CAP. V.
Caesar passeth ouer the riuer Arar: his horsemen incountred with the Heluetians and were put to the worst.
THE Heluetians hauing passed the riuer,* Caesar made haste to followe after, and making a bridge he transported ouer his le∣gions in one day, which the Heluetians could scarce doe in twen∣tie: And sending all his horse to the number of foure thousand which he had raised in the Prouince and amongst the Hedui, to discouer what waie the enemie tooke, it happened that they fell so neare vpon the reregard of the Heluetians, that they were for∣ced to giue battell in a place of disaduantage, and by that meanes some of them were slaine, and the rest put to flight. The Heluetians made insolent with this victory, for as much as 500 of their men had put to route so great a multitude, began now boldly to resist, and sometimes part of their rereward would violently assault the Roman legions. Caesar held his men from giuing battell, thinking it sufffcient for the present to keepe the enemie from pillaging, forrage, and depopulation: and so they marched fifteene daies together in such sort, that there was not aboue fiue or six miles between the rereward of the Heluetians and the vangard of the Romans.
THE OBSERVATION.
THis example of the Heluetians maie lesson a commander, not to waxe insolent vpon euery ouerthrow which the enemie taketh, but duely to waie the true causes of a victorie gotten or an ouerthrowe taken; that apprehending the right currant of the action, he maie neither vaunt of a blinde victorie, nor be dismaied at a casuall mishappe. And herein let a heedfull warines so moderate the sequels of victorie in a triumphing spirit, that the care and ielousie to keepe still that sweete sounding fame on foot, maie as farre surpasse the industrie, which he first vsed to obtaine it, as the con∣tinuance of happinesse doth exceede the beginning of good fortunes. For such is the nature of our soule, that although from her infancy euen to the manhood of her age, she neuer found want of that which she lusted after; yet when she Page 18 meeteth with a counterbuffe to checke her appetite, and restraine her affecti∣ons from their satisfaction; she is as much troubled in that want, as if she had neuer receiued anie contentment at all: for our will to euerie obiect which it seeketh after, begetteth alwaies a new appetite, which is not satisfied with a for∣mer quittance, but either seeketh present paiment, or returneth discontentment vnto the minde. And as our soule is of an euerlasting being, and cannot thinke of an end, to her beginning; so she seeketh a perpetuall continuance of such thinges which she lusteth after: which hee, that meaneth to holde fortune his friend, will endeuour to maintaine.
