The annales of Cornelius Tacitus. The description of Germanie

III. Arminius dehorteth his brother Flauius from the Romans seruice.

AS Caesar was planting his camp, word was brought, that the Angriuarians were reuolted behinde him. And Stertinius was incontinently dispatched away with a companie of light horsemen, which reuenged their treason with fire and sword. Betwixt the Romaines and the Cheruscians ran the riuer Visurgis, and on the banke side was Arminius, with the rest of the nobilitie: who inquiring whether Caesar were come; and answere giuen him that he was: intreated that he might haue licence to speake with his brother Flauius, who was in the camp: faith∣full and trustie to the Romaines: and who not many yeares before, had lost one of his eyes, vnder Tiberius. His request was graunted him: and as Flauius came neere, Arminius saluted him. And causing his followers to withdraw themselues, reque∣sted that our archers which were placed in order on the banke side, should stand farther off; who being gone away, he asked his brother how he came to that ble∣mish in his face. He named both the place and the battell. He asked him further, what rewards he had receiued? Flauius telleth him that his pay was augmented, sheweth his chaine, his crowne, and other military gifts: which Arminius skorned as base rewards of seruitude. After that, they grew to farther communication, the one extolling the greatnes of the Romans: Caesars wealth: the grieuous punish∣ments inflicted on the conquered: and the clemencie vsed to such as yeelded: that neither his wife nor sonne were intreated as enemies. Arminius alleaged the dutie of his countrey: their auncient libertie: the gods of the inward parts of Germanie:

that his mother and himselfe besought him; that he would not rather choose to be a traitor and forsaker of his countrey, then a captaine of his kindred, allies and nation. Growing from thence by little and little to hard words, although the riuer was betwixt them, they had coped; if Stertinius had not run in, and held backe Flauius, full of anger, calling for his armour and horse. Arminius was heard to threaten on the other side, and denounce battell: intermingling some latine words: for once he commaunded his countriemen; and receiued pay in the Romaine campes. The next day, the German armie presented it selfe in battell aray beyond Visurgis. Germanicus not thinking it the part of a commaunder, to hazard the le∣gions, not hauing first made bridges, and appointed gards to defend them, passed ouer the horsemen at the foord. Stertinius and Aemilius, sometime captaine of the principall ensigne, were the leaders: who seperated themselues farre one from the other, to deuide the enemies forces. Carioualda, Captaine of the Batauians, where the riuer was swiftest sallied out: the Cherusci making as though they fled, tolled them to a plaine, enuironed with woods: and there turning againe, and spreading abroad, droue back those which made head; hotly pursued those which shrunke: then being gathered round in a ring, ouerthrew them; some neere, some farre off. Carioualda hauing long sustained the brunt of the enemie; exhorted his soul∣diers closely together, to breake into the enemie troupes: himselfe venturing a∣mongst the thickest, was beaten downe with darts; and his horse killed vnder him, and many noble men about him. The rest either through their owne valour, or aide of the horsemen, with Stertinius and Aemilius, escaped danger. When Caesar had passed the riuer Visurgis, he vnderstoode by a fugitiue from the enemie campe, what place Arminius had chosen to giue battell: and that other nations were assembled in a wood consecrated to Hercules, with intention to assaile the camp by night. The runnagate was beleeued: lights were seene: and the espiales getting nee∣rer, reported they heard a great confuse noise of men and horses. Being therefore at a iumpe to hazard all, thinking it conuenient to founde the souldiers minde, he be∣thought himselfe what was the fittest expedient to trie the truth. The Tribunes and Centurions brought him oftener, pleasing then true newes: the freed men were of a seruile disposition: in friends therewas flatterie: if he should call an assembly, that which a few should begin, the rest would applaude. That their minds would be best knowen, when they were by themselues; not ouerlooked: in eating and drinking they would vtter their feare or hope. As soone as it was night, going out at the Au∣gural gate, accompanied with one alone, in secret and vnknowen places to the watch: casting a sauage beasts skin on his backe, he went from one place to another: stoode listning at the tents: and ioyeth in the praise of himselfe: some extolling the nobilitie of their Captaine; others his comely personage: many his patience, and courtesie: that in sports and serious matters, he was still one man: confessing there∣fore that they thought it their parts, to make him some requitall in this battell, and sacrifice the traitors and peace-breakers to reuenge and glory.