that he should with all haste possible
send for the thirteenth legion which wintered
amongst the Bituriges, under T. Sextius the
Legate, and so with three legions make long
marches to come to him. In the mean season
he sent out by turns the horsemen of Rhemes
and of the Lingones and other States, of whom
he had called forth a great number, to safe-con∣duct
the forragers, and to withstand the sud∣dain
assaults of the enemy.
This being done day by day, and our men ta∣king
now lesse heed, because it was an ordinary
matter with them, (which thing for the most part
cometh to passe by daily custome) the Bellova∣ci
with a band of chosen footmen, knowing the
places where our horsemen daily kept their
standings, laid ambushes in woody places: and
the next day they sent thither their horsemen,
first to draw cut our men into the danger of their
ambushments, and then to assail them as they
were enclosed. The lot of this ill luck lighted
upon the men of Rhemes, whose turn it was to
perform the duty that day. For they, when
they had espied the horsemen of their enemies
upon the suddain, despising them because they
werelesse in number, followed them over-gree∣dily,
and were enclosed by the footmen. Where∣by
being disordered, they retired more hastily
then horsemen are accustomed to do in battell,
with the losse of Vertisco the Prince of their
State, and Captain of their horsemen. Who
being scarce able to sit upon a horse by reason
of his age, would notwithstanding (according
to the custome of the Galles) neither seek to dis∣burden
himself of the Captainship by excuse of
his age, nor suffer the encounter to be fought
without him. With this lucky battell, wherein
they slew the Prince and Captain of the men of
Rhemes, the courages of our enemies were
heightened and raised: and our men were taught
by their own harm, to search the places better
where they should keep their standings, and to
follow their enemy more advisedly when he
fled. In the mean while ceased not the daily
skirmishes in the sight of both our Camps, which
were made at the foords and passages of the
marish.
In this kind of exercise, whenas the Germans
(whom Caesar had for the same purpose fetcht
over the Rhene, that they should fight intermin∣gled
with his horsemen in the battel,) had all
boldly passed the marish, and slaying a few that
made resistance, followed eagerly upon the rest
of the multitude; not only they that were over∣thrown
at hand or wounded aloof, but also they
that were wont to succour afarre off, were so
stricken with fear, that they ran away shame∣fully;
and never left flying from higher ground
to higher, which they oftentimes lost, before
they either recovered into their Camp, or (as some
did for very shame) fled farther off. With
whose danger the rest of the host was so trou∣bled,
that it can scarcely be judged, whether good
successe (were it never so small) would make
them more arrogant, or a misfortune (were it
never so mean) would make them more cowed
and fearfull.