The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

CHAP. XI. A bloudie battaile fought betweene the Alemans and Romanes, wherein the wis∣dome, valour, and invincible courage of Iulian especially appeareth.

AS he often iterated these and such like words after the same manner, he opposed the greater part of the armie full against the fore-front of the Barbarians: and suddainely there was heard a noyse of the Aleman footmen, mixt with indignation, crying out with one accord and voice, That the princes of the bloud royall leaving their horses, ought to converse and keepe companie with them; for feare, that if ought should happen but well, they would leave the miserable common souldiors, and make shift easily to bee gone out of the field. Which beeing knowne, Chonodomarius quickly alighted from his beast on foot, and the rest following his example without delay did the same: for there was not any one of them made doubt that their side should win the day. When as the signall therefore of battaile was by sound of trumpets solemnely given, they encountred one another with great violence. Then were the darts and arrowes discharged & seene flying in the aire: and the Germans running with more hast than good speed, & drawing weapons with their right hands, with hideous gnashing of their teeth flew upon the troups of our horsemen: and as they fared and raged above their wonted manner, their long shag haire made a terrible sight, and from their very eyes a certaine furie sparkled foorth: against whome the [Romane] resolute souldiors covering their heads by putting their shields be∣tweene, what with holding out their swords, and what with brandishing their darts threatening death, greatly terrified them. And whiles at the very point of the medley on both sides, the horsemen strongly entrouped themselves, and the foot∣men stoutly fortified their owne sides, making a front by joyning their bucklers most close and fast together, there were raised up clouds of thicke dust: much run∣ning there was, and traversing of the ground betweene them divers waies, whiles our men one while made head, and another while gave ground: and some of the Barbarians (as most skilfull warriours) striving to oppose and set their knees forward, laboured hard to repell the enemie. But such was the exceeding re∣solution of them on both sides, that presently they came to handie strokes, and their buckler pykes thrust one another; so that the skie rang againe with the lowd voyces, as well of them that shouted, as those that were feld and readie to die. And when our left wing advauncing forward still with full pace, had by maine force driven from them so many bands and companies of the Germanes, prea∣sing hard upon them, and with a great noise in angrie mood charged upon the

Barbarians, our horsemen which kept the right wing, in great disarray beyond all expectation left the battaile: and whiles the formost of them that fled hindered the hindmost, so soone as they were within the protection of the legions bosome, they stayed and renewed the fight againe. Now, this fortuned upon this occasion, that whiles the broken rankes and files were a setting againe in order, the men of armes in their complete harneis seeing their captaine lightly wounded, and one of their consorts killed with the weightie armour of his horse fallen upon his necke, slipped out of the way, and made shift every man as hee could: and with treading the footmen down, they had put all in rout, but that they, close thronged together, and bearing one upon another, stood their ground sure, and mooved not. When Caesar therefore perceived a farre off, that the horsemen looked all about them, for nothing but how they might make meanes to escape by flight, he gallopped his horse toward them, and like a barre in the way restrained them. Whom when they had taken knowledge of, by the purple ensigne of a dragon fitted to the top of a very high launce, as if it had beene the pendant slough of a serpent, a certaine Tri∣bune of one troupe stood still, and being strucken with feare, and looking pale up∣on the matter, rode backe againe to renew the battaile: and, as men love to doe in doubtfull cases, Caesar after a mild manner rebuking them: Whither goe wee backe (quoth he) most valiant souldiors? Know yee not, that flight (which never found safe∣tie) bewrayeth the folly of a vaine attempt? Returne we to our companie, to be partakers at leastwise hereafter of glorie, how ever we forsake them inconsiderately, whiles they are fighting for the Common-wealth. By these words which he spake with good respect, he brought them all backe againe to undergoe the offices of warfare, having fol∣lowed herein the example of old Sylla; who when he had brought forth his for∣ces into the field against Archelaus, a captaine under Mithridates, and was in a hote battaile wearied out and forsaken of all his souldiors, ran to the formost ranke in the vauntguard, caught up a banner, and when he had flung it to the other side against the enemies: Now goe your waies (said he) you that were chosen to be my fellowes in all dangers, and to as many as shall aske you, Where I your Generall am left? answere thus, and faile not, He is left alone in Boeotia, fighting for all us with the spending of his owne bloud.