1

2

3

abessent, 1 hanc sub sarcinis adoriri : quâ pulsâ, impedimentisque direptis, futurum ut reliquæ contrà consistere non auderent. Adjuvabať etiam eorum consilium, qui rem deferebant, quòd Nervii antiquitùs, quum equitatu nihil possent, (neque enim ad hoc tempus ei rei student sed, quidquid possunt, pedestribus valent copiis,) quò faciliùs finitimorum equitatum, si prædandi caussà ad eos venisset, impedirent, 3 teneris arboribus incisis atque inflexis, crebrisque in latitudinem ramis enatis, et rubis sentibusque interjectis, effecerant, ut, instar muri, hæ sepes munimenta præberent: quò non modò non intrari, sed ne perspici quidem posset. His rebus quum iter agminis nostri impediretur, non omittendum sibi consilium Nervii existimaverunt.

XVIII. Loci natura erat hæc, quem nostri castris delegerant: Collis ab summo æqualiter declivis ad flumen Sabin, quod suprà nominavimus, vergebat: ab eo flumine pari acclivitate collis nascebatur adversus huic, et contrarius, passus circiter cc, infimus apertus, ab superiore parte silvestris, ut non facilè introrsus perspici posset. Intra eas silvas hostes in occulto sese continebant. In aperto loco, secundum flumen, 5 paucæ stationes equitum videbantur. Fluminis erat altitudo circiter

pedum 111.

XIX. Cæsar, equitatu præmisso, subsequebatur omnibus copiis : sed ratio ordoque agminis aliter se habebat, ac Belgæ ad Nervios detulerant: nam, quòd hostis appropinquabat, consuetudine suà Cæsar vi legiones expeditas ducebat: post eas totius exercitûs impedimenta col

6

NOTES.

1 Hanc sub sarcinis adoriri.] Sarcina properly signifies the load each soldier carried on his march; this generally consisted of provisions for fifteen days, often for more, of utensils, which were a saw, ax, basket, mattock, hook, leathern thong, chain, pot, &c. to these were added three or four stakes, sometimes as many as twelve: the whole amounted to about sixty pounds weight, exclusive of arms, which the Roman soldier was taught to consider as part of himself. Thus burdened the soldiers generally marched twenty miles a day, often a greater distance.

2 Impedimentisque direptis.] Impedimenta signified the baggage that was carried on horses, or drawn in waggons; it consisted of the camp equipage, provisions, intrenching tools, &c. On a march the baggage was generally placed either in the middle or in the rear of the army.

3 Teneris arboribus incisis atque, &c.] The fortification here described is in nature of an abatis, often used by modern armies, particularly in woody countries, to impede the attack of an enemy, it is

formed by cutting down a number of trees, and placing them closely together with their branches towards the place from whence an attack is expected, their boughs are entangled in one another as much as possible.

4. Ab eo flumine pari acclivitate collis nascebatur adversus huic, et &c.] From this river by a like acclivity another hill rose over against and opposite this one, for about two hundred paces towards its base it was open, and not intersected by trees. or bushes, its summit was so closely covered with woods, that nothing could be distinctly perceived within them.

5 Pauca stationes equitum.] A few vedettes or advanced cavalry guards. As the Nervii made no use of cavalry, those mentioned must be considered as belonging to the nations allied with them against the Romans.

6 Expeditas.] By this word it is here implied that the soldiers had laid aside the burden they carried in their route marches, and were prepared for the attack of an enemy.

1

locabat indè duæ legiones, quæ proximè conscriptæ erant, totum agmen claudebant, præsidioque impedimentis erant. Equites nostri cum funditoribus sagittariisque flumen transgressi, cum hostium equitatu prælium committunt. Quum se illi identidem in silvas ad suos reciperent, ac rursus è silvâ in nostros impetum facerent; neque nostri longiùs, quàm quem ad finem porrecta ac loca aperta pertinebant, cedentes insequi auderent: interim legiones sex, quæ primæ venerant, opere dimenso, castra munire cœperunt. Ubi prima impedimenta nostri exercitûs ab iis, qui in silvis abditi latebant, visa sunt, quod tempus inter eos committendi prælii convenerat, ut intra silvam aciem 2 ordinesque constituerant, atque ipsi sese confirmaverant, subitò omnibus copiis provolaverunt, impetumque in nostros equites fecerunt. His facilè pulsis ac proturbatis, incredibili celeritate ad flumen decucurrerunt, ut penè uno tempore et ad silvas, et in flumine, et jam 3 in manibus nostris hostes viderentur. Eâdem autem celeritate adverso colle ad nostra castra, atque eos qui in opere occupati erant, contenderunt.

:

6

XX. Cæsari omnia uno tempore erant agenda: 4 vexillum proponendum; quod erat insigne, quum ad arma concurri oporteret: 5 signum tubâ dandum: ab opere revocandi milites: qui paullò longiùs, aggeris petendi caussâ, processerant, accersendi: acies instruenda: milites cohortandi signum dandum. Quarum rerum magnam partem temporis, brevitas, et successus et incursus hostium, impediebat. Iis difficultatibus duæ res erant subsidio, scientia atque usus militum, quòd superioribus præliis exercitati, quid fieri oporteret, non minùs commodè ipsi sibi præscribere, quàm ab aliis doceri, poterant: et quòd ab opere singulisque legionibus singulos legatos Cesar discedere, nisi munitis cas

NOTES.

1 Quàm quem ad finem porrecta ac loca aperta pertinebant.] Than as far as the plain and open ground extended.

2 Ordines.] This word in a military sense signifies the place assigned to ach of the several divisions or corps of an army, and also the position of each soldier.

3 In manibus nostris.] Close up to us, or among us.

4 Vexillum proponendum.] The vexillum was a scarlet flag, hung out on the general's tent as a signal for battle.

5 Signum tubâ dandum.] The instruments of music used among the Romans in their signals were the Tuba, trumpet, its form was straight; the cornu, horn, bent almost round; the buccina, similar to the cornu or horn, it was generally used for signals by the watches; the lituus, clarion bent a little at the end, it was principally used by the cavalry, as the tuba was by the foot: all these instruments were made

of brass whence those who blew them
were called æneatores. After the vexillum
was displayed, the classicum or assembly
was sounded by the trumpets and horns,
when the general gave his instructions to
the army, at the conclusion thereof, the
trumpets sounded the signal for marching,
at the same time the standards which
stood fixed in the ground were pulled up,
and the signum or watch word was given
either viva voce, or it was written on a
tessera or tablet, and distributed.
the army had advanced near the enemy,
the general rode along the lines, exhorted
the soldiers to courage, and then gave the
signal for engaging, upon which all the
trumpets sounded, and the soldiers com-
menced the attack.

When

6 Aggeris petendi caussá.] By this expression is implied that the soldiers were dispersed in quest of materials for constructing the rampart.

tris vetuerat. Hi, propter celeritatem, et propinquitatem hostium, nihil jam Cæsaris imperium spectabant; sed per se, quæ videbantur, administrabant.

XXI. Cæsar, necessariis rebus imperatis, ad cohortandos milites, quam in partem sors obtulit, decucurrit; et ad legionem decimam devenit. Milites non longiore oratione est cohortatus, quàm utì suæ pristinæ virtutis memoriam retinerent, heu perturbarentur animo, hostiumque impetum fortiter sustinerent; et quòd non longiùs hostes aberant, quàm quò telum adjici posset; prælii committendi signum dedit: atque item in alteram partem cohortandi caussâ profectus, pugnantibus occurrit. Temporis tanta fuit exiguitas, hostiumque tam paratus ad dimicandum animus, ut, non modò ad insignia accommodanda, sed etiam ad galeas induendas, scutisque tegmenta detrahenda, tempus defuerit. Quam quisque in partem ab opere casu devenit, quæque prima signa conspexit, ad hæc constitit, ne, in quærendis suis, pugnandi tempus dimitteret.

2

XXII. Instructo exercitu, magis ut loci natura, 3 dejectusque collis, et necessitas temporis, quàm ut rei militaris. ratio atque ordo postulabat ; quum diversis locis legiones aliæ aliâ in parte hostibus resisterent, sepibusque densissimis, ut antè demonstravimus, interjectis, prospectus impediretur: neque certa subsidia collocari, neque, quid in quâque parte opus esset, provideri ; neque ab uno omnia imperia administrari, poterant. Itaque in tantâ rerum iniquitate, fortunæ quoque eventus varii sequebantur.

XXIII. Legionis nonæ et decimæ milites, ut in sinistrâ parte aciei constiterant, pilis emissis, cursu ac lassitudine exanimatos, vulneribusque confectos Atrebates (nam his ea pars obvenerat) celeriter ex loco superiore in flumen compulerunt; et transire conantes, insecuti gladiis, magnam partem eorum impeditam interfecerunt. Ipsi transire flumen non dubitaverunt; et in locum iniquum progressi, rursus regressos ac resistentes hostes, redintegrato prælio in fugam dederunt. Item aliâ in parte, diversæ duæ legiones, undecima et octava, profligatis Veromanduis, quibuscum erant congressi, ex loco superiore in ipsis fluminis ripis præliabantur. At totis ferè à fronte et à sinistrâ parte nudatis castris, quum in dextro cornu legio duodecima, et non magno ab eâ intervallo, septima constitisset, omnes Nervii 5 confertissimo agmine, duce Boduognato, qui summam imperii tenebat, ad eum locum contende

runt: quorum pars aperto latere legiones circumvenire, pars summum locum castrorum petere cœpit.

1

XXIV. Eodem tempore equites nostri, 1 levisque armaturæ pedites qui cum his unà fuerant, quos primo hostium impetu pulsos dixeram, cùm se in castra reciperent, adversis hostibus occurrebant, ac rursus aliam in partem fugam petebant. Et calones, qui à Decumanâ portâ, ac summo jugo collis nostros victores flumen transire conspexerant, prædandi caussâ egressi, quum respexissent, et hostes in nostris castris versari vidissent, præcipites sese fugæ mandabant: simul eorum, qui cum impedimentis veniebant, clamor fremitusque oriebatur, aliique aliam in partem perterriti ferebantur. Quibus omnibus rebus permoti. equites Treviri, quorum inter Gallos virtutis opinio est singularis, qui auxilii caussa à civitate missi, ad Cæsarem venerant, quum multitudine hostium castra nostra compleri, legiones premi, et penè circumventas teneri, calones, equites, funditores, Numidas, diversos dissipatosque in omnes partes fugere vidissent; desperatis nostris rebus, domum contenderunt: Romanos pulsos superatosque, castris impedimentisque eorum hostes potitos, civitati renunciaverunt.

XXV. 3 Cæsar ab decimæ legionis cohortatione ad dextrum cornu profectus, ubi suos urgeri, signisque in unum locum collatis, duodecimæ legionis milites confertos sibi ipsis ad pugnam esse impedimento, quartæ cohortis omnibus centurionibus occisis, signiferoque interfecto, 4 signo amisso, reliquarum cohortium omnibus ferè centurionibus aut vulneratis, aut occisis, 5 in his primopilo P. Sextio Baculo, fortissimo viro, multis gravibusque vulneribus confecto, ut jam se sustinere non posset: reliquos esse tardiores, et nonnullos à novissimis desertos prælio excedere, ac tela vitare; hostes neque à fronte ex inferiore loco

6

NOTES.

1 Levisque armaturæ pedites.] These were the velites who fought in scattered parties before the lines, they did not form a part of any of the legions. The arms of these light troops were bows, slings, seven javelins, and a cut and thrust sword; their defensive armor was a round buckler about three feet in diameter, and a helmet. The velites always commenced the battle, and when repulsed, retired through the intervals of the line. Making allowance for the difference of arms, the tactics of the Tirailleurs or riflemen of modern armies nearly resemble those of

the Roman velites.

2 Calones.] These were the servants and bat men that followed the army.

3 Cæsar ab decimæ legionis cohortatione.] Lipsius reads: Cum decima legionis cohorte. 4 Signo amisso.] Among the Roman soldiers it was considered as extremely disgraceful to lose their standards; it at

tached a particular disgrace to the standard bearers, and was in them often considered a capital crime; the dictator Priscus killed one of his standard bearers for advancing slowly in the heat of battle. To animate the soldiers, the standards were often thrown among the enemy, and the soldiers to recover them fought with the most desperate courage, for in their opinion nothing was more dishonorable than the imputation of having lost or deserted their colours.

5 In his primopilo P. Sextio Baculo.] Among these was the chief captain or centurion P. Sextius Baculus. The Primipilus, as has already been observed, was the centurion of the first century of the first, maniple of the Triarii; he presided over all the other centurions of the legion and was intrusted with the eagle or chief standard thereof.

6 Hostes neque à fronte ex inferiore loco

subeuntes intermittere, et ab utroque latere instare, et rem esse in angusto vidit, neque ullum esse subsidium quod submitti posset; scuto ab novissimis uni militi detracto, (quòd ipse eò sine scuto venerat) in primam aciem processit; centurionibusque nominatim appellatis, reliquos cohortatus, milites 1 signa inferre, et 2 manipulos laxare jussit, quò faciliùs gladiis uti possent. Hujus adventu, spe illatâ militibus, ac redintegrato animo, quum pro se quisque in conspectu Imperatoris, etiam in extremis suis rebus, 3 operam navare cuperet, paullùm hostium impetus tardatus est.

XXVI. Cæsar, quum septimam legionem, quæ juxtà constiterat, item urgeri ab hoste vidisset, tribunos militum monuit, ut paullatim sese legiones conjungerent, et conversa signa in hostes inferrent. Quo facto, quum aliis alii subsidium ferrent, neque timerent ne aversi ab hoste circumvenirentur, audaciùs resistere, ac fortiùs pugnare cœperunt. Interim milites legionum duarum, quæ in novissimo agmine præsidio impedimentis fuerant, prælio nunciato, cursu incitato, in summo colle ab hostibus conspiciebantur: et T. Labienus castris hostium potitus, et ex loco superiore, quæ res in nostris castris gererentur, conspicatus, decimam legionem subsidio nostris misit; qui quum ex equitum et calonum fugâ, quo in loco res esset, quantoque in periculo et castra, et legiones, et Imperator versaretur, cognovissent, nihil ad celeritatem sibi reliqui fecerunt.

4

XXVII. Horum adventu tanta rerum commutatio est facta, ut nostri, etiam qui vulneribus confecti procubuissent, scutis innixi, prælium redintegrarent. Tum calones, perterritos hostes conspicati, etiam inermes armatis occurrerent: equites verò, ut turpitudinem fugæ virtute delerent, omnibus in locis pugnabant, 5 quò se legionariis militibus præferrent. At hostes, etiam in extremâ spe salutis, tantam virtutem præstiterunt, ut quum primi eorum cecidissent, proximi jacentibus insisterent, atque ex eorum corporibus pugnarent: his dejectis, et coacervatis cadaveribus, qui superessent, ut ex tumulo, tela in nostros conjicerent, pilaque intercepta remitterent; ut non nequidquam tantæ virtutis homines judicari deberet, ausos esse transire latissimum flumen, adscendere

NOTES.

legionary formation was not as compact as the phalanx order of battle of the Grecians, or the battalions of the moderns, which, excepting that their files are by no means so deep, bear more resemblance to phalanx than to the legionary formation.

3 Operam navare cuperet.] Each one was eager to exert his utmost efforts.

4 Nihil ad celeritatem sibi reliqui fecerunt.] And hastened as much as they possibly could.

5 Quò se legionariis militibus præferrent.] That they might surpass the legionary soldiers by deeds of valour.