[
110]
When spring came they resumed hostilities, Metellus and Pompey coming from
the Pyrenees mountains, where they had wintered, and Sertorius and Perpenna
from Lusitania. They met near the town of Sucro. While the fight was going
on flashes of lightning came unexpectedly from a clear sky, but these
trained soldiers were not in the least dismayed. They continued the fight,
with heavy slaughter on both sides, until Metellus defeated Perpenna and
plundered his camp. On the other hand, Sertorius defeated Pompey, who
received a dangerous wound from a spear in the thigh, and this put an end to
that battle. Sertorius had a white fawn that was tame and allowed to move
about freely. When this fawn was not visible Sertorius considered it a bad
omen. He became low-spirited and abstained from fighting; nor did he mind
the enemy's scoffing at the fawn. When she made her appearance running
through the woods Sertorius would run to meet her and, as though he were
inspired by her, he would begin to harass the enemy. Not long afterward
Sertorius fought a great battle near Seguntia, lasting from noon till night.
Sertorius fought on horseback and vanquished Pompey, killing nearly 6000 of
his men and losing about half that number himself. Metellus at the same time
destroyed
about 5000 of Perpenna's army. The day after this
battle Sertorius, with a large reënforcement of barbarians,
attacked the camp of Metellus unexpectedly towards evening with the
intention of besieging it with a trench, but Pompey hastened up and caused
Sertorius to desist from his bold enterprise. In this way they passed the
summer, and again they separated to winter quarters.
