The commentaries of C. Julius Cæsar of his warres in Gallia, and the civil warres betwixt him and Pompey / translated into English with many excellent and judicious observations thereupon ; as also The art of our modern training, or, Tactick practise, by Clement Edmonds Esquire, ... ; where unto is adjoyned the eighth commentary of the warres in Gallia, with some short observations upon it ; together with the life of Cæsar, and an account of his medalls ; revised, corrected, and enlarged.

CHAP. VI.

The manner of their shipping, and their sea-sight.

THe situation of almost all these Cities was such,* 1.1 that being built in points & promontories, they could not at ful sea, which happened alwayes twice in 12 houres, be approached by foot-forces nor yet with shipping; for again in an ebbe the vessels were laid on the groun•• and so left as a prey to the enemy. And if the Romans went about to shut out the sea with mounts which they raised equall to the walls of the town, and were at the point of enter∣ing and taking it; yet the townsmen having such store of shipping, would easily convey both themselves and their carriages into the next towns, and there help themselves with the like advantage of place. And thus they deluded Cae∣sar the greatest part of the sommer: for the Ro∣man fleet by reason of continuall windes and foul weather, durst not adventure to put out of the river Loire into so vast a sea, wherein the ha∣vens and roads were few, and farre distant one from another, and the tides great. The shipping of the Galles was thus built and rigged: the keel was somewhat flatter then the Romans shipping, the better to bear the ebbes and shal∣lowes of that coast: the fore-deck was altogether erect and perpendicular; the poupe was made to bear the hugenesse of the billowes and the force of the tempest. And in a word they were alto∣gether built for strength: for the ribs and seats were made of beams of a foot square, fastned with iron pinnes of an inch thick: in stead of ca∣bles they used chaines of iron; and raw hides and skins for sailes, either for want of linen, or ignorant of the use thereof, or because sailes of linen would hardly serve to carry ships of that burthen, or endure the tempestuousnesse of those seas, and the violence of the winds.

The meeting and conflict of the Roman navy with this kind of ships was such, that they only excelled them in celerity and speedy nimblenesse with force of oars; but in all other things, either concerning the nature of the place, or the dan∣gers of the foul weather, were farre inferiour unto them: for the strength of them was such that they could neither hurt them with their beak-heads, nor cast a weapon to any purpose into them by reason of their altitude, and high-built bulkes. And if any gust chanced in the mean time to rise, that forced them to commit them∣selves to the mercy of the weather, their shipping would better bear the rage of the sea, and with greater safety shelter it self amongst flats and shallowes, without fear of rocks or any such ha∣zard: of all which chances the Roman navy stood continually in danger.

OBSERVATION.

ANd here let it not seem impertinent to the ar∣gument which we handle,* 1.2 considering the ge∣nerall use which we Islanders have of navigati∣on, briefly to set down the most eminent causes of the flowing and ebbing of the sea, as far forth as shall seem necessary to the knowledge of a souldier: which albeit they may fall short of the true reasons of this great secret: yet forasmuch as they stand for true principles of regularity, and

well-approved rules in our Art of navigation, let us take them for no lesse then they effect, and give them that credit in our imagination, which tract of time hath gained to those forged circles in the heavens: that albeit their chiefest essence consisteth in conceit and supposall; yet foras∣much as they serve to direct our knowledge to a certainty in that variety and seeming inconstan∣cy of motion, we esteem of them as they effect, and not as they are.

Considering then the globe of the world, as it maketh a right sphear (for in that position the Naturalists chiefly understand celestiall influ∣ence to have operation in this liquid element of the water) it is divided by the Horizon and Me∣ridian into four quarters: the first quarter is that between the east horizon and the noon meridian, which they call a flowing quarter; the second from the noon meridian to the west horizon, which they make an ebbing quarter; the third from the west horizon to the midnight meridian, which they likewise call a flowing quarter; and again from the midnight meridian to the east ho∣rizon, the second ebbing quarter: And so they make two flowing quarters, and two ebbing quarters of the whole circuit of heaven. The in∣struments of these sensible qualities and contra∣ry effects are the sun and the moon, as they are carried through these distinct distinct parts of the heaven. And although experience hath noted the moon to be of greatest power in watry moti∣ons; yet we may not omit to acknowledge the force which the sun yieldeth in this miracle of na∣ture.

First therefore we are to understand, that when the moon or the sun begin to appear above the right horizon, and enter into that part of the heaven which I termed the first flowing quarter, that then the sea beginneth to swell: and as they mount up to their meridian altitude, so it increa∣seth untill it come to a high floud. And again, as those lights passing the meridian decline to the west, and run the circuit of the ebbing quarter, so the water decreaseth and returneth again from whence it came. Again, as they set under the west horizon, and enter into the second flowing quarter, so the sea beginneth a∣gain to flow, and still encreaseth untill they come to the point of the night meridian: and then a∣gain it refloweth, according as the sun and moon are carried in the other ebbing quar∣ter from the night meridian to the west horizon.

And hence it happeneth that in conjunction or new of the moon,* 1.3 when the sun and the moon are carried both together in the same flowing and ebbing quarters, that then the tides and ebbs are very great: and likewise in opposition or full of the moon, when these lights are carried in oppo∣site quarters, which we have described to be of the same nature, either ebbing or flowing, that then in like manner the tides are great: forasmuch as both these Planets, through the symbolizing quar∣ters wherein they are carried, do joyn their forces to make perfect this work of Nature in the ebbing and flowing of the Sea. And contrariwise in a quadrate aspect (as the Astronomers call it) or quarter age of the moon, whenas the moon is car∣ried in a flowing quarter, and at the same instant the sun doth happen to be in an ebbing or decrea∣sing quarter, as the course of Nature doth neces∣sarily require, then are the tides lessened, as daily experience doth witnesse.

And forasmuch as both the right horizon and the meridian also divide every diurnall circle, which either the sun or the moon make in their revolutions, into equall parts; it followeth that every tide is continually measured with the quan∣tity of six houres: and therefore that which Cae∣sar here saith must needs be true, that in the space of twelve houres there are alwayes two high tides. And least any man should imagine that every inland City standing upon an ebbing and flow∣ing river, may take the computation of the tide according to this rule; let him understand that this which I have delivered is to be conceived principally of the sea it self, and secondarily of such ports and havens as stand either near or up∣on the sea: but where a river shall run many miles from the sea, and make many winding Me∣anders before it come to the place of calculation, it must needs lose much of this time before men∣tioned. And thus much I thought convenient to insert in these discourses touching the ebbing and flowing of the sea, as not impertinent to martiall knowledge.

Concerning the shipping of the Romans,* 1.4 whereof posterity hath only received the bare names, and some few circumstances touching the manner of their Equipage, the Criticks of these times have laboured to set forth a fleet answerable to that which the terms and title mentioned in history seem to report: but yet the gain of their voyage doth not answer their charge. For ma∣ny men rest unsatisfied, first touching the names themselves, whereof we find these kindes;

Names

• Longas.
• Onerarias.
• Actuarias.
• Triremes.
• Quadriremes.
• Quinqueremes.

The first we may understand to be Gallies or ships of service; the second ships of burthen; the third ships that were driven forward with force of oares; and the rest sounding according to their Names, for I dare not intitle them with a more particular description. Now whether these Names Longas and Actuarias, were a severall sort of shipping by themselves, or the gene∣rall Names of the Quadriremes, Triremes and Quinqueremes, forasmuch as every kind of these might be called both Longas and Actuarias; as it yet remaineth in controversy, so it is not much materiall to that which we seek after. But that which most troubleth our sea-Criticks is, in what

sense they may understand these vocabularies, Triremes, Quadriremes, and Quinqueremes: whether they were so termed in regard of the number of rowers or water-men that haled con∣tinually at an oare, as the custome of the Gallies is at this day; or otherwise, because a Trireme had three orders of oares on either side, a Qua∣drireme four, and a Quinquereme sive, whereof they took their distinction of Names.

Such as hold that a Trireme had on each side three ranks of oares, and so consequently of a Quadrireme and Quinquereme,* 1.5 alledge this place of Livie to make good their opinion. In the wars between Rome and Carthage, Laelius meeting with Asdrubal in the streights of Gi∣bralta, each of them had a Quinquereme and seven or eight Triremes a piece: the current in that place was so great that it gave no place to Art, but carried the vessels according to the fall of the Billow: in which uncertainty the Trire∣mes of the Carthaginian closed with the Quin∣quereme of Laelius; which either because she was pondere tenacior, as Livie saith, or otherwise for that pluribus remorum ordinibus scindenti∣bus vertices, facilius regeretur, in regard of the pluralitie of banks of oares which resisted the billow and steamed the current, she sunk two of the Triremes, and so got the victorie. From hence they prove that a Quinquereme had plures re∣morumordines then a Trireme had; and there∣fore it took the name from the plurality of banks of oares, and not from the number of men that rowed at an oare.

But the contrary opinion doth interpret Ordo remorum to be a couple of oares one answering another on each side of the vessell, which we call a pair of oares: So that a Quinquereme being far greater and longer then a Trireme, had more paires of oares then a Trireme had, and those oares were handled with five men at one oare, according to the use of our Gallies at this day.

But to leave this,* 1.6 and come to their manner of sea-sights: we must understand that the Romans wanting the use of Artillery, and managing their shaps of war with force of oares, failed not to make use of their Art in their conflicts and encounters by sea: for all their ships of service, which we term men of war, carried a strong beak-head of ••••on, which they called rostrum, with which they ran one against another, with as great violence and fury as their oares could carry them. And herein Art gave great advantage; for he that could best skill to turn his ship with greatest celerity, and so frustrate an offer, or with speedy and strong agitation follow an advantage, commonly got the victory.

In the battel which D. Brutus had with the Massilians,* 1.7 we read that two Triremes charging the Admirall wherein Brutus was, one at the one side and the other at the other, Brutus and his Mariners so cunningly handled the matter, that when they should come to the hurt, they speedily in a trice of time wound themselves from between them, and the two Triremes met with such a carriere one against another, that one brake her beak-head, and the other split with the blow.

For this skill and fortune withall Euphranor; the Rhodian was of great fame in Caesars time although his end found too true the saying of the Historian, that whom Fortune honoureth with many good haps, she oftentimes reserveth to a harder destiny; as other sea-men besides Eu∣phranor can truly witnesse.

This first brunt being ended, when they came to grapple and bording one of another, then the art and practices of their land services came in use: for they erected turrets upon their decks, and from them they sought with engines and cast∣ing-weapons, as slings, arrowes, and piles; and when they entered, they fought with sword and target. Neither did the le••••onary souldier find a∣ny difference when he came to the point between their fight at sea and that at land; saving that they could not be martialled in troups and bands, in regard whereof the sea-service was counted more base and dishonourable; and the rather, inasmuch as it decided the controversy by slings and casting-weapons, which kind of fight was of lesse honour then buckling at handy-blowes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Caesar.
• * 1.2

  The causes of the eb∣bing and flowing of the sea.
• * 1.3

  Spring∣••ides.
• * 1.4

  The manner of their shipping.
• * 1.5

  Lib. 28.
• * 1.6

  The manner of sea-sights.
• * 1.7

  Lib. 2. de bello civili.