CHAP. V.
Caesar confronted the Belgae in forme of battell, but without any blow giuen: the Belgae attempt the passing of the riuer Axona; but in vaine, and to their losse: they consult of brea∣king vp the warre.
CAESAR at the first resolued not to giue them battell,* as well in regard of their multitude, as the generall fame and opinion conceiued of their valour: notwithstanding he daily made triall by light skirmishes with his horsemen, what the enemy could do, and what his owne men durst doe. And when he found that his men were nothing inferiour to the Belgae, he chose a conuenient place before his campe and put his Armie in battell: the banke where he was incamped rising somewhat from a plaine leuell, was no larger then would suffice the front of the battell; the two sides were steepe, and the front rose a slope by little & little, vntill it came againe to a plaine, where the legions were imbat∣tailed. And least the enemie abounding in multitude, should circumuent his men and charge them in flanke as they were fighting, he drew an ouerthwart ditch behind his Armie, from one side of the hill to the other, 600 paces in length; the ends wherof Page 74 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 Page 75 enemy could not ascende nor clime vp, but to their own ouerthrow; hee made the backe part of the hil strong by Art, & so placed his soldiors as it were in the gate of a fortresse, where they might either issue out, or retire at their pleasure. Whereby it appeareth how much he preferred securitie and safetie before the vaine opinion of foole-hardie resolution, which sauoreth of Barbarisme rather then of true wisedome: for he euer thought it great gaine, to loose nothing; and the day brought alwaies good fortune, that deliuered vp the army safe vnto the euening; attending, vntil aduantage had laid sure principles of victory: and yet Caesar was neuer thought a coward.
And now it appeareth, what vse hee made by passing his army ouer the ri∣uer, and attending the enemie on the further side, rather then on the side of the state of Rheimes: for by that meanes he brought to passe, that whatsoeuer the enemie should attempt in any part or quarter of the lande, his forces were rea∣die to trouble their proceedings; as it happened in their attempt of Bibrax: & yet notwithstanding, he lost not the opportunitie of making slaughter of thē, as they passed ouer the riuer. For by the benefitte of the bridge which hee had fortified, he transported what forces he woulde, to make heade against them, as they passed ouer; and so hee tooke what aduantage either side of the riuer coulde affoord him.
THE SECOND OBSERVATION.
ANd heere the reader may not maruel, if when the hils are in labour, they bring forth but a mouse; for how soone is the courage of this huge army abated? or what did it attempt worthy such a multitude? or answerable to the report which was bruted of their valour? But beeing hastely caried together by the violence of passion, were as quickly dis∣persed vpon the sight of an enemy, which is no strange effect of a suddaine hu∣mour. For as in nature all violent motions are of short continuance, and the durabilitie, or lasting qualitie of all actions, proceedeth from a slowe and temperate progression; so the resolutions of the minde that are caried with an vntemperate violence, and sauour so much of heat and passion, do vanish awaie euen with the smoake thereof, and bring forth nothing but leasurable repentaunce: and therefore it were no ill counsell for men of such natures, to qualifie their hastie resolutions, with a mistrustfull lingering, that when their iudgement is well informed of the cause, they may proceed to a speedie execution.
But that which most bewraieth their indiscreet intemperāce, in the hote pur∣suit of this enterprise, is, that before they had scarce seene the enemy, or had oportunity to contest him in open field, their victual began to faile them: for their mindes were so caried away with the conceite of warre, that they had no leisure to prouide such necessaries, as are the strength and sinewe of the warre: It was sufficient for euery particular man, to be knowne for a soldiour in so ho∣norable an action, referring other matters in the care to the state. The states Page 76 in like manner thought it inough to furnish out forty or fiftie thousand men a peece, to discharge their oath, and to saue their hostages, committing other re∣quisites to the generall care of the confederacie: which, beeing directed by as vnskilful gouernours, neuer looked further then the present multitude, which seemed sufficient to ouerthrow the Romaine Empire. And thus each man re∣lied vpon an others care, and satisfied himselfe with the present garbe; so ma∣ny men of all sortes and qualities, so many helmets and plumed crests, such strife and emulation, what state should seeme in greatest forwardnesse; were motiues sufficient to induce euerie man to go, without further inquiry, how they should goe. And herein the care of a Generall ought especially to bee seene, conside∣ring the weakenesse of particular iudgements, that hauing the liues of so many men depending altogither vpon his prouidence, and ingaged in the defence of their state and country; he do not faile in these maine points of discipline, which are the pillars of all warlike dessignes. To conclude this point, let vs learne by their errour, so to carrie a matter (especially of that consequence) that we make it not much worse by ill handeling it, then it was before we first toooke it to our charge; as it heere happened to the Belgae. For their tumultuous armes sorted to no other ende, then to giue Caesar iust occasion to make warre vpon them, with such assurance of victorie, that he made small account of that which was to follow, in regard of that which had already happened: considering that hee should not in all likelihood, meet with the like strength againe, in the continu∣ance of that warre. And this was not onely grauius bellum successori tradere, as it often falleth out in the course of a long continued warre; but to drawe a dange∣rous warre vpon their heads, that otherwise might haue liued in peace.
