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more ready for service, to be withdrawn a little from the transport vessels, and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.
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