When this letter had been brought to Tzazon, and he had disclosed its contents to the Vandals, they turned to wailing and lamentation, not openly, however, but concealing their feelings as much as possible and avoiding the notice of the islanders, silently among themselves they bewailed the fate which was upon them.  And straightway setting in order matters in hand just as chance directed, they manned the ships.  And sailing from there with the whole fleet, on the third day they came to land at the point of Libya which marks the boundary between the Numidians and Mauretanians.  And they reached the plain of Boulla travelling on foot, and there joined with the rest of the army.  And in that place there were many most pitiable scenes among the Vandals, which I, at least, could never relate as they deserve.  For I think that even if one of the enemy themselves had happened to be a spectator at that time, he would probably have felt pity, in spite of himself, for the Vandals and for human fortune.  For Gelimer and Tzazon threw their arms about each other’s necks, and could not let go, but they spoke not a word to each other, but kept wringing their hands and weeping, and each one of the Vandals with Gelimer embraced one of those who had come from Sardinia, and did the same thing.  And they stood for a long time as if grown together and found such comfort as they could in this, and neither did the men of Gelimer think fit to ask about Godas (for their present fortune had prostrated them and caused them to reckon such things as had previously seemed to them most important with those which were now utterly negligible), nor could those who came from Sardinia bring themselves to ask about what had happened in Libya.  For the place was sufficient to permit them to judge of what had come to pass.  And indeed they did not make any mention even of their own wives and children, knowing well that whoever of theirs was not there had either died or fallen into the hands of the enemy.  Thus, then, did these things happen.

FOOTNOTES: 

[1]

Cadiz.

[2]

Sea of Azov.

[3]

Abila.

[4]

Or Septem Fratres.

[5]

Most ancient geographers divided the inhabited world into three continents, but some made two divisions.  It was a debated question with these latter whether Africa belonged to Asia or to Europe; of.  Sallust, Jugurtha, 17.

[6]

Kadi Keui.

[7]

More correctly Hydrous, Lat.  Hydruntum (Otranto).

[8]

At Aulon (Avlona).

[9]

Adding these four days to the other items (285, 22, 40), the total is 351 days.

[10]

Calpe (Gibraltar).

[11]

i.e., instead of stopping at Otranto, one might also reckon in the coast-line around the Adriatic to Dyrrachium.