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. XXIIII.

The ••ight continueth, and Caesar loseth.

IN the mean while Pompey,* 1.1 after so long a respite of time, having no∣tice thereof, took the first Legion from their works, and brought them to succour their fellows: and at the same time his Cavalry did approch near our horsemen, and our men that possessed the Camp, did discover an Army imbattelled co∣ming against them; and all things were sud∣denly changed. For Pompey's legion, assu∣red with a speedy hope of succour, began to make resistance at the Decumane gate, and voluntarily charged our men.

Caesar's Cavalry being got over the rampier into a narrow passage, fearing how they might retreat in safety, began to fly away. The right Cornet, secluded and cut off from the left, perceiving the terrour of the horsemen (least they might be indangered within the fortifications) betook themselves to the other side from whence they came: and most of them (least they should be surprised in the straights) cast themselves over works of ten foot high into the ditches: and such as first got over being troden under foot by such as followed after, the rest saved themselves in passing o∣ver their bodies.

The souldiers of the left Cornet perceiving from the Rampier that Pompey was at hand, and that their own side fled away, fearing lest they should be shut up in those straights, ha∣ving the Enemy both without and within them, thought it their best course to return back the same way they came. Whereby there happen∣ed nothing but tumult, fear, and flight: inso∣much as when Caesar caught hold with his hand of the Ensignes of them that sled, and commanded them to stand; some for fear left their Ensigns behind them, others forsa∣king their horses, kept on their course: nei∣ther was there any one of them that would stand. Notwithstanding, in this so great a ca∣lamity and mishap these helps fell out to re∣lieve us, when the whole army was in danger to be cut off; that Pompey fearing some trea∣chery (for that, as I think, it happened be∣yond his expectation, who a little before saw his men flie out of his camp) durst not for a good while approach near the fortifications; and our men possessing the narrow passages and the Ports, did hinder the horsemen from following after. And so a small matter fell out to be of great moment, in the carriage of that accident, on either side. For the Ram∣pier, which was carried from the Camp to the River (Pompey's Camp being already ta∣ken) was the only hinderance of Caesar's ex∣pedite and easy victory: and the same thing, hindering the speedy following of their horse∣men, was the onely safety and help of our men.

In those two fights, there were wanting of Caesar's men nine hundred and threescore; and horsemen of note, R. Felginas, Tuticanus Gallus, a Senatours sonne, C. Felginas of Placentia, Agravius of Puteolis, Sacrativirus of Capua, ten Tribunes of the souldiers, and thirty Centurions. But the greatest part of these perished in the Trenches, in the fortifi∣cations, and on the River banks, prest to death with the fear and ••light of their fellows, without any blow or wound given them. There were lost at that time thirty two mili∣tary Ensignes.

Pompey, upon that sight, was saluted by the name of Imperator; which title he then ob∣tained, and so suffered himself to be stiled afterward: howbeit he used it not in any of his Missives, nor yet wore any Laurell in the bun∣dle of Rods carried before him.

Labienus having begged all the Captives, caused them (for greater ostentation) to be brought out in publick; and to give the more assurance to such as were fled thither from Caesar's party, calling them by the name of fel∣low-souldiers, in great derision asked them whether old souldiers were wont to flie; and so caused them all to be slain.

Pompey's party took such an assurance and spirit upon these things, that they thought no farther of the course of war, but carried themselves as though they were already Vi∣ctors: not respecting (as the cause of all this) the paucity of our men, nor the disadvantage

of the place, and the streightnesse thereof, the Camp being possessed, and the doubtfull ter∣rour both within and without the works; not yet the Army divided into two parts, in such sort as neither of them were able to help or succour the other. Neither yet did they adde to this, that the fight was not made by any va∣liant incounter, or in form of battell; but that they received more hurt from the narrownesse of the place, and from their own disorder, then from the Enemy.

And to conclude, they did not remember the common chances and casualties of warre: wherein oftentimes very small causes, either of false suspicion, or of sudden fear, or out of scruple of Religion, do inferre great and hea∣vy losses; as often as either by the negligence of the Generall, or the fault of a Tribune, the Army is misordered. But as though they had overcome by true force of their prowesse, and that no alteration of things could after happen, they magnified that dayes victory, by Letters and report throughout the whole world.

THE FIRST OBSERVATION.

SOmetimes we may think to repair a losse, and thereby hazard a greater misfortune. For albeit the saying be common, that a man must seek his coat where he lost it, as Dicers do; yet there is alwayes more certainty in seek∣ing,* 1.2 then in finding. For the circle of humane affairs being carried round in a course, doth not suffer happinesse to continue with one Party. And thereupon it was, That Pit∣tacus dedicated a Ladder to the Temple of Mitylene, to put men in mind of their con∣dition;* 1.3 which is nothing else but going up and down. The life of a souldier is a mere Her∣maphrodite,* 1.4 and taketh part of either sex of Fortune; and is made by Nature to beget Hap∣pinesse of Adversity, and mischances of Good hap: as if the cause of all causes, by intermix∣ing sweet with sower, would lead us to his Pro∣vidence, and consequently to himself, the first Mover of all Motions.

The diversity of these events are so inchained together, as one seemeth to have relation to the other. For this task admitted not of veni, vi∣di, vici, I only came, and saw, and over∣came; nor went on with Alexander, march∣ing over the Plains of Asia, without rub or counterbuffe: but the businesse was disposed, here to receive a blow, and there to gain a vi∣ctory. And so this losse at Dyrraechium made the battel at Pharsalia the more glorious, and beautified the course of this warre with variety of chances. The best use of these Disasters, is that which C••oesus made of his crosse fortunes, Mei casus,* 1.5 et si ingrati, mihi tamen extitere disciplina; My mishaps, though they be unpleasing enough, yet they have still taught me something.

THE SECOND OBSERVATION.

AS the Mathemat••cks, by reason of their cer∣tainty, do admit demonstration, as well from the conclusion to the principles, as from the principles to the conclusion: so in the acti∣ons of mans life, it is not hard to assign the precedent causes by the sequele;* 1.6 the event being oftentimes an understanding Judge of things that are past. And although it do no where appear what was the cause of La∣bienus leaving Caesar; yet his insolent car∣riage towards these Captives, may make at least a probable conjecture, that his revolt proceeded from his own disposition, rather then from any cause on Caesar's behalf. For where a man hath once done an injury, he will never cease heaping one wrong af∣ter another, and all to justify his first er∣rour: whereas on the other side, a noble spi∣rit, free from all desert, will demean him∣self answerable to his first innocency.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Caesar.
• * 1.2

  Humana••um rerum ••••••∣culus est, qui ro••atus semper ••os∣dem fortu∣natos esse non sinit.
• * 1.3

  Herodot. lib. 1.
• * 1.4

  Habet has vices con∣ditio mor∣talium, ut adv••rsi ex secundis, secunda ex adversis nascantur. P••in. in Paneg.
• * 1.5

  Herodot. lib. 1.
• * 1.6

  L••••vento è spesso judi∣ce non im∣perito delle cose. Guic••. lib. 5.