The pursued men broke into a dash for the nearest highway.

The soldiers were close after them.

But they had flung away their javelins, and what with their heavy armour and the fatigue of running were quite as exhausted as the Caesarians, three of whom had been thoroughly winded by their desperate rowing.

On the Pons Sublicius, where a great crowd had gathered to watch the exciting chase, there was shouting and tumult.

No doubt voices few enough would have been raised for the Caesarians if they had been captured; but now that they bade fair to escape, the air was thick with gibes at the soldiers, and cries of encouragement to the pursued.