The sun was high in the sky; the last cloud had vanished; the blue above was as clear and translucent as it is conceivable anything may be and yet retain its colour--not become clear light.

The head of the column was six hundred paces from the silent Pompeian lines which awaited them.

Then cohort after cohort filed off to the right and left, and the line of battle was ready.

On the right was the tenth legion, on the left the weak ninth, reenforced by the eighth.

There were eighty cohorts in all, to oppose one hundred and ten.