he fortified with bulwarkes, and placed therein store of engines: and leauing in his
campe the two legions which he had last inrolled in Lombardie, that they might bee
readie to be drawne forth when there should neede any succour, he imbattailed his o∣ther
sixe legions in the front of the hill, before his campe. The Belgae also bringing
forth their power, confronted the Romans in order of battell. There laie between both
the Armies a small Marish, ouer which the enemie expected that Caesar should haue
passed; and Caesar on the other side, attended to see if the Belgae would come ouer,
that his men might haue charged them in that troublesome passage. In the meane
time the Caualrie on both sides incountered betweene the two battels, and after long
expectation on either side, neither partie aduenturing to passe ouer, Caesar hauing got
the better in the skirmish betweene the horsemen, thought it sufficient for that time,
both for the incouraging of his owne men, and the contesting of so great an Army; and
therefore he conuaied all his men againe into their campe. From that place the enemy
immediately tooke his way to the riuer Axona, which laie behinde the Romans campe,
and there finding foordes they attempted to passe ouer part of their forces, to the ende
they might either take the fortresse which Q. Titurius kept, or to breake downe the
bridge, or to spoile the territories of the state of Rheimes, and cut off the Romans from
prouision of corne. Caesar hauing aduertisement thereof from Titurius, transported
ouer the riuer by the bridge all his horsemen and light armed Numidians, with his
slingers and archers, and marched with them himselfe▪ the conflict was hoat in that
place, the Romans charging their enemies as they were troubled in the water, slewe
a great number of them; the rest like desperate persons, aduenturing to passe ouer
vpon the dead carkases of their fellowes, were beaten backe by force of weapons: and
the horsemen incompassed such as had first got ouer the water, and slewe euerie man
of them.
When the Belgae perceiued themselues frustrated of their hopes, of winning Bibrax,
of passing the riuer, and of drawing the Romans into places of disaduantage, and that
their owne prouisions began to faile them: they called a councell of war, wherein they
resolued, that it was best for the state in generall, and for euerie man in particular,
to breake vp their campe, and to returne home vnto their own houses: and into whose
confines or territories soeuer, the Romans should first enter to depopulate and waste
them in hostile maner, that thither they should hasten from al parts, and there to giue
them battell, to the end they might rather trie the matter in their own countrie, then
abroad in a strange and vnknowne place; and haue their owne houshold prouision al∣waies
at hand to maintaine them. And this the rather was concluded, for as much as
they had intelligence, that Diuitiacus with a great power of the Hedui, approched
neare to the borders of the Bellouaci, who, in that regard, made haste homeward to
defend their country.
THE FIRST OBSERVATION.
FIrst we may obserue the Arte, which he vsed to counteruaile the
strength of so great a multitude, by choosing out so conuenient a
place, which was no broader in front then would suffice the front of
his battell; and hauing both the sides of the hill so steepe, that the