward the town. The battle was
fought on the feast of Bacchus, and the Pom
p
eian
s were entirely rou
t
ed and put to flight;
insom
u
ch that not a m
a
n could have escaped,
had
they not sh
e
lte
red them
selves in the
place whence they advan
ced to th
e ch
arge. The en
em
y lost on this occasio
n upward of
thirty thous
and m
e
n, and am
ong the rest La
bienus
and Attius Varus, whose funeral
obsequies w
e
re performed upon the field of
battle. They had likewise three thousand
Rom
a
n knights killed, partly Italian, partly
provincial. About a thousand were slain on
our side, partly foot, partly
horse; and five hundred wounded.
W
e
gained thirteen eagles,
and several standards, and em
ble
m
s of author
ity, and m
a
de s
e
venteen officers prisoners.
Such was the issue of this action.” (F
rom
The Spanish W
a
r
an account believed to have
been written by a supporter of Caesar
who participated in the cam
paign)