1.
The following winter (this was the year in which Cn. Pompey and
M. Crassus were consuls [55 B.C.]), those Germans [called] the
Usipetes, and likewise the Tenchtheri, with a
great number of men, crossed the Rhine , not far from the place
at which that river discharges itself into the sea. The motive for crossing
[that river] was, that having been for several years harassed by the
Suevi, they were constantly engaged in war, and hindered from
the pursuits of agriculture. The nation of the Suevi is by far the
largest and the most warlike nation of all the Germans. They are said to possess a hundred cantons, from each of
which they yearly send from their territories for the purpose of war a thousand
armed men: the others who remain at home, maintain [both] themselves and
those-engaged in the expedition. The latter again, in their turn, are in arms
the year after: the former remain at home. Thus neither husbandry, nor the art
and practice of war are neglected. But among them there exists no private and
separate land; nor are they permitted to remain more than one year in one place
for the purpose of residence. They do not live much on corn, but subsist for the
most part on milk and flesh, and are much [engaged] in hunting; which
circumstance must, by the nature of their food, and by their daily exercise and
the freedom of their life (for having from boyhood been accustomed to no
employment, or discipline, they do nothing at all contrary to their
inclination), both promote their strength and render them men of vast stature of
body. And to such a habit have they brought themselves, that even in the coldest
parts they wear no clothing whatever except skins, by reason of the scantiness
of which, a great portion of their body is bare, and besides they bathe in open
rivers. 2.
Merchants have access to them rather that they may have persons to whom they may
sell those things which they have taken in war, than because they need any
commodity to be imported to them. Moreover, even as to laboring cattle, in which
the Gauls take the greatest pleasure, and which they
procure at a great price, the Germans do not employ
such as are imported, but those poor and ill-shaped animals, which belong to
their country; these, however, they render capable of the greatest labor by
daily exercise. In cavalry actions they frequently leap from their horses and
fight on foot; and train their horses to stand still in the very spot on which
they leave them, to which they retreat with great activity when there is
occasion; nor, according to their practice, is any thing regarded as more
unseemly, or more unmanly, than to use housings. Accordingly, they have the
courage, though they be themselves but few, to advance against any number
whatever of horse mounted with housings. They on no account permit wine to be
imported to them, because they consider that men degenerate in their powers of
enduring fatigue, and are rendered effeminate by that commodity. 3.
They esteem it their greatest praise as a nation, that the lands about their
territories lie unoccupied to a very great extent, inasmuch as [they think] that
by this circumstance is indicated, that a great number of nations can not
withstand their power; and thus on one side of the Suevi the lands
are said to lie desolate for about six hundred miles. On the other side they
border on the Ubii, whose state was large and flourishing,
considering the condition of the Germans, and who are
somewhat more refined than those of the same race and the rest [of the
Germans], and that because they border on the Rhine
, and are much resorted to by merchants, and are accustomed to the
manners of the Gauls, by reason of their approximity
to them. Though the Suevi, after making the attempt frequently and
in several wars, could not expel this nation from their territories, on account
of the extent and population of their state, yet they made them tributaries, and
rendered them less distinguished and powerful [than they had ever been].
4.
In the same condition were the Usipetes and the
Tenchtheri (whom we have mentioned above), who, for many years,
resisted the power of the Suevi, but being at last driven from
their possessions, and having wandered through many parts of Germany , came to the
Rhine , to districts which the Menapii inhabited, and
where they had lands, houses, and villages on either side of the river. The
latter people, alarmed by the arrival of so great a multitude, removed from
those houses which they had on the other side of the river, and having placed
guards on this side the Rhine , proceeded to hinder
the Germans from crossing. They, finding themselves,
after they had tried all means, unable either to force a passage on account of
their deficiency in shipping, or cross by stealth on account of the guards of
the Menapii, pretended to return to their own settlements and
districts; and, after having proceeded three days' march, returned; and their
cavalry having performed the whole of this journey in one night, cut off the
Menapii, who were ignorant of, and did not expect [their
approach, and] who, having moreover been informed of the departure of the Germans by their scouts, had, without apprehension,
returned to their villages beyond the Rhine . Having slain these,
and seized their ships, they crossed the river before that part of the
Menapii, who were at peace in their settlements over the Rhine
, were apprized of [their intention]; and seizing all their houses,
maintained themselves upon their provisions during the rest of the winter.
5.
Caesar, when informed of these matters, fearing the
fickle disposition of the Gauls, who are easily
prompted to take up resolutions, and much addicted to change, considered that
nothing was to be intrusted to them; for it is the custom of that people to
compel travelers to stop, even against their inclination, and inquire what they
may have heard, or may know, respecting any matter; and in towns the common
people throng around merchants and force them to state from what countries they
come, and what affairs they know of there. They often engage in resolutions
concerning the most important matters, induced by these reports and stories
alone; of which they must necessarily instantly repent, since they yield to mere
unauthorized reports; and since most people give to their questions answers
framed agreeably to their wishes. 6.
Caesar, being aware of their custom, in order that he
might not encounter a more formidable war, sets forward to the army earlier in
the year than he was accustomed to do. When he had arrived there, he discovered
that those things, which he had suspected would occur, had taken place; that
embassies had been sent to the Germans by some of the
states, and that they had been entreated to leave the Rhine , and had
been promised that all things which they desired should be provided by the Gauls. Allured by this hope, the Germans were then making excursions to greater
distances, and had advanced to the territories of the Eburones and
the Condrusi, who are under the protection of the Treviri . After summoning the chiefs of Gaul, Caesar thought proper to pretend ignorance of the things
which he had discovered; and having conciliated and confirmed their minds, and
ordered some cavalry to be raised, resolved to make war against the Germans. 7.
Having provided corn and selected his cavalry, he began to direct his march
toward those parts in which he heard the Germans
were. When he was distant from them only a few days' march, embassadors came to
him from their state, whose speech was as follows: "That the Germans neither make war upon the Roman
people first, nor do they decline, if they are provoked, to engage with them in
arms; for that this was the custom of the Germans
handed down to them from their forefathers, -to resist whatsoever people make
war upon them and not to avert it by entreaty; this, however, they
confessed,-that they had come hither reluctantly, having been expelled from
their country. If the Romans were disposed to accept
their friendship, they might be serviceable allies to them; and let them either
assign them lands, or permit them to retain those which they had acquired by
their arms; that they are inferior to the Suevi alone, to whom not
even the immortal gods can show themselves equal; that there was none at all
besides on earth whom they could not conquer." 8.
To these remarks Caesar replied in such terms as he
thought proper; but the conclusion of his speech was, "That he could make no
alliance with them, if they continued in Gaul; that it was not probable
that they who were not able to defend their own territories, should get
possession of those of others, nor were there any lands lying waste in Gaul, which could be given away, especially to so great a number of
men, without doing wrong [to others]; but they might, if they were desirous,
settle in the territories of the Ubii; whose embassadors were then
with him, and were complaining of the aggressions of the Suevi, and
requesting assistance from him; and that he would obtain this request from
them." 9.
The embassadors said that they would report these things to their country men;
and, after having deliberated on the matter, would return to Caesar after the third day, they begged that he would not in the
mean time advance his camp nearer to them. Caesar said
that he could not grant them even that; for he had learned that they had sent a
great part of their cavalry over the Meuse to the
Ambivariti, some days before, for the purpose of plundering and
procuring forage. He supposed that they were then waiting for these horse, and
that the delay was caused on this account. 10.
The Meuse rises from mount
Le Vosge, which is in the territories of the Lingones ; and, having received a branch of the Rhine
, which is called the Waal , forms
the island of the Batavi, and not more than eighty miles from it it
falls into the ocean. But the Rhine takes its source among
the Lepontii, who inhabit the Alps , and is carried with a
rapid current for a long distance through the territories of the
Sarunates, Helvetii,
Sequani, Mediomatrici, Tribuci, and
Treviri , and when it approaches the ocean, divides into several
branches; and, having formed many and extensive islands, a great part of which
are inhabited by savage and barbarous nations (of whom there are some who are
supposed to live on fish and the eggs of sea-fowl), flows into the ocean by
several mouths. 11.
When Caesar was not more than twelve miles distant from
the enemy, the embassadors return to him, as had been arranged; who meeting him
on the march, earnestly entreated him not to advance any further. When they
could not obtain this, they begged him to send on a dispatch to those who had
marched in advance of the main army, and forbid them to engage; and grant them
permission to send embassadors to the Ubii, and if the princes and
senate of the latter would give them security by oath, they assured Caesar that they would accept such conditions as might be
proposed by him; and requested that he would give them the space of three days
for negociating these affairs. Caesar thought that
these things tended to the self-same point [as their other proposal]; [namely]
that, in consequence of a delay of three days intervening, their horse, which
were at a distance, might return; however, he said, that he would not that day
advance further than four miles for the purpose of procuring water; he ordered
that they should assemble at that place in as large a number as possible, the
following day, that he might inquire into their demands. In the mean time he
sends messengers to the officers who had marched in advance with all the
cavalry, to order them not to provoke the enemy to an engagement, and if they
themselves were assailed, to sustain the attack until he came up with the army.
12.
But the enemy, as soon as they saw our horse, the number of which was 5000,
whereas they themselves had not more than 800 horse, because those which had
gone over the Meuse for the purpose of
foraging had not returned, while our men had no apprehensions, because their
embassadors had gone away from Caesar a little before,
and that day had been requested by them as a period of truce, made an onset on
our men, and soon threw them into disorder. When our men, in their turn, made a
stand, they, according to their practice, leaped from their horses to their
feet, and stabbing our horses in the belly and overthrowing a great many of our
men, put the rest to flight, and drove them forward so much alarmed that they
did not desist from their retreat till they had come in sight of our army. In
that encounter seventy-four of our horse were slain; among them, Piso, an Aquitanian, a most
valiant man, and descended from a very illustrious family; whose grandfather had
held the sovereignty of his state, and had been styled friend by our senate. He,
while he was endeavoring to render assistance to his brother who was surrounded
by the enemy, and whom he rescued from danger, was himself thrown from his
horse, which was wounded under him, but still opposed [his antagonists] with the
greatest intrepidity, as long as he was able to maintain the conflict. When at
length he fell, surrounded on all sides and after receiving many wounds, and his
brother, who had then retired from the fight, observed it from a distance, he
spurred on his horse, threw himself upon the enemy, and was killed. 13.
After this engagement, Caesar considered that neither
ought embassadors to be received to audience, nor conditions be accepted by him
from those who, after having sued for peace by way of stratagem and treachery,
had made war without provocation. And to wait until the enemy's forces were
augmented and their cavalry had returned, he concluded, would be the greatest
madness; and knowing the fickleness of the Gauls, he
felt how much influence the enemy had already acquired among them by this one
skirmish. He [therefore] deemed that no time for concerting measures ought to be
afforded them. After having resolved on those things and communicated his plans
to his lieutenants and quaestor in order that he might not suffer any
opportunity for engaging to escape him, a very seasonable event occurred,
namely, that on the morning of the next day, a large body of Germans, consisting of their princes and old men, came to the camp
to him to practice the same treachery and dissimulation; but, as they asserted,
for the purpose of acquitting themselves for having engaged in a skirmish the
day before, contrary to what had been agreed and to what indeed, they themselves
had requested; and also if they could by any means obtain a truce by deceiving
him. Caesar, rejoicing that they had fallen into his
power, ordered them to be detained. He then drew all his forces out of the camp,
and commanded the cavalry, because he thought they were intimidated by the late
skirmish, to follow in the rear. 14.
Having marshalled his army in three lines, and in a short time performed a march
of eight miles, he arrived at the camp of the enemy before the Germans could perceive what was going on; who being
suddenly alarmed by all the circumstances, both by the speediness of our arrival
and the absence of their own officers, as time was afforded neither for
concerting measures nor for seizing their arms, are perplexed as to whether it
would be better to lead out their forces against the enemy, or to defend their
camp, or seek their safety by flight. Their consternation being made apparent by
their noise and tumult, our soldiers, excited by the treachery of the preceding
day, rushed into the camp: such of them as could readily get their arms, for a
short time withstood our men, and gave battle among their carts and baggage
wagons; but the rest of the people, [consisting] of boys and women (for they had
left their country and crossed the Rhine with all their
families) began to fly in all directions; in pursuit of whom Caesar sent the cavalry. 15.
The Germans when, upon hearing a noise behind them,
[they looked and] saw that their families were being slain, throwing away their
arms and abandoning their standards, fled out of the camp, and when they had
arrived at the confluence of the Meuse and the Rhine
, the survivors despairing of further escape, as a great number of their
countrymen had been killed, threw themselves into the river and there perished,
overcome by fear, fatigue, and the violence of the stream. Our soldiers, after
the alarm of so great a war, for the number of the enemy amounted to 430,000,
returned to their camp, all safe to a man, very few being even wounded. Caesar granted those whom he had detained in the camp
liberty of departing. They however, dreading revenge and torture from the Gauls, whose lands they had harassed, said that they
desired to remain with him. Caesar granted them
permission. 16.
The German war being finished, Caesar
thought it expedient for him to cross the Rhine , for many reasons; of
which this was the most weighty, that, since he saw the Germans were so easily urged to go into Gaul, he desired
they should have their fears for their own territories, when they discovered
that the army of the Roman people both could and
dared pass the Rhine . There was added also,
that portion of the cavalry of the Usipetes and the
Tenchtheri, which I have above related to have crossed the
Meuse for the purpose of
plundering and procuring forage, and was not present at the engagement, had
betaken themselves, after the retreat of their countrymen, across the Rhine
into the territories of the Sigambri, and united themselves
to them. When Caesar sent embassadors to them, to
demand that they should give up to him those who had made war against him and
against Gaul, they replied, "That the
Rhine bounded the empire of the Roman
people; if he did not think it just for the Germans
to pass over into Gaul against his consent, why
did he claim that any thing beyond the Rhine should be subject to
his dominion or power?" The Ubii, also, who alone, out of all the
nations lying beyond the Rhine , had sent embassadors
to Caesar, and formed an alliance and given hostages,
earnestly entreated "that he would bring them assistance, because they were
grievously oppressed by the Suevi; or, if he was prevented from
doing so by the business of the commonwealth, he would at least transport his
army over the Rhine ; that that would be
sufficient for their present assistance and their hope for the future; that so
great was the name and the reputation of his army, even among the most remote
nations of the Germans, arising from the defeat of
Ariovistus and this last battle which was fought, that they
might be safe under the fame and friendship of the Roman people." They promised a large number of ships for
transporting the army. 17.
Caesar, for those reasons which I have mentioned, had
resolved to cross the Rhine ; but to cross by ships
he neither deemed to be sufficiently safe, nor considered consistent with his
own dignity or that of the Roman people. Therefore,
although the greatest difficulty in forming a bridge was presented to him, on
account of the breadth, rapidity, and depth of the river, he nevertheless
considered that it ought to be attempted by him, or that his army ought not
otherwise to be led over. He devised this plan of a bridge. He joined together
at the distance of two feet, two piles, each a foot and a half thick, sharpened
a little at the lower end, and proportioned in length, to the depth of the
river. After he had, by means of engines, sunk these into the river, and fixed
them at the bottom, and then driven them in with rammers, not quite
perpendicularly, dike a stake, but bending forward and sloping, so as to incline
in the direction of the current of the river; he also placed two [other piles]
opposite to these, at the distance of forty feet lower down, fastened together
in the same manner, but directed against the force and current of the river.
Both these, moreover, were kept firmly apart by beams two feet thick (the space
which the binding of the piles occupied), laid in at their extremities between
two braces on each side, and in consequence of these being in different
directions and fastened on sides the one opposite to the other, so great was the
strength of the work, and such the arrangement of the materials, that in
proportion as the greater body of water dashed against the bridge, so much the
closer were its parts held fastened together. These beams were bound together by
timber laid over them, in the direction of the length of the bridge, and were
[then] covered over with laths and hurdles; and in addition to this, piles were
driven into the water obliquely, at the lower side of the bridge, and these,
serving as buttresses, and being connected with every portion of the work,
sustained the force of the stream: and there were others also above the bridge,
at a moderate distance; that if trunks of trees or vessels were floated down the
river by the barbarians for the purpose of destroying the work, the violence of
such things might be diminished by these defenses, and might not injure the
bridge. 18.
Within ten days after the timber began to be collected, the whole work was
completed, and the whole army led over. Caesar, leaving
a strong guard at each end of the bridge, hastens into the territories of the
Sigambri. In the mean time, embassadors from several nations
come to him, whom, on their suing for peace and alliance, he answers in a
courteous manner, and orders hostages to be brought to him. But the
Sigambri, at the very time the bridge was begun to be built,
made preparations for a flight (by the advice of such of the
Tenchtheri and Usipetes as they had among them),
and quitted their territories, and conveyed away all their possessions, and
concealed themselves in deserts and woods. 19.
Caesar, having remained in their territories a few days,
and burned all their villages and houses, and cut down their corn, proceeded
into the territories of the Ubii; and having promised them his
assistance, if they were ever harassed by the Suevi, he learned
from them these particulars: that the Suevi, after they had by
means of their scouts found that the bridge was being built, had called a
council, according to their custom, and sent orders to all parts of their state
to remove from the towns and convey their children, wives, and all their
possessions into the woods, and that all who could bear arms should assemble in
one place; that the place thus chosen was nearly the centre of those regions
which the Suevi possessed; that in this spot they had resolved to
await the arrival of the Romans, and give them battle
there. When Caesar discovered this, having already
accomplished all these things on account of which he had resolved to lead his
army over, namely, to strike fear into the Germans,
take vengeance on the Sigambri, and free the Ubii from
the invasion of the Suevi, having spent altogether eighteen days
beyond the Rhine , and thinking he had
advanced far enough to serve both honor and interest, he returned into Gaul, and cut down the bridge. 20.
During the short part of summer which remained, Caesar,
although in these countries, as all Gaul lies toward the north, the
winters are early, nevertheless resolved to proceed into Britain, because he discovered that in almost all the wars with the
Gauls succors had been furnished to our enemy
from that country; and even if the time of year should be insufficient for
carrying on the war, yet he thought it would be of great service to him if he
only entered the island, and saw into the character of the people, and got
knowledge of their localities, harbors, and landing-places, all which were for
the most part unknown to the Gauls. For neither does
any one except merchants generally go thither, nor even to them was any portion
of it known, except the sea-coast and those parts which are opposite to Gaul. Therefore, after having called up to him the merchants from
all parts, he could learn neither what was the size of the island, nor what or
how numerous were the nations which inhabited it, nor what system of war they
followed, nor what customs they used, nor what harbors were convenient for a
great number of large ships. 21.
He sends before him Caius Volusenus with a ship of war, to acquire a
knowledge of these particulars before he in person should make a descent into
the island, as he was convinced that this was a judicious measure. He
commissioned him to thoroughly examine into all matters, and then return to him
as soon as possible. He himself proceeds to the Morini with all his
forces. He orders ships from all parts of the neighboring countries, and the
fleet which the preceding summer he had built for the war with the
Veneti, to assemble in this place. In the mean time, his
purpose having been discovered, and reported to the Britons by
merchants, embassadors come to him from several states of the island, to promise
that they will give hostages, and submit to the government of the Roman people. Having given them an audience, he after
promising liberally, and exhorting them to continue in that purpose, sends them
back to their own country, and [dispatches] with them Commius,
whom, upon subduing the Atrebates, he had created king there, a man
whose courage and conduct he esteemed, and who he thought would be faithful to
him, and whose influence ranked highly in those countries. He orders him to
visit as many states as he could, and persuade them to embrace the protection of
the Roman people, and apprize them that he would
shortly come thither. Volusenus, having viewed the
localities as far as means could be afforded one who dared not leave his ship
and trust himself to barbarians, returns to Caesar on
the fifth day, and reports what he had there observed. 22.
While Caesar remains in these parts for the purpose of
procuring ships, embassadors come to him from a great portion of the
Morini, to plead their excuse respecting their conduct on the
late occasion; alleging that it was as men uncivilized, and as those who were
unacquainted with our custom, that they had made war upon the Roman people, and promising to perform what he should
command. Caesar, thinking that this had happened
fortunately enough for him, because he neither wished to leave an enemy behind
him, nor had an opportunity for carrying on a war, by reason of the time of
year, nor considered that employment in such trifling matters was to be
preferred to his enterprise on Britain, imposes
a large number of hostages; and when these were brought, he received them to his
protection. Having collected together, and provided about eighty transport
ships, as many as he thought necessary for conveying over two legions, he
assigned such [ships] of war as he had besides to the quaestor, his lieutenants,
and officers of cavalry. There were in addition to these eighteen ships of
burden which were prevented, eight miles from that place, by winds, from being
able to reach the same port. These he distributed among the horse; the rest of
the army, he delivered to Q. Titurius Sabinus and L. Aurunculeius Cotta, his lieutenants, to lead into the
territories of the Menapii and those cantons of the
Morini from which embassadors had not come to him. He ordered
P. Sulpicius Rufus, his lieutenant, to hold
possession of the harbor, with such a garrison as he thought sufficient.
23.
These matters being arranged, finding the weather favorable for his voyage, he
set sail about the third watch, and ordered the horse to march forward to the
further port, and there embark and follow him. As this was performed rather
tardily by them, he himself reached Britain with the
first squadron of ships, about the fourth hour of the day, and there saw the
forces of the enemy drawn up in arms on all the hills. The nature of the place
was this: the sea was confined by mountains so close to it that a dart could be
thrown from their summit upon the shore. Considering this by no means a fit
place for disembarking, he remained at anchor till the ninth hour, for the other
ships to arrive there. Having in the mean time assembled the lieutenants and
military tribunes, he told them both what he had learned from Volusenus, and what he wished to be done; and enjoined them (as the
principle of military matters, and especially as maritime affairs, which have a
precipitate and uncertain action, required) that all things should be performed
by them at a nod and at the instant. Having dismissed them, meeting both with
wind and tide favorable at the same time, the signal being given and the anchor
weighed, he advanced about seven miles from that place, and stationed his fleet
over against an open and level shore. 24.
But the barbarians, upon perceiving the design of the Romans, sent forward their cavalry and charioteers, a class of
warriors of whom it is their practice to make great use in their battles, and
following with the rest of their forces, endeavored to prevent our men landing.
In this was the greatest difficulty, for the following reasons, namely, because
our ships, on account of their great size, could be stationed only in deep
water; and our soldiers, in places unknown to them, with their hands
embarrassed, oppressed with a large and heavy weight of armor, had at the same
time to leap from the ships, stand amid the waves, and encounter the enemy;
whereas they, either on dry ground, or advancing a little way into the water,
free in all their limbs in places thoroughly known to them, could confidently
throw their weapons and spur on their horses, which were accustomed to this kind
of service. Dismayed by these circumstances and altogether untrained in this
mode of battle, our men did not all exert the same vigor and eagerness which
they had been wont to exert in engagements on dry ground. 25.
When Caesar observed this, he ordered the ships of war,
the appearance of which was somewhat strange to the barbarians and the motion
more ready for service, to be withdrawn a little from the transport vessels, and
to be propelled by their oars, and be stationed toward the open flank of the
enemy, and the enemy to be beaten off and driven away, with slings, arrows, and
engines: which plan was of great service to our men; for the barbarians being
startled by the form of our ships and the motions of our oars and the nature of
our engines, which was strange to them, stopped, and shortly after retreated a
little. And while our men were hesitating [whether they should advance to the
shore], chiefly on account of the depth of the sea, he who carried the eagle of
the tenth legion, after supplicating the gods that the matter might turn out
favorably to the legion, exclaimed, "Leap, fellow soldiers, unless you wish to
betray your eagle to the enemy. I, for my part, will perform my duty to the
commonwealth and my general." When he had said this with a loud voice, he leaped
from the ship and proceeded to bear the eagle toward the enemy. Then our men,
exhorting one another that so great a disgrace should not be incurred, all
leaped from the ship. When those in the nearest vessels saw them, they speedily
followed and approached the enemy. 26.
The battle was maintained vigorously on both sides. Our men, however, as they
could neither keep their ranks, nor get firm footing, nor follow their
standards, and as one from one ship and another from another assembled around
whatever standards they met, were thrown into great confusion. But the enemy,
who were acquainted with all the shallows, when from the shore they saw any
coming from a ship one by one, spurred on their horses, and attacked them while
embarrassed; many surrounded a few, others threw their weapons upon our
collected forces on their exposed flank. When Caesar
observed this, he ordered the boats of the ships of war and the spy sloops to be
filled with soldiers, and sent them up to the succor of those whom he had
observed in distress. Our men, as soon as they made good their footing on dry
ground, and all their comrades had joined them, made an attack upon the enemy,
and put them to flight, but could not pursue them very far, because the horse
had not been able to maintain their course at sea and reach the island. This
alone was wanting to Caesar's accustomed success.
27.
The enemy being thus vanquished in battle, as soon as they recovered after their
flight, instantly sent embassadors to Caesar to
negotiate about peace. They promised to give hostages and perform what he should
command. Together with these embassadors came Commius the
Altrebatian, who, as I have above said, had been sent by Caesar into Britain. Him
they had seized upon when leaving his ship, although in the character of
embassador he bore the general's commission to them, and thrown into chains:
then after the battle was fought, they sent him back, and in suing for peace
cast the blame of that act upon the common people, and entreated that it might
be pardoned on account of their indiscretion. Caesar,
complaining, that after they had sued for peace, and had voluntarily sent
embassadors into the continent for that purpose, they had made war without a
reason, said that he would pardon their indiscretion, and imposed hostages, a
part of whom they gave immediately; the rest they said they would give in a few
days, since they were sent for from remote places. In the mean time they ordered
their people to return to the country parts, and the chiefs assembled from all
quarter, and proceeded to surrender themselves and their states to Caesar. 28.
A peace being established by these proceedings four days after we had come into
Britain, the
eighteen ships, to which reference has been made above, and which conveyed the
cavalry, set sail from the upper port with a gentle gale, when, however, they
were approaching Britain and were
seen from the camp, so great a storm suddenly arose that none of them could
maintain their course at sea; and some were taken back to the same port from
which they had started;-others, to their great danger, were driven to the lower
part of the island, nearer to the west; which, however, after having cast
anchor, as they were getting filled with water, put out to sea through necessity
in a stormy night, and made for the continent. 29.
It happened that night to be full moon, which usually occasions very high tides
in that ocean; and that circumstance was unknown to our men. Thus, at the same
time, the tide began to fill the ships of war which Caesar had provided to convey over his army, and which he had drawn
up on the strand; and the storm began to dash the ships of burden which were
riding at anchor against each other; nor was any means afforded our men of
either managing them or of rendering any service. A great many ships having been
wrecked, inasmuch as the rest, having lost their cables, anchors, and other
tackling, were unfit for sailing, a great confusion, as would necessarily
happen, arose throughout the army; for there were no other ships in which they
could be conveyed back, and all things which are of service in repairing vessels
were wanting, and, corn for the winter had not been provided in those places,
because it was understood by all that they would certainly winter in Gaul. 30.
On discovering these things the chiefs of Britain, who had
come up after the battle was fought to perform those conditions which Caesar had imposed, held a conference, when they
perceived that cavalry, and ships, and corn were wanting to the Romans, and discovered the small number of our soldiers
from the small extent of the camp (which, too, was on this account more limited
than ordinary, because Caesar had conveyed over his
legions without baggage), and thought that the best plan was to renew the war,
and cut off our men from corn and provisions and protract the affair till
winter; because they felt confident, that, if they were vanquished or cut off
from a return, no one would afterward pass over into Britain for the purpose of making war. Therefore, again entering
into a conspiracy, they began to depart from the camp by degrees and secretly
bring up their people from the country parts. 31.
But Caesar, although he had not as yet discovered their
measures, yet, both from what had occurred to his ships, and from the
circumstance that they had neglected to give the promised hostages, suspected
that the thing would come to pass which really did happen. He therefore provided
remedies against all contingencies; for he daily conveyed corn from the country
parts into the camp, used the timber and brass of such ships as were most
seriously damaged for repairing the rest, and ordered whatever things besides
were necessary for this object to be brought to him from the continent. And
thus, since that business was executed by the soldiers with the greatest energy,
he effected that, after the loss of twelve ships, a voyage could be made well
enough in the rest. 32.
While these things are being transacted, one legion had been sent to forage,
according to custom, and no suspicion of war had arisen as yet, and some of the
people remained in the country parts, others went backward and forward to the
camp, they who were on duty at the gates of the camp reported to Caesar that a greater dust than was usual was seen in
that direction in which the legion had marched. Caesar,
suspecting that which was [really the case],-that some new enterprise was
undertaken by the barbarians, ordered the two cohorts which were on duty, to
march into that quarter with him, and two other cohorts to relieve them on duty;
the rest to be armed and follow him immediately. When he had advanced some
little way from the camp, he saw that his men were overpowered by the enemy and
scarcely able to stand their ground, and that, the legion being crowded
together, weapons were being cast on them from all sides. For as all the corn
was reaped in every part with the exception of one, the enemy, suspecting that
our men would repair to that, had concealed themselves in the woods during the
night. Then attacking them suddenly, scattered as they were, and when they had
laid aside their arms, and were engaged in reaping, they killed a small number,
threw the rest into confusion, and surrounded them with their cavalry and
chariots. 33.
Their mode of fighting with their chariots is this: firstly, they drive about in
all directions and throw their weapons and generally break the ranks of the
enemy with the very dread of their horses and the noise of their wheels; and
when they have worked themselves in between the troops of horse, leap from their
chariots and engage on foot. The charioteers in the mean time withdraw some
little distance from the battle, and so place themselves with the chariots that,
if their masters are overpowered by the number of the enemy, they may have a
ready retreat to their own troops. Thus they display in battle the speed of
horse, [together with] the firmness of infantry; and by daily practice and
exercise attain to such expertness that they are accustomed, even on a declining
and steep place, to check their horses at full speed, and manage and turn them
in an instant and run along the pole, and stand on the yoke, and thence betake
themselves with the greatest celerity to their chariots again. 34.
Under these circumstances, our men being dismayed by the novelty of this mode of
battle, Caesar most seasonably brought assistance; for
upon his arrival the enemy paused, and our men recovered from their fear; upon
which thinking the time unfavorable for provoking the enemy and coming to an
action, he kept himself in his own quarter, and, a short time having intervened,
drew back the legions into the camp. While these things are going on, and all
our men engaged, the rest of the Britons, who were in the fields,
departed. Storms then set in for several successive days, which both confined
our men to the camp and hindered the enemy from attacking us. In the mean time
the barbarians dispatched messengers to all parts, and reported to their people
the small number of our soldiers, and how good an opportunity was given for
obtaining spoil and for liberating themselves forever, if they should only drive
the Romans from their camp. Having by these means
speedily got together a large force of infantry and of cavalry they came up to
the camp. 35.
Although Caesar anticipated that the same thing which
had happened on former occasions would then occur-that, if the enemy were
routed, they would escape from danger by their speed; still, having got about
thirty horse, which Commius the Atrebatian, of whom
mention has been made, had brought over with him [from Gaul], he
drew up the legions in order of battle before the camp. When the action
commenced, the enemy were unable to sustain the attack of our men long, and
turned their backs; our men pursued them as far as their speed and strength
permitted, and slew a great number of them; then, having destroyed and burned
every thing far and wide, they retreated to their camp. 36.
The same day, embassadors sent by the enemy came to Caesar to negotiate a peace. Caesar doubled
the number of hostages which he had before demanded; and ordered that they
should be brought over to the continent, because, since the time of the equinox
was near, he did not consider that, with his ships out of repair, the voyage
ought to be deferred till winter. Having met with favorable weather, he set sail
a little after midnight, and all his fleet arrived safe at the continent, except
two of the ships of burden which could not make the same port which the other
ships did, and were carried a little lower down. 37.
When our soldiers, about 300 in number, had been drawn out of these two ships,
and were marching to the camp, the Morini, whom Caesar, when setting forth for Britain, had
left in a state of peace, excited by the hope of spoil, at first surrounded them
with a small number of men, and ordered them to lay down their arms, if they did
not wish to be slain; afterward however, when they, forming a circle, stood on
their defense, a shout was raised and about 6000 of the enemy soon assembled;
which being reported, Caesar sent all the cavalry in
the camp as a relief to his men. In the mean time our soldiers sustained the
attack of the enemy, and fought most valiantly for more than four hours, and,
receiving but few wounds themselves, slew several of them. But after our cavalry
came in sight, the enemy, throwing away their arms, turned their backs, and a
great number of them were killed. 38.
The day following Caesar sent Labienus, his lieutenant, with those legions which he had brought
back from Britain, against
the Morini, who had revolted; who, as they had no place to which
they might retreat, on account of the drying up of their marshes (which they had
availed themselves of as a place of refuge the preceding year), almost all fell
into the power of Labienus. In the mean time Caesar's lieutenants, Q.
Titurius and L. Cotta, who had led the
legions into the territories of the Menapii, having laid waste all
their lands, cut down their corn and burned their houses, returned to Caesar because the Menapii had all concealed
themselves in their thickest woods. Caesar fixed the
winter quarters of all the legions among the Belgae.
Thither only two British states sent hostages; the
rest omitted to do so. For these successes, a thanksgiving of twenty days was
decreed by the senate upon receiving Caesar's
letter.
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