Letter 122

To my Brother. May all good things befall the priests of Axomis! While the soldiers were hiding in mountain gorges to save their precious skins, these priests gathered the peasants around them and led them straight from the church door against the enemy. They called on God and raised a trophy of victory in the Myrtle Valley. It is a long, deep ravine, thick with forest. The barbarians, meeting no resistance, rashly entered this dangerous defile — only to meet the brave Faustus, deacon of the church. This man, unarmed, marching at the head of his troops, was the first to engage an armored enemy soldier. He snatched up a stone — not to throw it, but, gripping it like a fist, he leaped on the man and struck him hard on the temple. He knocked him down, stripped him of his armor, and piled many barbarians on top of him. If anyone else showed courage in that battle, the credit still belongs to Faustus — for his personal bravery and for the orders he gave at the critical moment. I would gladly give a victor's wreath to everyone who fought that day. They were the first to do brave deeds, the first to show our panic-stricken people that the barbarians are not supernatural demons but men like us, who can be wounded and killed. If only we had been more than fifteen irregulars foraging in a valley — if we could have given battle in the open, army against army — even the second prize would have been honorable.

Letter 122: A Successful Engagement [1] To his Brother May all good things befall the priests of Axomis! While the soldiers were hiding themselves in the gorges of the mountains to take care of their precious lives, these priests called the peasants about them, and led them straight from the very church door against the enemy, and then they called upon God, and erected a trophy in the Myrtle Valley! [2] This is a long ravine, deep and covered with forests. The barbarians , when they found no resistance in their way, rashly entered this dangerous defile, but they had to meet the valiant Faustus, the deacon of the church. This man, unarmed, when marching at the head of his troops, was himself the first to encounter a hoplite . He snatches up a stone, not to hurl it, but, holding it in his hand and leaping upon him as with a clenched fist he strikes the other violently on the temple. He knocks him down, strips him of his armor, and heaps many of the barbarians upon him. If any other man gave proof of courage in that battle, it is to Faustus that credit is due, both on account of his personal bravery, and for the orders which he gave at the critical moment. [3] For my part, I would willingly give a victor's wreath to all those who participated in the engagement, and I would have their names proclaimed by the voice of a herald , for they were the first to do brave deeds, and to show panicstricken souls that the barbarians are not Corybantes nor the demons who serve Rhea, but men like ourselves, who can be wounded and killed. [4] And if only we are men in such a crisis as this, even the second prize will be honorable. Fate perchance might accord us even the first, if instead of being fifteen irregulars, hiking in a valley to forage, we were able to give battle in the open, in regular warfare, mass against mass.