Brilliantly arose the sun on the next morning, casting its first beams over the warlike movement in the Gothic camp. As the King issued from his dwelling in the marketplace of Taginæ, Adalgoth, Thorismuth, and Phaza hurried to meet him with his milk-white charger, sent, together with a magnificent suit of armour, by Valeria, his bride. His arms rang as the King swung himself into the saddle. His grooms led up two other horses in reserve, one of which was Pluto, the Prefect's restless and fiery charger. From Totila's shoulders flowed his long white mantle, held together at the neck by a broad and heavy clasp set with precious stones. His cuirass was of shining silver, richly inlaid with gold, the figure of a flying swan upon the breast. The edges of the cuirass at the neck, arms, and belt, were bound with red silk. Beneath it showed the coat of white silk, reaching over the thighs. Broad gold bracelets and silvered gauntlets protected his arms and hands; greaves his knees and the top of his feet. His narrow and gracefully-shaped shield was divided into three fields of silver, gold, and crimson. On the golden field the figure of the flying swan was wrought in white enamel. The caparison and reins of his horse were set with silver and embroidered with red silk. In his right hand the King held a spear, to the point of which Valeria had fastened four streamers of red and white riband; merrily they fluttered in the morning breeze. Thus brilliantly arrayed, the King rode through the streets of Taginæ at the head of his horsemen. Earl Thorismuth, Phaza, and Duke Adalgoth, and also Julius, rode in his train. Julius carried no weapons, but he bore a shield forged by Teja. Never had Totila shone in such beauty! The people greeted him upon his way with shouts of joy. At the northern gate of Taginæ, Aligern came riding towards him. "I thought that thy place was with the right wing," said the King. "What brings thee here?" "My cousin Teja has ordered me to remain at thy side and guard thy life." "My Teja is untiring in his care of me!" cried the King. Aligern joined the escort. Earl Thorismuth now undertook the command of the footmen who were hidden in the houses of Taginæ. Outside the gate, the King rode to the front of his not very numerous troop of horsemen, and disclosed his plan to the captains. "I entrust to you, comrades, the most difficult of all tasks--flight! But the flight will be only seeming. What is true, is your courage and the destruction of the foe." And now the small troop rode forward past the place of ambush on the Flaminian Way, the King convincing himself that the Persian horsemen were in readiness upon both the wooded heights. The ambush on the right was commanded by Furius himself, that on the left by his chief, Isdigerd.