minds of the enemy, he used all means to increase
it, and carried it so well, that the Enemy durst
approach the very rampier of the Camp. The co∣lour
that he pretended was, that he thought it
not the part of a Legate, in the absence of the Ge∣nerall,
to sight with an Enemy of that strength,
but upon some good opportunity, or in a place of
advantage. In this generall perswasion of fear,
Sabinus chose out a subtle-witted Gall, an aux∣iliarie
in his army, whom he perswaded with
great rewards and further promises to fly to the
Enemy, and there to carry himself according to
the instructions which he should give him. This
Gall coming as a revolter to the Enemy, laid o∣pen
unto them the fear of the Romans; the ex∣tremity
that Caesar was driven into by the Ve∣neti;
and that the night following Sabinus was
about to withdraw his forces secretly out of his
camp, and to make all the haste he could to re∣lieve
Caesar. Ʋpon which advertisement, they
all cryed out with one consent, that this opportu∣nity
was not to be omitted; but setting apart all
other devises, they would go and assault the Ro∣man
camp. Many circumstances perswaded the
Galles to this resolution: as first the lingring and
doubt which Sabinus had made, when he was of∣fered
battel; secondly, the intelligence which this
fugitive had brought; thirdly, the want of vi∣ctuals,
wherein they had been negligent and un∣advisedly
carelesse; fourthly, the hope they con∣ceived
of the war of Vannes; and lastly, for
that men willingly believe that which they would
have come to passe. The force of these motives
was so strong, that they would not suffer Virido∣vix
nor the rest of the Captains to dismisse the
Councell, untill they had yielded that they should
take Armes, and go to the Roman Camp. Which
being granted, they gathered rubbish and faggots
to fill up the ditch; and with cheerfull hearts, as
though the victory were already gotten, they
marched to the place where Sabinus was incam∣ped;
which was the top of a hill, rising gently
from a levell▪ the quantity of one thousand pases.
Hither the Galles hasted with all expedition:
and to the intent the Romans might not have so
much time as to put on their Armour, the
Galles for haste ran themselves out of breath.
Sabinus incouraging his souldiers, gave the
sign of battel; and sallying out at two severall
gates of his Camp upon the enemy, who were hin∣dred
with their loads of rubbish, it fell out that
through the opportunity of the place, the weari∣nesse
and unexperience of the Enemy, the valour
of the Roman souldier, and their exercise infor∣mer
battels, that the Galles could not indure the
brunt of the first incounter, but presently betook
themselves to flight. Ours being fresh and lusty
pursued after and slew great numbers of them:
then chasing their horse, suffered very few of
them to save themselves by flight. And so it hap∣pened,
that at one time Sabinus had news of the
overthrow at Sea, and Caesar of Sabinus victo∣ry
by Land. Ʋpon these victories all the Cities
and States yielded themselves to Titurius: for
as the Galles are prompt to undertake a warre;
so are they weak in suffering, and impatient of the
consequents and calamities thereof.
OBSERVATION.
THis practice of a counterfeit fear was often put
in use by the Roman Leaders, as well to disap∣point
the expectation of an Enemy, as to draw
them into an inconvenience, and so to defeat
them of their greatest helps in time of battel. Cae∣sar
coming to succour the camp of Cicero, made
such use of this Art, that he put to rout a great
Army of the Galles with a handfull of men: which
I will refer unto the place where it is particularly
set down by Caesar.
The chiefest thing in this place which brought
them to their overthrow was disappointment:
for it is a thing hardly to be digested in businesses
of small consequence, to be frustrated of a setled
expectation, when the mind shall dispose her
self to one only intent, and in the upshot meet
with a counterbuffe to crosse her purposes, and so
defeat her of that hope which the strength of her
reason hath entertained: how much more then
in things of such importance, when we shall
proceed in a course of victory, and humour our
conceits with that we wish and would have to
happen, and in the end meet either with bondage
or death, must our best wits be appalled, having
neither respite nor means to think how the evil
may be best prevented? Which the wise Romans
wel understood, and counted it no dishonour to
be reproched with shamefull cowardise, by such
as knew not the secrets of wisdome; while they
in the mean time foresaw their good fortunes,
shrowded under the cloak of a pretended dis∣trust.
Let these examples instruct a Leader so to take
the opportunity of any such fortune, that in the
execution he omit not the chiefest points of order
and discipline, as well for the better effecting of
the design, as for his own safety, and the security of
his Army. For order is as the sinews and strength
of martiall discipline, uniting the particular mem∣bers
into the firm composition of a wel-proporti∣oned
body: and so it maketh it more powerfull
then any number of disunited parts, how able or
infinite soever.