The familiar epistles of M.T. Cicero Englished and conferred with the: French Italian and other translations

Seruius Galba to Cicere. Epist. 30.

THe xvj. of Aprill, on which Pansa should haue bin in Hirtius Campe, with whom I was, (for I went an hun∣dr••d myles to meete him, that he might come the sooner;) Antonius with two L••gions, the second, and the fiue and thirtith, and two Praetorian Cohorts, one, his owne, another of Si••anus, and a part of the extern, or outlandish soul∣diers, came marching towardes vs•• i∣magining that we had onely foure Le∣gions: But Hirtius sent by night, the Martian Legion, which was wont ••o be vnder my command, and two Prae∣tori••n c••horts; to the end we might come more secur••ly to his Campe. At the discouery of Antonius Cauallerie; the Martian Legion, and Praetorian cohorts advanced & prest on. And we of force followed, because we could not retaine them. Antonius had his men at Fo••um Gall••rum; neither would hee hau•• had it knowne, th••t he h••d the Le∣gions•• onely he made a shew, of his Cauallerie, and of some light armed t••oupes. When P••nsa s••w the Legion aduance w••thout his leaue, he comman∣ded that two Legions of new souldier•• should follow them Wh••n we had pas∣sed

t••e narrow straights of the marishes and woods, we order'd a squadron of twelue cohorts. The two Legions were yet scarce come v••, when Antonius conducted his people out of the Bor∣rough, and without delay came to an assault. At the beginning, they sought so, that they could not on either side haue fought more fiercely. But the right wing, wherein I was, with eyght co∣horts of the Martian Legion, at the ••irst ch••rge, put to rout, the thirtie fifth Le∣gion of Antonius, ••o that from the place where the fight began, it pursued them aboue halfe a myle. Whereupon the Cauallery intending to inu••ron or hem our wing abo••t, I began to retire, and to oppose my light armed, to the Mo∣rish horse, to the end they might not as∣saile our men in the rere-gard. In the meane while I perceiued, that I was in the middest of Antonius troupes, and that behind, Antonius himselfe, was not farre of. I presently spur••ed towa••des that fresh Legion, which came from the Campe, clapping my shield to my B••cke. Antonius troop••s pursued me, and our owne men beganne to throw darts at me: and it was great for••une that I escaped, had not our comp••n••es presently discoue••ed me. Also ••n the way A••m••lia, w••ere Caesars Praeto••••an cohort was, they fought a long ti••e. The left wing, which was very weake,

wherein were two cohorts of the Mar∣tian Legion, and the Praetorian cohort, beganne to retire, being inuironed with the Cauallerie, wherein Antonius is ve∣ry strong. When all our squadrons were retired, I my selfe also began to retire vnto the Campe. Antonius as Conque∣rour, thought he might haue ceased on our Tents: whereunto being come, he there lost many of his men, and did o∣therwise no good. When Hirtius heard of this successe, with twentie olde co∣horts, he came and assailed Antonius, as he returned to his Campe: and hew∣ed all his men in peeces, and put them to flight, in the same place, where they fought at Forum Gallorum. Antonius foure houres after Sunne-setting, with his Corne••s retired to his tents at Mu∣tina. Hirtius betooke him to those lod∣gings from whence Pansa issued; where he had le••t two Legions, which were confronted by Antonius. And so An∣tonius hath lost the greatest part of his old soul••ie••s; but not without some weakening of our P••ae••orian C••horts, and the Ma••tian Legion. We won two Aegles, and three••core colours of An∣tonius; the victory was ours. This twentith of Aprill•• From the Campe. Farewell.