This ensign here of mine was turning back; / I slew the coward, and did take it from him. "The word "ensign" can mean both the standard and the standard-bearer. In this passage, Cassius uses it in both senses. Instead of leading troops forward, as he was supposed to, the ensign (who was carrying the ensign) turned back, but Cassius killed him, and holds the ensign in his hands.



The image above was downloaded from Legion XXIV - Imperial Standards.