[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
word, either freedom will follow on our efforts, or, if we are vanquished, we shall but be what
we were before." Having thus fired the man's ambition, Civilis dismissed him, but bade him
carry back a milder answer. He returned, pretending to have failed in his mission, but not
revealing the other facts; these indeed soon came to light.
Civilis, retaining a part of his forces, sent the veteran cohorts and the bravest of his German
troops against Vocula and his army, under the command of Julius Maximus and Claudius
Victor, his sister's son. On their march they plundered the winter camp of a body of horse
stationed at Ascibergium, and they fell on Vocula's camp so unexpectedly that he could
neither harangue his army, nor even get it into line. All that he could do in the confusion was to
order the veteran troops to strengthen the centre. The auxiliaries were dispersed in every part
of the field. The cavalry charged, but, received by the orderly array of the enemy, fled to their
own lines. What ensued was a massacre rather than a battle. The Nervian infantry, from panic
or from treachery, exposed the flank of our army. Thus the attack fell upon the legions, who
had lost their standards and were being cut down within the entrenchments, when the fortune
of the day was suddenly changed by a reinforcement of fresh troops. Some Vascon infantry,
levied by Galba, which had by this time been sent for, heard the noise of the combatants as
they approached the camp, attacked the rear of the preoccupied enemy, and spread a panic
more than proportionate to their numbers, some believing that all the troops from Novesium,
others that all from Mogontiacum, had come up. This delusion restored the courage of the
Romans, and in relying on the strength of others they recovered their own. All the bravest of
the Batavians, of the infantry at least, fell, but the cavalry escaped with the standards and with
the prisoners whom they had secured in the early part of the engagement. Of the slain on that
day the greater number belonged to our army, but to its less effective part. The Germans lost
the flower of their force.
The two generals were equally blameworthy; they deserved defeat, they did not make the
most of success. Had Civilis given battle in greater force, he could not have been outflanked
by so small a number of cohorts, and he might have destroyed the camp after once forcing an
entrance. As for Vocula, he did not reconnoitre the advancing enemy, and consequently he
was vanquished as soon as be left the camp; and then, mistrusting his victory, he fruitlessly
wasted several days before marching against the enemy, though, had he at once resolved to
drive them back, and to follow up his success, he might, by one and the same movement,
have raised the siege of the legions. Meanwhile Civilis had tried to work on the feelings of the
besieged by representing that with the Romans all was lost, and that victory had declared for
his own troops. The standards and colours were carried round the ramparts, and the prisoners
also were displayed. One of them, with noble daring, declared the real truth in a loud voice,
and, as he was cut down on the spot by the Germans, all the more confidence was felt in his
information. At the same time it was becoming evident, from the devastation of the country
and from the flames of burning houses, that the victorious army was approaching. Vocula
issued orders that the standards should be planted within sight of the camp, and should be
surrounded with a ditch and rampart, where his men might deposit their knapsacks, and so
fight without encumbrance. On this, the General was assailed by a clamorous demand for
instant battle. They had now grown used to threaten. Without even taking time to form into
line, disordered and weary as they were, they commenced the action. Civilis was on the field,
trusting quite as much to the faults of his adversaries as to the valour of his own troops. With
the Romans the fortune of the day varied, and the most violently mutinous shewed themselves
cowards. But some, remembering their recent victory, stood their ground and struck fiercely at
the foe, now encouraging each other and their neighbours, and now, while they re-formed their
lines, imploring the besieged not to lose the opportunity. These latter, who saw everything
from the walls, sallied out from every gate. It so happened that Civilis was thrown to the
ground by the fall of his horse. A report that he had been either wounded or slain gained belief
throughout both armies, and spread incredible panic among his own troops, and gave as great
encouragement to their opponents. But Vocula, leaving the flying foe, began to strengthen the
rampart and the towers of the camp, as if another siege were imminent. He had misused
success so often that he was rightly suspected of a preference for war.
Nothing distressed our troops so much as the scarcity of supplies. The baggage of the legions
was therefore sent to Novesium with a crowd of non-combatants to fetch corn from that place
overland, for the enemy commanded the river. The march of the first body was accomplished [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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word, either freedom will follow on our efforts, or, if we are vanquished, we shall but be what
we were before." Having thus fired the man's ambition, Civilis dismissed him, but bade him
carry back a milder answer. He returned, pretending to have failed in his mission, but not
revealing the other facts; these indeed soon came to light.
Civilis, retaining a part of his forces, sent the veteran cohorts and the bravest of his German
troops against Vocula and his army, under the command of Julius Maximus and Claudius
Victor, his sister's son. On their march they plundered the winter camp of a body of horse
stationed at Ascibergium, and they fell on Vocula's camp so unexpectedly that he could
neither harangue his army, nor even get it into line. All that he could do in the confusion was to
order the veteran troops to strengthen the centre. The auxiliaries were dispersed in every part
of the field. The cavalry charged, but, received by the orderly array of the enemy, fled to their
own lines. What ensued was a massacre rather than a battle. The Nervian infantry, from panic
or from treachery, exposed the flank of our army. Thus the attack fell upon the legions, who
had lost their standards and were being cut down within the entrenchments, when the fortune
of the day was suddenly changed by a reinforcement of fresh troops. Some Vascon infantry,
levied by Galba, which had by this time been sent for, heard the noise of the combatants as
they approached the camp, attacked the rear of the preoccupied enemy, and spread a panic
more than proportionate to their numbers, some believing that all the troops from Novesium,
others that all from Mogontiacum, had come up. This delusion restored the courage of the
Romans, and in relying on the strength of others they recovered their own. All the bravest of
the Batavians, of the infantry at least, fell, but the cavalry escaped with the standards and with
the prisoners whom they had secured in the early part of the engagement. Of the slain on that
day the greater number belonged to our army, but to its less effective part. The Germans lost
the flower of their force.
The two generals were equally blameworthy; they deserved defeat, they did not make the
most of success. Had Civilis given battle in greater force, he could not have been outflanked
by so small a number of cohorts, and he might have destroyed the camp after once forcing an
entrance. As for Vocula, he did not reconnoitre the advancing enemy, and consequently he
was vanquished as soon as be left the camp; and then, mistrusting his victory, he fruitlessly
wasted several days before marching against the enemy, though, had he at once resolved to
drive them back, and to follow up his success, he might, by one and the same movement,
have raised the siege of the legions. Meanwhile Civilis had tried to work on the feelings of the
besieged by representing that with the Romans all was lost, and that victory had declared for
his own troops. The standards and colours were carried round the ramparts, and the prisoners
also were displayed. One of them, with noble daring, declared the real truth in a loud voice,
and, as he was cut down on the spot by the Germans, all the more confidence was felt in his
information. At the same time it was becoming evident, from the devastation of the country
and from the flames of burning houses, that the victorious army was approaching. Vocula
issued orders that the standards should be planted within sight of the camp, and should be
surrounded with a ditch and rampart, where his men might deposit their knapsacks, and so
fight without encumbrance. On this, the General was assailed by a clamorous demand for
instant battle. They had now grown used to threaten. Without even taking time to form into
line, disordered and weary as they were, they commenced the action. Civilis was on the field,
trusting quite as much to the faults of his adversaries as to the valour of his own troops. With
the Romans the fortune of the day varied, and the most violently mutinous shewed themselves
cowards. But some, remembering their recent victory, stood their ground and struck fiercely at
the foe, now encouraging each other and their neighbours, and now, while they re-formed their
lines, imploring the besieged not to lose the opportunity. These latter, who saw everything
from the walls, sallied out from every gate. It so happened that Civilis was thrown to the
ground by the fall of his horse. A report that he had been either wounded or slain gained belief
throughout both armies, and spread incredible panic among his own troops, and gave as great
encouragement to their opponents. But Vocula, leaving the flying foe, began to strengthen the
rampart and the towers of the camp, as if another siege were imminent. He had misused
success so often that he was rightly suspected of a preference for war.
Nothing distressed our troops so much as the scarcity of supplies. The baggage of the legions
was therefore sent to Novesium with a crowd of non-combatants to fetch corn from that place
overland, for the enemy commanded the river. The march of the first body was accomplished [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]