CHAP. II.
The enemie setteth vpon the wintering campe: Galba ouerthroweth them.
THE councell being dismissed,* they had scarce time to put in execu∣tion such thinges, as were agreed vpon for their defence: but the enemie at a watchword giuen assaulted the campe, on all sides with stones and dartes, and other casting weapons: the Romans at first when their strength was fresh, valiantly resisted the brunt of the charge; neither did they spend in vaine any weapon which they cast from the rampier; but what part soeuer of their campe seemed to be in greatest danger, and want of helpe, thither they came with succour and reliefe; but herein they were ouermatched. For the enemie being spent and wearied with fight, when∣soeuer anie of them gaue place and forsooke the battell, there were alwaies fresh combatants to supplie it: but the Romans by reason of their small number, had no such helpe. For their extremitie in that point was such, that no man was permitted neither for wearinesse nor woundes, to forsake his station, or abandon his charge. And hauing thus fought continually the space of sixe houres, when both strength and weapons wanted, the enemie persisting with greater furie to fill the ditch and breake downe the rampier, and their hopes relying vpon the last expectation: P. Sex. Baculus the Primipile of that legion, whom we said to be so sore wounded in the Neruian battell, and Caius Volusenus Tribune of the souldiers, a man of singu∣lar courage and wisedome, ranne speedily to Galba and tolde him, that the only waie of safetie was to breake out vpon the enemie, and to trie the last refuge in that ex∣tremitie. Whereupon they called the Centurions, and by them admonished the sol∣diers to surcease a while from fighting, and onely to receiue such weapons as were cast into the campe; and so to rest themselues a little and recouer their strength: and then at a watchword to sallie out of their campe, and laie their safety vpon their vertue; which the souldiers executed with such alacritie and courage of spirite, that breaking out at all the gates of the campe, they gaue no leasure to the enemie to consider what was done, nor to satisfie his iudgement touching so vnexpected a no∣ueltie. And thus fortune being suddenly changed, they slewe more then the third part of 30000, and put the rest to flight, not suffering them to staie vpon the hils neere about them.
OBSERVATIONS.
WHich strange alteration liuely describeth the force of noueltie,* and the effectuall power of vnexpected aduētures: for in the first course of their proceeding, wherein the Romans defended the campe, and the Galles charged it by assault, the victorie held constant with the Galles, and threatned death and mortality to the Romans. Neither had they any Page 107 meanes to recouer hope of better successe, but by trying another waie; which so much the more amazed the Galles, in that they had vehemently apprehen∣ded an opinion of victorie, by a set fight continuing the space of sixe houres, without any likelihood of contrarietie, or alteration. Which practise, of fru∣strating a dessigne intended by an indirect and contrary answere, serued the Ro∣mans oftentimes to great aduantage; as besides this present example, in this Commentarie we shall afterward read, how Titurius Sabinus defeated the Vnel∣los, with the same stratagem; and ouerthrew them by eruption and sallying out, when they expected nothing but a defensiue resistance from the rampier. From whence a commander may learne, to auoide two contrarie inconueniences, ac∣cording as the qualitie of the warre shall offer occasion: first (if other thinges be answerable, which a iudicious eie will easily discouer) that a sallie made out at diuers portes of a holde, will much mitigate the heate of a charge, and controll the furie of an enemie. And on the other side, he that besiegeth any place what aduantage soeuer he hath of the defendant, may much better assure himselfe of good fortune, if he appoint certaine troupes in readines to receiue the charge of any eruption, that the rest that are busily imploied in the assault may prouide to answere it, without disorder or confusion. Which order, if the Galles had ta∣ken, they had not in likelihood so often been deceiued.
