charge him on the flanke and Stertinius with the other squadrons of horsmē to enuiron him and set on him behind promising to be himselfe at hand if neede required In the meane season eight Eagles a very luckie signe were seene to flee towards the entrance of the wood Which the Emperour perceiuing cried that they should march on follow the Roman birds the peculiar gods of the legions Wherupon the footmen brake in the horsmen sent before charged them on the flanke and on the backe And which is strange to report two companies of the enemie tooke a contrary flight those which kept the wood ran to the plaine and those which held the plaine hastened to the wood The Cherusci being betweene both were thrust downe from the hils amongst whom with great valour Arminius maintained the battell with his hands voice and wounds All his might he bent against the archers to haue burst out that way if the cohorts of Gallia of Raetia and the Vindelicians had not opposed themselues with their ensignes Neuertheles by strength of bodie and courage of his horse he escaped hauing first died his face with bloud least he should be knowne Some report that he was knowne to the Cherusci which were among the auxiliarie bands of the Romans and let passe by them The same either valour or guile gaue Inguiomerus meanes to escape the rest were slaine on euery side And most of them endeuoring to swim ouer Visurgis were either with the darts throwne after them or force of the riuer or waight of such as lept after or with the banks which fell killed or ouerwhelmed Some cowardly fleeing away sought to clamber the tops of trees and there hiding themselues in the boughes were shot through by the archers in a mockerie and others brused by the ouerturning of the trees The victory was great and vnto vs not bloudie From fiue of the clock vntill night the enemies were slaine which filled ten miles of ground with dead carcasses and armour Some chaines were found among their spoiles brought to emprison the Romans as not doubting a prosperous successe The souldiers saluted Tiberius by the name of Emperour in the same place where the battell was fought and erected a mount of earth as a token of victory and put on it the armour of the enemie and vnderneath the names of the nations which they had conquered V. A second battellvvoon by the Romans against the Germans THe wounds which the Germans receiued and their ouerthrow did not so much fret and greeue them as this spectacle in so much that those which were on the point to abandon their dwellings and make preparation to passe the riuer Albis catche vp their weapons and demaund battell The common sort the chiefe Gentlemen yong and old assaile and endanger the Romans At last they chose a place enuironed with woods and a riuer which had a narrow waterish plaine within it The woods were enuironed likewise with a deepe marsh sauing on one side where the Angriuarians had raised vp a broad causey by which their territories were separated from the Cherusci The footemen stayed there the horsemen hid themselues in the woods adioyning that when the legions should enter the wood they might charge them on the back Caesar was informed of all their plots he knew their deseignments their places their open and secret deuises and turned the enemies fraud to his owne destruction The charge of the horsemen and the plaine he committed to Seius Tubero Lieutenant part of the footemen marched in order of battell to the wood and part went about to win the causey the hardest he vndertooke himselfe and the rest he committed to the Lieutenants They vnto whom the plaine fell did easily enter it but those which were to assault the causey were sore gaulded put backe with blowes from aboue as if they had scaled a wall The Captaine perceiuing that the enemy had the aduantage by fighting so neere caused the legions to retire a little and commaunded the sling-casters and stone-casters to let freely at them and driue them from their fence Many darts and speares were shot out of engins and the more the enemies were in sight the more wounds they receiued The causey being taken Caesar himselfe with his gard couragiously entered the woods and fought with the enemy hand to hand who had behinde him a marsh and the Romans a riuer or mountaines the place brought a necessitie of fighting to both partes their hope consisted in their manhoode and their safetie in the victory The Germans were no lesse couragious but they were ouercome by the aduantage of weapons and manner of fight For being a great multitude and the place narrow they could neither thrust out nor draw back those long pikes nor vse any nimblenes of body in running in and stepping back but were forced to fight and not mooue a foote Contrarily the Roman souldier his shield close to his breast his sword in his hand gored the wide sided and open faced barbarian and by their slaughter opened a way through them Arminius being now courageles by reason of continuall danger or fresh bleeding wound lately receiued but Inguiomerus flue vp and downe the army wanted rather fortune then courage And Germanicus to be the better knowne vnlaced his helmet and besought them to continue the slaughter captiues there was no neede of only the generall butchery of the nation would make an end of the warre And in the euening he draweth out one legion from the army to make ready the camps the rest filled themselues vntill night with the bloud of the enemie And for the horsemen it is hard to gesse which had the better Then Caesar hauing praised the valour of the conquerors in an assembly made a great heape of armour with this prowd title The people betwixt Rhene and Albis being vanquished Tiberius Caesars army doth dedicate those monuments to Mars Iupiter and Augustus Of himselfe he added no word for feare of enuie or because the memory of the fact was sufficient testimonie for him Immediately after he commaunded Stertinius to make warre against the Angriuarians vnlesse they would presently yeeld who humbly intreating and yeelding to all that was demaunded receiued generall pardon But the sommer being now far spent some of the legions were sent back to the standing camps and Germanicus embarking many conueyed them to the Ocean by the riuer Amisia At the first they had a quiet calme sea no noise heard but the noise of the oares of a thousand vessels which somtimes likewise were driuen with sailes by and by haile powring downe out of blacke and thicke clouds and sundry stormes and tempests arising from all parts and vncertaine raging surges depriued them of all foresight and skill in gouerning their shipping And the souldier fearfull and vnacquainted with the dangerous aduentures of sea whilest he troubleth the mariners or vnseasonably goeth about to helpe hindered the office of the more skilfull In the ende
if he had once set them abroch that his bad speeches were ioyned with cruell deeds The same time Iulia died whom Augustus hauing conuicted of adulterie had exiled into the Iland Trimerus not farre from the Apulian shores where she indured twentie yeers exile sustained by Augusta whose maner was by secret practises to subuert her sonnes in lawe when they were in prosperitie and openly shew them pitie when they were in miserie XVI The Frisians rebellagainst the Romans Agrippina Germanicus daughter is married to C. Domitius THe same yeere the Frisians beyond Rhene forsooke their obedience rather through our couetousnes then impatiencie of liuing vnder our subiection Drusus in regard of their small abilitie had imposed a small tribute on them which was a certaine of oxe hides for the war no man respecting what strength or largenes they were of vntill Olennius a Captaine of a principall ensigne and gouernor of the Frisians made choise of the skins of the beast called Vrus of that hignes As that had beene a heauie burden for other nations so the Germains could least of all others endure it whose woods although full of huge sauage beasts yet at their houses haue but small heards first therefore they deliuered these oxen then their possessions and lastly the bodies of their wiues and children into bondage From hence grew their griefe and complaints and seeing that no man relieued them they sought a redresse by warre laid hands on such souldiers as receiued the tribute and hanged them vp Olennius escaped the furie of the enimie by flying to a Castle called Fleuus strengthened with no smal power of citizens and consederats which held the coastes of the Ocean in subiection Which when L. Apronius Propretor of lowe Germanie vnderstood he sent for the chiefest ensignes of the legions of higher Germanie aides as wel of the horsmē as footmē broght both the armies ouer Rheine into the Frisian land the rebels forsaking the siege of the Castle to defend their owne Then Apronius maketh causeies and bankes and strong bridges ouer the next arme of the sea for the huge armie to passe ouer And in the meane time hauing found som foords commādeth the wing of the Caninefates such footmen as serued vnder vs to hem in the enemie behind Who raunged into battle aray to fight droue back the confederates legionarie horsmen sent as an aide After that were sent three cohorts lightly armed then two more a little after a strong companie of horsmen Strength sufficient if they had charged couragiously togither but comming some after some dropping in by companies they neither gaue courage to the fearfull but carried away themselues with like feare ran all away for company The residue of the aides he committed vnto Cethegus Labeo Lieutenant of the fift legion who perceiuing things to go doubtfull on his side sent to demaund more aide of the legions The fift legion couragiously issuing first out with a hot skirmish put the enimie to flight receiued into them the wounded and wearied cohorts The Roman Captaine sought neither to reuenge nor burie the dead bodies although there had been slaine manie Tribunes Prefects and diuers Centurions of marke fame It was after knowen by the fugitiues that the fight held on vntil the next day and that there were nine hundred Romans slaine in a wood called Baduhenna and that another power of 400. which had taken the village of Cruptorix which sometime had receiued pay of the Romains fearing treason slewe one another This got the Frisians great renowme among the Germains Tiberius dissembling his losses least hee should commit the charge to some other and the Senate beeing possessed with domesticall feare regarded not much whether the remote part of the Empire went dishonorably to wracke or not but stroken as I haue sayde into a feare sought a remedie by flatterie And albeit they had propounded many matters to deliberate on yet they decreed that all layde aside there should be two altars erected one vnto Clemencie and another vnto Friendship and that Caesars and Seianus images should be set about them and intreated most earnestly they would vouchsafe them so much fauour as that they might see him Neuerthelesse they went neither to Rome nor any place there about but thought it sufficient if they went out of the Iland and be seene in Campania next adioyning vnto it Thither resorted the Lords of the Senate Gentlemen and many of the common people heauie for Seianus vnto whom accesse was hardliest obtained and that with great crouching by approouing and participating his deseignments It well appeared his arrogancie grew greater seeing he blushed not to see such open base and filthie seruilitie vsed For at Rome it was a vsuall matter for men to walke the streetes and by reason the citie is great no man knew anothers busines but there some lying night and day in the field some on the sea shore without any difference endured either the pride of the porters or had fauour as pleased them vntill that that was also denied them Then they returned to the citie with discontented feare and Caesar not hauing vouchsafed either to looke or speake vnto them and some whose vnfortunate friendship with Seianus portended their imminent death were glad in an ill time Tiberius hauing publickly giuen his neece Agrippina Germanicus daughter vnto Gn. Domitius commaunded that the marriage should be solemnised in the citie He made choise of Domitius as well for the antiquitie of his stocke as neerenesse in bloud to the Caesars for Octauia was his grandmother and by her Augustus his vncle THE FIFT BOOKE OF THE ANNALES OF CORNELIVS TACITVS I. The death of Iulia. Tiberius crueltie increaseth His practises to make away Nero and Agrippina WHen Rubellius and Fusius both of them surnamed Geminus were Consuls Iulia Augusta died being very aged and of the noble familie of the Claudians and besides into the house of the Liuians and Iulians adopted She was first married vnto Tiberius Nero and had children by him who being driuen out of his countrey in the warre of Perusium and a peace after confirmed betwixt Sext. Pompeius the Triumuiri returned to the citie againe After that Augustus rauished with her beautie whether against her will or not it is vncertaine tooke her from her husband shewing himselfe so lustfull of her that not giuing her time to be deliuered of her first husbands childe brought her great as she was to his owne house After that she had no issue but being vnited to Augustus bloud by the mariage of Germanicus and Agrippina they had nephewes children common to them both Her behauior was according to the carriage of auncient times yet more courteous then women of former ages could well allow an vntollerable mother a tractable wife with the subtletie of her husband and dissimulation of her soone well medled and composed Her funerals were not sumptuous her testament long voide She was praised in a funerall oration before
Iulius Aquila gentleman of Rome contemnig both of them began to sollicite the countries about him and allure fugitiues and at last hauing assembled an armie chaseth out the King of the Dandarides and inioyeth his kingdome Which being vnderstoode and looking euerie hower that he would inuade the Bosphoran Aquila and Cotys distrustring their owne forces because Zorsines King of the Soraci had taken armes againe sought for forreine aide and sent Ambassadors to Eunones King of the Adorsian nation being no hard matter to draw him to their fellowship after he had declared what oddes there was between the Roman forces and the rebell Mithradates Whereupon they agreed that Eunones should haue charge of the horsemen and the Romains besiege townes Then hauing mustered their armie in order they marche in battell aray the Adorsi defending the front and the rereward the cohorts and Bosphorani the middle battell armed after our fashion And so driuing backe the enimie we came to Soza the chiefe towne of Dandarica which Mithradates forsooke where we left a garrison as being doubtfull of the inhabitants fidelitie From thence they marched to the Soraci and hauing passed the riuer Panda they besieged the citie Vspe situated on a high place fortified with wals and ditches sauing that the wals not being made of stone but of hurdles ioyned togither earth in the middle were too weake against the besiegers who hauing erected towres higher than the wals with fire and dartes disordered they besieged and had not the night broken off the battell the towne had beene assaulted and taken the same day The next day they sent Ambassadors to intreat for the free men but of slaues they offered ten thousand which the Conquerours refused And because that to slaie such as yeelded would be a cruell part and to keepe so great a multitude hard they thought it best to hold on the siege and kill them by right of warre and thereupon the signe was giuen to such souldiers as had scaled the wals to put them to the sword V. Mithradates being forsaken by Zorsines King of the Soraci ye eldeth to Eunones King of the Adorsi and came to Rome after he had made a peace THe slaughter of the Vspensiens stroke the rest into a feare thinking now that there was no safetie in any thing seeing their armes their fortresses high and hard places riuers and townes were forced alike Zorsines then long waighing with himselfe whether he should succour Mithradates desperate case or prouide for his fathers kingdome at length the loue of his countrey swaying him hauing giuen pledges he prostrated himselfe before the image of Caesar to the great glorie of the Roman armie which without any losse of bloodshed on his side came as it is most manifest victorious within three daies iourney of the riuer Tanais But in returning fortune was not alike bicause some of the shippes carried on the Taurian shores were by the Barbarians surprised the prefect of the cohorts and most of the Centurions slaine In the meane time Mithradates finding no safetie in armes debateth with himselfe whose mercie he should trie He feared his brother Cotys because he betrayed him once and was now his enimie There was none of the Romans of such authoritie that their promises should greatly be regarded in fine he addresseth himselfe to Eunones his enimie for priuate grudge but great and of better credit through the friendship newely contracted with vs. Therefore composing his countenance and attiring himselfe sutable to his present estate goeth to the Kings pallace and casting himselfe at his knees saith Behold here Mithradates whom by sea and by land you haue so manie yeeres sought Behold I am here of my owne voluntarie will Vse as thou wilt the sonne of great Achemenes which is the onely thing which the enimies haue not taken from me But Eunones moued with the nobilitie of the man the change of his fortune at his prayer which argued no base minde lifteth vp the suppliant and commendeth him that he had chosen the Adorsian nation and his right hand for obtayning of pardon And withall sendeth Ambassadors and letters to Caesar with these contents That the first friendship betwixt the Emperours and Kings of other mightie nations proceeded of conformitie and likenes of fortune but Claudius amitie and his of a victorie common to them both That the end of warre were most notable when peace was made with pardoning So when Zorsinus was conquered nothing was taken from him for Mithradates although he had deserued woorse no power no kingdome was intreated for but onely that he might not be lead in triumphe and lose his life Neuerthelesse Claudius although he were milde and gentle towards forreine nobilitie yet doubted whether it were best for him to receiue the captiue vnder condition of life or demaund him by force of armes For on one side the griefe of iniuries receiued and desire of reuenge pricked him and on the other reasons to the contrarie That he should take a warre in hand in a hard conntrey and a hauenlesse sea withall that the Kings were fierce and the people scattered and the soile fruitlesse and needy of victuals then that lingering would bring tediousnes and haste danger the praise should be small to the conquerers the infamie great if they tooke the repulse therfore it were best to take the offer and keepe the exiled who being poore how much the longer he liued so much the more punishment he should indure Mooued with these reasons he wrote to Eunones In verie truth that Mithradates deserued examplarie punishment neither wanted he power to execute it neuerthelesse it hath seemed best vnto our predecessors to vse as great benignitie towards humble suppliants as hard and rigorous dealing towards the enimie for triumphes were gotten of whole nations and kingdomes Then Mithradates was deliuered and carried to Rome by Iunius Celo Procurator of Pontus and thought to haue spoken more boldly to Caesar then his estate required His speech was carried to the people in these termes I am not sent backe vnto thee but am come and if thou beleeue me not let me goe and trie There appeered no signe of feare in his countenance when as garded with keepers neere vnto the court he was shewen vnto the people The Consularie ornaments were giuen to Colo and the Pretorian to Aquila VI. The death of Lollia Paulina through Agrippinaes iealousie Calpurnia driuen out of Italie VNder the same Consuls Agrippina boiling with deadly hatred and malice against Lollia because she had contended with her for the marrying of the Prince left no meanes vnsought vntill she had stirred vp some to accuse her of conference had with the Chaldeans and Magicians and counsell asked of the idoll of Apollo Clarius concerning the Emperours marriage Hereupon Claudius the defendant vnhard hauing spoken much before the Senate of her noblenes of birth that she was L. Volusius sisters daughter that Cotta Messallinus was her great vncle and she once wife
that the legion which durst vndertake the battell was slaine the rest had either hid themselues in their camp or fought meanes by flight to saue themselues that they could not indure the noise and cry of so many souldiers much lesse their furie and strength If they would waigh with themselues the strength of the souldiers if the cause of the warre they should resolue either to vanquish in that battell or die That for her owne part being a woman was her resolution the men might liue if they pleased and serue Suetonius held not his toong in so great danger who although he trusted in the valour of his souldiers yet enterlaced exhortations and prayers That they should contemne the lowde and vaine threates of the barbarians that there were more women seene in their armie then yong men that being vnwarlike and vnarmed they would presently yeeld when they should once come to feele the weapons and valour of the conquerors who had so oft ouerthrowne them yea where many legions haue beene a few haue caried away the glory of the battell and it should be an augmenting to their glory if with a small power they could win the praise of a whole armie that they should only continue the slaughter and butcherie close together by throwing of darts then with their swords and pikes of their bucklers not thinking on bootie for the victorie once gotten all should fall to their share Such a feruencie and edge followed the captaines words the old souldier experienced in many battels so besturred himselfe and shewed such forwardnes in lancing his darts that Suetonius assured of the euent gaue the signe of battell And first of all the legion not stirring afoote but keeping within the streight as in a place of defence after that the enemie was come neerer and had spent his darts to good purpose the legion in the end sallied out in a pointed battell The auxiliarie souldier was of the like courage and the horsemen with long lances breaking before them all they met or made head against them The residue shewed their backs hardly fleeing away by reason the carts placed about the plaine had hedged in the passages on euery side And the souldiers spared not from killing so much as the women and their horses and beasts thrust through increased the heape of bodies That was a day of great renowme and comparable to the victories of old times for some there are which report that there were slaine fewe lesse in number then fourscore thousand Britaines of our souldiers fower hundred slaine and not many moe hurt Boudicea ended her life with poison And Poenius Posthumus Campe-maister of the second legion vnderstanding of the prosperous successe of the foureteenth and twentith legions because hee had defrauded his legion of the like glorie and contrarie to the order of seruice refused to obey the Captaines commaundement slewe himselfe After this gathering the armie togither they encamped againe readie to end the residue of the warre And Caesar augmented his forces by sending out of Germanie two thousand legion aries eight cohorts of auxiliaries and a thousand horse by whose comming the ninth legion was supplied The cohorts and wings were lodged in newe winter garrisons and all those which were either openly against vs or doubtfull were wasted with fire and sword But nothing so much distressed that nation as famine being negligent in sowing of corne and of all ages giuen to warre and assuring themselues to liue on our prouision being a fierce nation slowly gaue eare to any peace For Iulius Classicianus sent to succeed Catus and at variance with Suetonius hindered the common good with pruate grudges and had bruted abroad that the new Lieutenant was to be expected who without any hostile rancor pride of a conqueror would entreat such as would yeelde with all clemencie He sent worde likewise to Rome that they should looke for no ende of the warres vnlesse some other should succeed Suetonius attributing his aduerse lucke to his own ouerthwartnes and the prosperous to the good lucke of the common-wealth Whereupon to see what state Britannie stood in Polycletus a freed man was sent Nero greatly hoping that by his authoritie there should not onely an agreement be made betweene the Lieutenant and Procurator but also the rebellious mindes of the Barbarians be won to a peace Neither failed Polycletus with his great hoast to seeme burdesome to Italie and Gallia and after he had passed the Ocean sea shew himselfe terrible euen to our souldiers But to the enimies he was but a laughing stocke who being in ful possession of libertie knew not what the power of freed men was and began to maruell that a Captaine and an armie which had atchieued so many great exploits could yeeld to obey a bond-slaue all things neuerthelesse were made the best to the Emperour And Suetonius being occupied in dispatching of busines after he had lost a fewe galleies on the shore and the gallie-slaues in them as though the warre did continue was commaunded to deliuer the armie to Petronius Turpilianus who had lately giuen vp his Consulship who neither prouoking the enimie nor egged by him gaue his lasie and idle life the honorable name of peace XII Balbus a Senators testament forged and Pedanius Rufus killed by his bondmen THe same yeere two notable lewd parts were committed at Rome the one by a Senator the other by an audacious bondman Domitius Balbus sometime Pretor being aged without children and of great wealth lay open to much treacherie One of his neerest kinsmen Valerius Fabianus and Consull elect forged a false testament in his name hauing called thereunto Vicius Rufinus and Terentius Lentinus gentlemen of Rome and they associated vnto them Antonius Primus and Asinius Marcellus Antonie was readie and bold Marcellus nobly descended and nephewe to Asinius Pollio of a good cariage and behauiour sauing that he thought pouertie the woorst of all things Fabianus then sealed the testament with those which I haue named and others of lesser calling whereof he was conuicted before the Lords of the Senat with Antonius Rufinus Terentius and condemned by the law Cornelia against forgerie But Marcellus the memorie of his auncestors and Caesars entreatie acquited rather from punishment than infamie The same day ouerthrew Pompeianus Aelianus a yoong man who had been Quaestor and priuie to Fabianus practise and was banished Italy and Spaine his natiue countrey Valerius Ponticus sustained the like ignominie because that eschuing the iudgement of the Prouost of the citie he had informed against some before the Pretor first vnder colour of som lawes then by preuarication to escape punishment Wherupon a decree of Senate was ordained that he who should either buy or sell any such actions should sustaine the same punishment as he who was publickly condemned for forging of crimes in false accusations Not long after Pedanius Secundus Prouost of the citie was slaine by his bondman either because he had denied him his
childe but in the face of the enimie and against armed men atchieued his enterprises And that the ensignes which he had taken from the Romans were to be seene in the woods of Germanie offered vp in honour of their countrey gods Let Segestes inhabite the conquered banks and restore his sonne to his priestlie dignitie that the Germans coulde neuer excuse it that the Romans haue beene seene to beare their roddes their axes and gownes betweene Abbis and Rhene Other nations being strangers to the Romane gouernment could speak nothing of their cruell punishments and grieuous tributes and seeing they had shaken off those burdens and that that Augustus whom they placed among the gods and Tiberius chosen after him lost their labour they shoulde not feare an vnexperienced yoong man nor his mutinous companie If they preferred their countrey their kindred their auncient life before newe lordes and newe colonies they should rather follow Arminius protector of their glory and libertie then Segestes the author of reprochfull seruitude These speeches incensed not only the Cheruscians but the neighbors adioyning also and drew Inguiomerus a man once in credit with the Romans and vncle to Arminius by the fathers side to their partie which increased Caesars feare the more And therefore least the whole waight of the warre should at once fall vpon him he sent Caecinna with fortie cohorts of Romanes to seauet the power of the enemie through the Bructeries countrey to the riuer of Amisia Pedo the Camp-maister had the conducting of the horsemen by Frisia himselfe embarqued foure legions and lead them through the lakes all the horsemen footemen and the whole nauie meeting together at the said riuer and receiued the Chauceans among them who had promised them ayde The Bructeri burning their owne countrey Stertinius ouerthrew with a companie of light harnessed souldiers sent against them by Germanicus and found betweene the slaughter and the bootie the banner of the nineteenth legion which was lost with Varus From thence the armie marched to the vtmost confines of the Bructeri all the countrey wasted betwixt the riuer Amisia and Luppia not farre from the forest Tentoburgh where the reliques of the legions which Varus lead were reported to lye vnburied Whereupon Caesar had a great desire to celebrate the captaines and souldiers funerals all the armie moued to compassion some calling to minde their kinsfolks some their friends and some in consideration of the hazards of warre and the slipperie estate of man subiect vnto fortunes change And hauing sent Caecina before to search out the secret places of the forest and cast bridges and causeyes ouer the moist and deceiptful passages of the bogs they marched those dolefull wayes yrksome to behold and dreadfull to remember Varus first encamping seate by the large circuit of ground it contained and dimensions of the Principia did shew that the inclosure was capable of three legions then by a rampire halfe broken downe and a shallow trench they perceiued where the ouertoyled remnant was retired In the middle of the field lay white bones either scattered or on a heape as they had eyther resisted or fled hard by trouncheons of weapons and horses ribs and before them mens heads fastened vpon the bodies of trees In the woods were their barbarous altars on which they sacrificed the Tribunes and chiefe Centurions Those which escaped aliue or broke prison after the butchery tould that here the Liutenants were slaine there the standards taken where Varus receiued his first wound where with his owne vnluckie hand he slew himselfe On what Tribunall Armin ius made his oration How many gibbets he had set vp for captiues and what ditches and with what prowde disdaine he skoffed at the ensignes and standarts The Romanes then which were present sixe yeares after the slaughter oppressed with griefe yet more then euer kindled with rage against the enemie couered with earth the bones of the three legions as if they had been all their friends or kindred howbeit it was vncertaine whether they buried the stranger or friend Caesar to shew a gratefull memory of the dead and himselfe to be partaker of their griefe with his owne hands put the first turfe on their tombes which Tiberius misliked either as construing all Germanicus actions to the worst or because the sight of the dead vnburied would make the souldiers more fearefull of the enemie and lesse forward to fight and because a Generall honored with the Augurall dignitie and deuoted to most ancient ceremonies ought not to meddle in mortuaries But Germanicus pursuing Arminius alreadie crept into inaccessible places as soone as he found conueniencie thrust his horsemen on him and recouered the field which the enemie occupied Arminius gathered his men together and commaunding them to draw neere the wood turned short on the sudden and gaue them the watch-word which he had hidden there before to breake out Whereat the horsemen amazed and the cohorts sent for a supplie borne backe with those which fled augmenting their feare were almost thrust into the bogs well knowne to the conquerors and dangerous to the Romanes had not Caesar come on with the legions in battell aray Which stroke a terror into the enemie and assured the courage of the souldier both the armies in the end parting on euen hand Anon after the armie being brought to the riuer Amisia he conducted the fleete and the legions back againe in the same manner they came thither Some of the horsemen were commaunded to returne to the riuer of Rhene still coasting the Ocean shore Caecina who conducted another companie although he was skilfull in the wayes yet was charged to returne with all diligence by the long bridges which was a narrow causey betwixt wide marishes throwne vp in times past by L. Domitius The rest of the countrey was miry and full of fast binding clay with some doubtfull brookes Round about were woods ascending little and little which Arminius had filled by a neerer way and light armie preuenting the Romans loden with armour and carriages Caecina doubting how he should at once repaire those bridges alreadie decayed with age and driue back the enemie thought it best to encamp in the same place that whilest some were fortifying others might skirmish with the enemie The barbarians vsed all force to breake the wardes and make way to the trench-makers set on them compassed them in ranne from place to place leauing nothing vndone to disturb them The laborers and the fighters made one confuse cry nothing prospering on the Romans side The place was nothing but a deepe mire not firme to tread on and slipperie to march the waight of their corselets an hinderance and they vnable to launce their iauelins in the waters Contrarily the Cheruscians being a great limmed people and accustomed to fight in bogs were with huge speares able to hurt a farre off To be briefe the night deliuered the legions from an vnluckie battell The Germaines through prosperous successe nothing wearied but
bicause they were swallowed vp by the opening of the earth It is reported that huge mountaines were laide flat and plaines raised vp into high hils and fier flashed out among those ruines And the disastre being more grieuous among the Sardians then elsewhere greater cōpassion was had on them for Caesar promised them an hundreth hundred thousand sesterces and released thē for fiue yeeres space of all that they were to pay to the common treasurie Next vnto them endomaged and relieued were the Magnetians neere vnto Sipylus It was thought expedient for the same space to discharge of all tributes the Temnians Philadelphians Aegetians Appolonienses and such as are called Moscenians or Macedonians of Hyrcania and Hierocaesarea Myrina Cymen Tmolum and to send some of the Senators to view and relieue their present estate This charge was committed to M. Aletus once Pretor least if one who had been once Consull ouer Asia should haue beene deputed there might some emulation haue risen betwixt equals and thereby the busines hindered Caesar did with no lesse gratefull bountie shew his liberalitie when he bestowed the goods of Aemilia Musa a rich woman fallen to the fisque vpon Aemilius Lepidus of whose house she seemed to haue been And the like when he gaue the inheritance of Patuleius a rich gentlemā of Rome albeit he was instituted heire in part to M. Seruillius whom he found to haue beene written in the first not suspected testament hauing declared before that both their nobilities were to be holpen with money Neither did he at any time take any inheritāce vnlesse he had deserued it by friendship He did reiect all such as being vnknowen to him and for hatred vnto others declared the Prince to be their heires And as he did relieue the honest pouertie of the innocent so the prodigall and needie through their owne behauiour he put from the Senat or gaue licence to depart as to Vibidius Varro Marius Nepos Appius Appianus Cornelius Sulla Q. Vitellius At the same time the Temples of the gods begun by Augustus and fallen to ruine by age or fire he dedicated to Bacchus Proserpina and Ceres neer to the great Circus which A. Posthumius had vowed And in the same place the Temple of Flora built by Lucius and Marcus Publicius Aediles And also Ianus Temple which C. Duillius had built neere the herbe market who first of all others had a prosperous fight by sea for the Romans and deserued a triumphe by sea ouer those of Carthage The Temple of hope which in the same war Atilius had vowed was dedicated by Germanicus XII The accusation of Apuleia Tacfarina maketh war in Affrica IN the meane season the law against treason grew strong and a pickthanke accused Apuleia Varilia Augustus sisters neece that she had reprochfully scoffed at Augustus Tiberius and his mother and that nothing regarding that she was by mariage allied to Caesar she had abused her bodie But as for the adulterie there was sufficient order taken by the law Iulia yet Caesar requested that the treason might be distinguished from the other crime and that she might be punished if she had spoken irreligiously against Augustus As for that which she had spoken against himselfe he would not haue it brought into examination And being asked by a Consull what he thought of those things she was accused of against his mother he held his peace But the next time the Senate met he intreated in his mothers name that such words as she had vttered against her might not be construed for a fault Of treason also he acquited her and intreated that the punishment of adultery might not be seuerely enforced against her perswading her friends that according to the example of their auncetors they would remoue her from her kindred aboue two hundred miles and Manlius the adulterer was banished Italie and Affrike When Vipsanius Gallus was dead there arose a strife in subrogating a Pretor in his roome Germanicus and Drusus both then being at Rome fauoring Haterius Agrippa neere kinseman to Germanicus and some laboring to the contrary desired that according to the lawes amongsuters such should preuaile as had the greatest number of children Tiberius reioycing that the Senate debated the matter betwixt his children and the lawes Without doubt the law was ouercome but neyther by and by nor with a few suffrages but after the same manner as when the lawes were in greatest force The same yeare the warre began in Affrike Tacfarinas being the captaine of the enemies This Tacfarinas was a Numidian borne and being an aide souldier receiued pay vnder the Romans then a forsaker of them gathered together certaine wandering companions inured to robberies thefts and pillage whom he marshalled into companies and deuided into ensignes according to the manner of seruice and at last was reckoned a leader not of a disorderly multitude but captaine of the Musulanians which being a strong nation neere vnto the desert of Affrike hauing no dwelling in townes tooke armes and drew their neighbours the Moores with them vnder their captaine Mazippa Their armie was so deuided that Tacfarinas should encamp himselfe with chosen men armed after the Roman manner and traine them vp in discipline and obedience Mazippa with a companie lightly armed should roue vp and downe burne slay terrifie They had also perswaded the Cinithians a nation not to be despised to the like When as Furius Camillus Procōsul of Affrike hauing gathered a legion the confederates which were vnder ensignes a small power if you respect the multitude of Moores and Numidians and lead them against the enemie and doubting nothing more then least they should shift off the battell for feare with a hope of victory tolled them on and in their hope ouerthrew them Furius placed a legion in the middle the cohorts lightly appointed and two companies of horsemen in the wings Tacfarinas refused not to ioyne battell but the Numidians were vanquished and the Furian name after so many yeares recouered the reputation of warriors For euer since that Furius which recouered the citie from the Galli his son Camillus the glory of being captaines hath remained in other families And this man whom wee haue sooken of not being a man of action his exploites were the more willingly set foorth by Tiberius to the Lords of the Senate who decreed that he should be honored with triumphall ornaments which to Camillus by reason he was of a modest behauiour could no way be a cause of enuie XIII Germanicus peregrination THe yeere following Tiberius was the third time made Consull and Germanicus the second But Germanicus tooke that dignitie at Nicopolis a citie in Achaia whither he came by the coast of Illyrium hauing first visited his brother Drusus then making his abode in Dalmatia and hauing had an vnprosperous voiage by the Adriaticall and Ionian sea By reason whereof he spent some daies in repairing his nauie and in visiting the coasts which by the victorie of Actium were
which laie in garrison at Lugdunum The Turonians were ouerthrowne by the legionarie souldier which Visellius Varro Lieutenant of lower Germanie sent vnder the same captaine Auiola and certaine of the chiefe gentlemen of Gallia which brought him aide the better thereby to cloake their reuolt and when occasion serued rebell with more assurance Sacrouir was seene to demaund battell of the Romans bare headed as he saide to shewe his valour but the captaines said he did it to make himselfe the better knowne thereby to be spared from their darts Tiberius being consulted vpon that point made no reckoning of the disclosing of it but nourished the warre by doubting Florus in the meane time helde on his purpose enticed a wing of horsemen enrowled at Treuers and trained vp in our seruice discipline that hauing slaine the Roman merchants which there vsed trafficke he might begin the warre fewe of the horsemen were corrupted but most continued in their alleageance Other rude indebted persons or followers tooke armes and went towarde the forrest called Arden but the legions from both armies which Visellius and C. Silius had set to crosse them droue them backe Iulius Indus being of the same citie and an enimie to Florus and therefore more foreward to shew his valour being sent before with a choise power scattered and defeated that disordered multitude Florus escaped the conquerours hands by vncertaine lurking holes and at last perceiuing the souldiers to set on his places of refuge slewe himselfe with his own hands And that was the end of the rebellion of those of Treueri It was a matter of great difficultie to suppresse the Aedui by reason their city was more wealthie and the aide which should haue subdued them farther off Sacrouir had with certaine armed cohorts gotten possession of Augustodunum the chiefe citie of the countrey and taken the noblest mens children of all Gallia which there followed their studies as a pledge to win and binde their parents and kindred and withal secretly distributed weapons which himselfe had caused to be made to al the youth They were in number forty thousand the fift part armed as the legions were the others with hunting staues hangers such other weapōs as hūters vse To these were added certaine slauish fencers couered according to the countrey fashion from top to toe in armour of iron vnapt and vneasie to strike but to withstand impenetrable whom they call Crupellarij These forces were augmented though not by any open cōsent of cities adioining yet with euery mans particular good wil the Roman captaines striuing doubting who should haue the conducting of the warre both desiring it But Varro being old and feeble yeelded to Silius who was in his prime It was currant in Rome that not onely the Treueri and the Aedui but also that threescore and fower cities of Gallia had reuolted and the Germans ioined with them that Spaine was wauering and all as the nature of a report is beleeued more then it was Euery good man with a care of the common-wealth was greatly grieued many disliking the present state and desirous of alteration reioysed euen in their owne harmes and blamed Tiberius that in so great a hurlyburly he woulde still spende his labour in hearing accusers libels What saide they shall Iulius Sacrouir bee condemned of treason in Senate at last some were founde which with armes woulde suppresse these bloudy libels of accusers that a miserable peace was well changed for warre Tiberius so much the more composed to a careles securitie changed neither place nor countenance passed ouer those dayes after his accustomed woont either through haughtines of courage or because he knewe the matter to be lighter then the report In the meane time Silius marching on with two legions hauing sent a power of allies before wasteth the villages of the Sequans which were borderers and confederates with the Aeduans Anon after he marcheth speedily with his armie towardes Augustodunum the standard-bearers striuing who shoulde make most haste and the common souldier fretting and chasing likewise least he should rest the night as he was wont only that they might see the enemie and be seene that would be enough for the victorie Twelue miles off Sacrouir appeared in the champian countrey In the front he had placed his men couered with iron his cohorts on the wings and those which were halfe armed in the rereward himselfe mounted on a goodly courser amongst the chiefest of the citie went to the souldiers and put them in minde of the ancient glory of the Galli and how oft they had defeated the Romans How honorable a thing libertie was to the conquerors and how intollerable seruitude would be if they should be vanquished againe This exhortation was not long nor pleasing for the legions drew neere in battell aray the townesmen wanting discipline and ignorant of seruice did neither see nor heare what was best for them Silius on the contrary side although his hope had taken away all occasions of encouraging them yet cried That it was a shame for them being conquerors ouer the Germans to be brought against the Galli as against enemies and that of late one cohort had vanquished the rebellious Toronians one wing the Treueri a few troupes of horsemen of this same armie had put to flight the Sequans By how much the richer the Aedui are in money and abounding in pleasures the lesser courage they had Breake then in vpon them and binde them and flee to those which run away At that all of them giuing an out-cry the horsemen compassed them in the footemen set on the point and the wings made small resistance Those in complet yron harnes stuck somewhat to it their plates resisting and beating back the darts and swords but the souldier snatching his hatchets and axes as though he were to breake through a wall hewed their couering and carcasses Some with poles or forks ouerthrew this sluggish lump leauing them for halfe dead lying on the ground not once going about to rise Sacrouir goeth first to Augustodunum then for feare least it should be yeelded to the next village with a few of his trustiest friends where he slew himselfe with his owne hands and the rest one another and the village being set on fire ouer them they were all burnt together Then at last Tiberius wrote to the Senate that the warre was begun and ended neither adding nor taking away from the truth And that the Lieutenants had behaued themselues faithfully and valorously and himselfe directed them with counsell And withall yeelded the reasons why neither he nor Drusus went to the war magnifying the greatnes of the Empire and that it was not meete that Princes if some one or other towne rebell should forsake Rome from whence all other gouernment was deriued Now bicause there was no cause of feare he would goe see and settle the present estate of things The Lords of the Senat derceed vowes and processions for his returne with other conuenient
which was the first time that Tiberius shewed himselfe greedie of other mens money Sosia was driuen into banishment by Asinius Gallus Consull who also aduised that part of the goods should be confiscate part left vnto his children But Lepidus contrarily that the fourth part of the goods should be giuen to the informers according to the law and the residue to his children I finde that this Lepidus was in those dayes a graue and wise man who altered into the better many things which others by cruell flatterie had ordained which he did with such moderation that he kept in with Caesar in no lesse fauour then authoritie Which causeth me to doubt whether it happen as in other things by fatall destinie and natiuitie that Princes are fauorably enclined to some and to others hardly bent or whether anything consist in our counsels to single out a course free from ambition and danger betweene selfewill stubbornes and filthy flattery But Messallinus Cotta being no lesse nobly descended differing from Lepidus was of opinion that by decree of Senat it should be ordained that gouernors of prouinces though faultles themselues yet should be punished for their wiues crimes no lesse then for their owne VI. Calphurnius Piso accused and condemned The last vvarre vvith Tacfarinas and his death AFter this they debated Calphurnius Pisos case a noble man and of a fierce courage He as I haue said seeing what credit pickthanks were in openly protested in Senate that he woulde depart the citie and little regarding the authoritie of Augusta was so bolde as to sommon Vrgulania out of the princes house which Tiberius for the present seemed not to take in euill part But bearing it in minde although the heate of displeasure was cooled yet he forgat it not Granius also accused Piso of secret speeches vsed against the maiestie of the emperour adding that he had poison in his house and that he entered the Senate house with a weapon This of the weapon was past ouer as not credible but for other things aggreuated against him he was arrained but not conuicted bicause he was preuented by death Afterward Cassius Seuerus cause was handeled a banished man of base parentage and lewde life but a great Orator Who had raised so many enimies against him that by the iudgement of the Senate sworne he was confined to Creet where following the like practises drew on his head old and new hatred and at last being depriued of all his goods and banished spent the rest of his life in the Ilande Seriphium About the same time Plautius Siluanus Pretor the cause why not knowen threwe his wife Apronia downe headlong from a high place And being brought before Caesar by L. Apronius his father in lawe as a man troubled in minde answered as though she had killed hir-selfe when he was a sleepe and wholy ignorant of the matter Tiberius goeth foorthwith to his house and searcheth the chamber where he perceiued by the print of hir feete tokens of hir striuing against him and the thrusting of hir foreward which he reported to the Senate And Iudges appointed to examine the fact Vrgulania Siluanus grandmother sent hir nephewe a poniard to dispatch himselfe which some thought to haue beene done by the princes counsell by reason of the league of friendship betwixt Augusta and Vrgulania Siluanus hauing tried in vaine to kill himselfe with the poniard in the end caused his vaines to be cut Not long after Numantina his first wife accused by charms and witchcrafts to haue put hir husband out of his wits found innocent is quit by the prince That yeare the people of Rome was deliuered of a long warre against Tacfarinas the Numidian For the captaines which till then had beene sent against him hauing obtained the markes of triumph sought no further how to extinguish the enimie For there were now three images in the citie crowned with baies and Tacfarinas still continued spoiling and forraging Affrica and augmented his forces by the aide of the Moores which vnder Ptolemy Iubaes sonne a carelesse youth changed their seruile state and gouerment of freed men into warre The king of the Garamantes was a receiuer and partaker of his booties and pillages not that hee marched with an armie but onely by sending light horsemen which a farre off were thought to be more then indeed they were And in the prouince it selfe some for need and som of a turbulent humor ioined with him bicause Caesar considering how well Blaesus had bestirred himselfe called home the ninth legion as though there had beene no enimies left at all in Affrica And Dolabella Proconsull for that yeere durst not staie them fearing more the commandement of the prince then the incertaintie and danger of the warre Vpon this Tacfarinas gaue it out that the Romans had their hands full were distracted with other nations and therefore purposed by little and little to retire out of Affrike And then that the rest might easilie bee ouercome if all which preferred libertie before seruitude woulde ioine and couragiously bend their forces against them and gathering more strength encampeth before Thubuscum and laieth siege to it But Dolabella drawing all the forces hee could make into one partly the name of the Romans striking a terror into their harts partly bicause the Numidian is not able to indure the force of the footemen at the first encounter leuied the siege fortified the most conuenient places and withall beheaded the chiefest of the Musulani which began to reuolt In the end taught by experience of so many battels that this fleeting enimie was not to be pursued with a maine campe Dolabella sent for King Ptolemy with his countriemen and diuided his forces into fower companies vnder the charge of seuerall Lieutenants and Tribunes The out-riders and forragers were conducted by certaine chosen Moores himselfe at hand to giue direction to all Not long after tydings came that Tacfarinas had encamped and erected cabins at an old ruinous fort which himselfe had once burnt called Auzea trusting to the place being inuironed with mightie great woods Then the light horsemen and wings not knowing whither were lead away withall speed And at the dawning of the day with the sound of trumpets and a dreadfull noise set on the enimies halfe sleeping halfe waking their horses vnreadie or dispersed abroad at pasture The Romans footemen were close ranked the troupes of horsemen in good order all things in a readines for battell The enimie on the other side in all things vnprouided had neither weapons order nor counsell among them but were haled taken and slaine like beasts And euerie souldier irked with the remembrance of his labours and how oft desirous to cope with the enimie he had beene deluded fild himselfe with reuenge and blood Aduertisement was brought from one companie to another to pursue Tacfarinas well knowen to them all and that there would be no ende of that warre if the Captaine were not slaine But he with a chosen
Pharasmanes to further his enduours by pollicie and force and corrupters were found which for great sums of gold entised Arsaces ministers to kil him and through Hiberus great power they entered Armenia and tooke the citie Artaxata When Artabanus vnderstood of these dealings he furnisheth his son Orodes with things necessarie to reuenge and giueth him the strength of the Parthians and dispatcheth others to leuie hired souldiers to giue him aide On the other side Pharasmanes drewe the Albanians and Sarmates to his partie whose Princes called Sceptruchi hauing receiued gifts on both sides according to the manner of their countrey gaue aide to both sides But the Hiberi being masters of the passages thrust suddēly the Sarmatian forces on the Armenians by the Caspian way But those which came from the Parthians were easily driuen backe bicause the enimie had shut vp all the other passages one excepted which was betwixt the sea and the hils of the Albani which could not serue their purpose by reason it was sommer for the Easterne windes fill vp the shallow foordes and the shore the South winter winde keepes backe the flood and leaues the shallow shore bare and naked In the meane space Pharasmanes hauing reenforced his strength challengeth Orodes to fight being destitute of allies and vnfurnished of men and if he refused or shifted off he braued him vnder his nose and hard by his campe wasted his stouer and often compassed him about as if he had besieged him till the Parthians not accustomed to endure such brauados came about their King and demaunded battell Their strength consisted in their horsemen and Pharasmanes in footmen and horsemen both For the Hiberi and Albani inhabiting mountanous places were better accustomed to hardnes and trauell They saie they came out of Thessalia at such time as Iason after he had carried away Medea and begotten children by her returned to the emptie court of AEeta and vnhabited Colchos and reporte manie woonders of his name and the oracle of Phryxus Neither dare any man sacrifice a ram because it is thought that Phryxus was carried on one be it this ram were a beast or a shipe which bare those armes The battell pitched in order on both sides the Parthian put his souldiers in minde of the Empire of the East and the renowned nobilitie of the Arsacides and contrariwise debased Hiberus as ignoble and flying to mercenarie souldiers Pharasmanes on the other side declared that he was neuer yet subiect to the Parthian rule and that the greater their enterprise the greater their glorie if they were the conquerers or if they turned their backes the greater dishonour infamie and danger withall he shewed them his owne host dreadful and the Medians painted with gold on his owne side men on the other bootie Among the Sarmates the Captaine onely was not heard but euerie man incouraged each other not to abide the shot but preuent the enimie rushing in couragiously to handie strokes Diuers manners of fight were then seene in that battell when as the Parthian accustomed with like skill to flie and follow seuered his squadrons to make way for the arrowes to light The Sarmates laying aside their bowes which steeded them but a short time ran in to the enimie with their swordes and lances sometimes were in the front sometimes in their backes as if they had beene horsemen sometimes close ranked with their bodies and weapons thrust backe and bare down the enimie and were borne downe againe The Albani also and Hiberi behaued thēselues in like maner now catching hold of the enimie now thrusting him down the battell growing doubtfull on their side the horsemen and footemen pressing in and giuing them many wounds Whilest this fight thus continued Pharasmanes and Orodes each incouraging his stoutest or comforting those which beganne to stagger and wauer being in sight the one of the other and therefore knowing the one the other with a great clamor armour and horses ranne one against another but more fiercly Pharasmanes for he wounded his enimie through the headpeece yet being carried away with his horse was not able to redouble his stroke the stowtest of his followers presently defending the wounded Neuerthelesse a rumor falsly beleeued that he was slaine appaled the Parthians caused them to yeeld the victorie IX Sinnaces rebelleth against Artabanus King of Parthia Tiridates is put in his place IMmediatly after Artabanus gathering together his whole strength out of all parts of his countrey pursueth a reuenge on the Hiberi saying that they had the better of the battell through skilfulnes of place and therefore would neuer desist if Vitellius by assembling the legions had not giuen out that he meant to inuade Mesopotamia thereby striking him into a feare of the Roman forces Then Artabanus leauing Armenia left all good fortune behinde him Vitellius entising his subiects to abandon their King as one in peace cruell and in warres vnfortunate Sinnaces whom as I haue said was vtter enemie to Artabanus had secret conference with Abdageses his father and others and by continuall ouerthrowes and losses which they suffered drew easily vnto him such as were most readie to reuolt they also repairing to him by little and by little which were subiect vnto Artabanus rather for feare then good will very glad they had found captaines to follow tooke courage vnto them By this time Artabanus had no refuge left saue only a few strangers for the gard of his person banished from their owne dwellings a people not vnderstanding what is good nor hauing a care of that which is naught but hired for gaine are instruments of what mischiese soeuer Accompanied with these he hastneth his flight to the frontiers of his countrey ioining vpon Scythia hoping for succour because he was allied to the Hircanians and Carmanians hauing a hope likewise that the Parthians alwaies indifferently bent to the absent and vnconstant and fickle to the present would in the meane space change their minde and receiue him againe But Vitellius seeing Artabanus fled and the minds of the countrey people enclined to a new King incouraging Tiridates to take that which was offered conducted the legions and allies to the banks of Euphrates And as they were sacrificing and offering according vnto the custome of the Romans Suouetaurilia a Boare Ramme and Bull the others made readie a Horse to pacifie the god of that riuer the inhabitants of Euphrates brought word that without any great raine of his owne accord the riuer was exceedingly risen and withall that the white froth made circles as it were in forme of a diademe which was a presage of a prosperous passage but some did interpret them more subtilly gathering thereby that the beginnings of their attempts should be luckie but haue small continuance because that there was more credit to be giuen to those things which were portended by the earth and heauen and that the qualitie and nature of riuers was vnconstant and running away and would no sooner shew a token
time the Embassadors of the Parthians sent as I haue said before to demand Meherdates for their King entered into the Senat and began to vtter their charge as followeth They came thither not ignorant of the league betweene them and the Romans nor disloyall to the familie of the Arsacides but to aske for Vonones sonne Phrahates nephew against Gotarzes tyrannie alike intollerable to the nobilitie and communaltie Now that his brothers are extinguished by murder his neerest kinsemen and such as were farthese off he would do the like to women with child and small children thinking it a meanes being vnfortunate in warres abroad to couer with that cowardlines his crueltie at home That their amitie with vs was auncient and publickly confirmed and therefore reason we should ayd our allies which might in strength compare with the Romans but in deede yeeld for reuerence Therefore the Kings children were giuen for hostages that if they grew weary of their domesticall gouernment they might haue recourse to the Prince and Lords of the Senate vnder whose manner of liuing the King being brought vp should be presumed to be the better When they had vttered these and the like speeches Caesar began his oration with the greatnes of the Roman Empire and dutifulnes of the Parthians and maketh himselfe equall to Augustus declaring that a King had beene demaunded of him also not mentioning Tiberius at all notwithstanding he had sent ayd likewise He gaue certaine precepts to Meherdates who was there present aduertising him that he should not thinke himselfe a Lord and maister to commaund ouer his subiects as slaues but a guide and they citizens and that he should vse clemencie and iustice vertues so much the more gratefull vnto these barbarians by how much the lesse knowne among them Then turning himselfe to the Embassadors he highly commended the youth which had beene brought vp in the citie as one whose modestie had beene well tried that the dispositions of Kings were to be borne withal because often changes are not profitable That the Romane estate was growne vnto that height with fulnes of glory that it desired peace and quietnes euen to forren nations After he had thus sayd he commaunded C. Cassius gouernor of Syria to conduct the yong man to the riuer of Euphrates Cassius at that time did excell the rest in the knowledge of the lawes For militarie skill is vnknowne in time of rest and quietnes and peace esteemeth alike of the coward and couragious Neuertheles as much as those quiet times gaue him leaue he renewed the auncient discipline kept the legions in practise with care and foresight as if the enemie had beene at hand thinking it a thing worthy of his ancestors and Cassian familie renowned among those people Hauing therefore sent for them through whose consentment the King was demaunded and planted his camp at Zeugma where the riuer is most passable after that the noblemen of Parthia and the King of the Arabians called Abbarus was come he shewed vnto Meherdates that the first brunt of the barbarians was fierce and hote but by delay and lingering became cold or turned into treason and therefore he should couragiously go through his enterprise But his aduise was contemned through Abbarus fraude who detained him like an vnexperienced yong man in the towne of Edessa as though the highest degree of fortune and princely felicitie had consisted in riot and wantonnes And when Carrhenes called them in and assured them that all was in a good readines if they would make haste they did not march straight to Mesopotamia but turned to Armenia in an vnseasonable time because the winter was begun Then wearied with snowes and mountaines comming neere to the plaine they ioyned with Carrhenes forces And hauing passed the riuer of Tigris they entered into the countrey of the Adiabeni whose King Iuliates in open shew professed himselfe a confederate of Meherdates but vnderhand was more faithfully bent to Gotarzes IIII. Gotarzes ouercommeth Meherdates and cutteth off his eares Mithradates vsurpeth the kingdome of the Dandarides and goeth about to driue out Cotys NEuerthelesse in passing by Meherdates tooke the citie of Ninos the most ancient seat of Assyria and a famous Castle because that in the last battell betwixt Darius and Alexander there the Persian power was brought to vtter ruine In the meane time Gotarzes at a hill called Sambulos offered vowes to the gods of the place among which Hercules was chiefly honoured who at a certaine time admonisheth his Priestes in a dreame that neere vnto the Temple they should haue horses readie prepared for hunting the horses loaden with quiuers full of arrowes prawnsing vp and downe the woods returne at night breathing and panting with their quiuers emptie The god again declareth to them in a dreame what woods they haue coursed vp and downe in whither they goe and finde wild beasts killed in many places But Gotarzes not hauing sufficiently strengthened his armie vseth the riuer Corma for a defēce And although he were summoned by diuers messēgers hard speeches to battel yet he sought delayes changed place and sent some to corrupt the enimie and draw them to forsake their obedience Among which Ezates Adiabenus and anon after Abbarus King of the Arabians with their armie began to shrinke through a certaine lightnes incident to that nation and bicause it is tried by experience that the Barbarians had rather come to Rome to demaund a King then when they haue him keepe him Now Meherdates seeing himselfe stripped of his strongest succour and suspecting least the others would betraye him determined for his last refuge to commit the matter to chaunce and hazard it in a maine battell Gotarzes being verie fierce that his enimies forces were diminished refused not to fight They met with great slaughter and a doubtfull issue vntill Carrhenes making cleare way before him and driuing and pursuing the enimies too farre was compassed behind with a fresh companie and slaine Then all hope being lost Meherdates trusting the promises of one Parrhacis a follower of his father by his falshood was taken prisoner and deliuered to the Conquerour Who intreated him not like a kinsman or one of the Arsacis stocke but reuiled him like a stranger and a Roman and hauing cut off his eares gaue him his life as a shew of his clemencie and dishonour and reproch vnto vs. Not long after Gotarzes died of a disease and Vonones then gouernour of the Medes was called to be King There happened nothing in his raigne either prosperous or vnprosperous worthie the telling he liued but a short and an inglorious time and the kingdome of the Parthians was translated to his sonne Vologeses But Mithradates the Bosphoran wandering vp and downe after he had lost his forces vnderstanding that Didius the Roman Captaine with the strength of his armie was departed and that onely Cotys a raw and rude youth was left in the new kingdome with some few bandes vnder the conduct of
them But Corbulo sent an armie of Hiberians to waste them reuenging by that meanes with the blood of strangers the audaciousnes of the enemie Himselfe and his armie albeit he receiued no hurt by the battell yet began to faint for want of victuals and ouer great trauell hauing no meanes to driue away hunger but with the flesh of beasts All this with the want of water feruent heat long iournies was mitigated by the onely patience of the Captaine himselfe induring more than a common souldier Then we came into tilled groundes but where haruest was in and of two castles into which the Armenians had fled the one was taken by force and the other which had resisted the first assault was forced with siege From thence passing into the countrey of the Taurantians he escaped an vnlooked for danger for not farre from his pauilion there was found a Barbarian of no small reputation with a weapon which by torture discouered the order of a treason himselfe the inuentor of it and all his complices and they were conuicted and punished which vnder colour of friendship went about treason Not long after Embassadors sent frō Tigranocerta bring tidings that the gates are open and the inhabitāts willing to obey the Romans Withall they presented him a crowne of gold as a gift to honour a stranger which honorably he accepted and tooke away no priuilege from the towne bicause they should more faithfully retaine their obedience Neuerthelesse the Kings fortresse which the fierce youth had shut themselues in was not gotten but by fight for they came foorth skirmisht before the wals but driuē into their rampiers no lōger able to resist at the last yeeld to the forces of the assailers All which the Roman atchieued so much the easlier bicause the Parthians were hindered with warre against the Hyrcanians who had sent to the Romane Prince to craue their alliance declaring that for a pledge of their frindship they had stopped Vologeses Corbulo fearing least those Embassadors in returning backe hauing past Euphrates should be surprised by the ambushe of the enimie with a good guard conducted them to the red sea whereby hauing escaped the confines of the Parthians they retuned safe to their countrey Besides this Corbulo droue away Tiridates farre off and from all hope of warres entering the confines of Armenia by the Medes by sending before the Lieutenant Verulanus with the confederates himselfe following with vncombred legions and hauing wasted with fire sword those he knew to be our enimies adhere to the King put himselfe in possession of Armenia when as not long after came Tigranes chosen by Nero to take the kingdome one of the nobilitie of the Cappadocians and King Archelaus nephew but by being kept a long time an hostage in the citie was humble and lowly euen vnto seruile patience neither accepted by consent some still fauoring the Arsacides but the most part hating the pride of the Parthians desired rather the King giuen by the Romans He had also a garrison sent him by the Romans a thousand legionarie souldiers three bands of allies and two wings of horsemen And to the end he might the easlier defend the new kingdome part of Armenia as it adioyned to Nipolis * Aristobolus and part Antiochus had charge of Corbulo came into Syria which by the death of the Lieutenant Vinidius was without a gouernor and committed to his charge IX An earth-quake in Laodicea An order for appellations THe same yeere Laodicea one of the most famous cities of Asia destroied by an earth-quake without any helpe of ours by her owne wealth recouered her selfe againe But in Italie the auncient towne of Puteolum got of Nero the priuileges and surname of a colonie The old souldiers assigned to inhabite Tarentum and Antium did not furnish the lacke of people in those places many of them being sent into Prouinces where they ended their seruice And not accustomed to marrie nor bring vp children they left their houses without posteritie for whole legions were not brought as in times past with Tribunes and Centurions and souldiers of the same band that by consent and loue they should make a common-wealth but strangers the on to the other of diuers companies without a gouernour without mutuall loue as it were gathered on the sudden of another kinde of people rather a number than a colonie The election of Pretors wont to be chosen at the will of the Senat which was now done by suite and briberie the Prince assumed to himselfe and gaue the charge of a legion to each one of the three which sued extraordinarily And augmented the honour of the Senate by ordayning that such as from ordinarie iudges appealed to the Senators should incurre the same penaltie as they did which appealed to the Emperour for before that was free for euerie man and not punishable In the ende of the yeere Vibius Secundus a Roman gentleman at the suite of the Moores was condemned of extortion and banished Italie and supported by the fauour of his brother Vibius Crispus that he had no grieuouser a punishment X. Warre in England Suetonius Paullinus conquered the Ile of Anglesey The Queene Boudicea abused by the Romans WHen Cesonius Paetus and Petronius Turpilianus were Consuls there was a verie great ouerthrow receiued in Britannie where neither the Lieutenant Auitus as I haue alreadie saide could do no more but keepe that which was alreadie gotten and his successor Verannius with small inrodes hauing wasted the Siluri was hindered by death from making any long warre a man whilest he liued famous for seueritie but in his last will shewed himselfe openly ambitious For after much flattering of Nero added that he would haue subdued the Prouince to his obedience if he had liued the two next yeeres At that time Paulinus Suetonius gouerned Britannie in skill of seruice opinion of the people which suffereth no man without a concurrent comparable with Corbulo desiring to match his honour of recouering Armenia by subduing the enimie of this countrey He maketh all preparation to inuade the Ile of Mona strong with inhabitants and a receptacle of fugitiues and buildeth flat bottomde vessels because the sea is shallow and landing vncertaine So the footemen hauing passed ouer the horsemen followed by the foord or by swimming if the waters were high Against them the enemies armie stoode on the shore thicke in aray well appointed with men and weapons and women running among in mourning attire their haire about their eares with fire-brands in their hands like furies of hell and the Druides round about lifting vp their hands to heauen and powring out deadly curses with the newnes of the sight amazed the souldier and stood stocke still close togither not once moouing a foote as though they had presented themselues to the wounds Then by the encouragement of the Captaine and animating each the other that they should not feare a flocke of women and franticke people they displaied their
ensignes and marched on ouerthrew such as encountered them and thrust them among their owne fires Which being done they placed garrisons in their townes and cut down their woods which through their execrable superstitions among them were reckoned holie For they accounted it lawfull to offer sacrifice at their altars with the blood of captiues and aske counsell of their gods by the aspect of mans intrailes and fibres Newes came to Suetonius as he atchieued this enterprise of a sudden rebellion of the Prouince Prasutagus King of the Icenians verie famous for his riches a long time gotten made Caesar with two of his daughters his heire by will thinking that by that flatterie his kingdome and house should haue beene warranted from iniurie which fell out otherwise for his kingdome by Centurions his house by slaues was wasted spoiled as lawfull booties And to begin withall his wife Boudicea was whipped his daughters defloured And the chiefest of the Icenians as though they had receiued the whole nation for a pray were dispossessed of al their ancient inheritance the Kings kindred reputed as slaues By reason of which contumely feare of worse after that they were reduced into a forme of a prouince they take armes againe the Trinobantes being sturred to rebellion also others not yet broken to the yoke of seruitude by secret conspiracies had vowed to recouer their libertie bearing a bitter hatred against the old souldiers For those which were lately brought into the colonie of Camalodunum thrust out of their houses the auncient inhabitants tooke their liuings from them calling them captiues and slaues the new soldiers fauouring the insolent fiercenes of the old as well for likenesse and conformitie of life as hope of like licence Besides a temple erected in honor of Claudius of famous memory was an eye sore and an altar of perpetuall dominion ouer them and the Priests which were chosen vnder colour of religion wasted all the wealth of the inhabitants Neither did it seeme any hard matter to extirpate that colonie vndefensed and vnfortified which was not circumspectly foreseene by our captaines whilest they had a greater care of pleasure then good gouernment Amongst these things the image of Victorie set vp in Camalodunum fell downe without any apparant cause why and turned back as though it would giue place to the enemie And the women distempered with furie went singing that destruction was at hand And strange noises were heard in their court and the Theater gaue a sound like to a howling and a strange apparition in an arme of the sea was a foretelling of the subuersion of the colonie Further the Ocean bloudie in shew and dead mens bodies left after an ebbe as they brought hope to the Britaines so they droue the old soldiers into a feare who because Suetonius was farre off craued aide of Catus Decianus procurator He sent not aboue two hundred men and those badly armed and the number not great which was there before trusted to the franchise of the temple And those hindering which were confederates of the secret conspiracie troubled their deseignments for they neither made trench nor ditch nor sending away the old men and women and keeping the yong men only being as secure as it had beene in a full peace they were surprised with a multitude of barbarous people and all ouerthrowne and wasted with violence or consumed with fire the temple only excepted into which the souldiers had fled which also within two dayes was besieged and taken And the Britaine being thus conqueror and meeting with Paetus Cerealis Lieutenant of the ninth legion which came to succour them put to flight the legion and slew all the footemen Cerealis with the horsemen escaped to the campe and defended himselfe in the fortresses Through which ouerthrow and hate of the prouince driuen to take armes through the auarice of the Romaines Catus the procurator being afraid sailed to Gallia But Suetonius with wonderfull constancie passing euen among the enemies went on to London not greatly famous by the name of a colonie but for concourse of Merchants and prouision of all things necessary of great fame and renowme and being come thither stoode doubtfull whether he should choose that for the seate of warre or not and considering the small store of souldiers he had and how Petilius had well payed for his rashnes he determined with the losse of one towne to preserue the rest whole Neither was he won by weeping and teares to giue aide to such as demaunded it but gaue signe of remouing and receiued such as followed as part of his armie If imbecillitie of sexe or wearisomnes of age or pleasantnes of the place kept any back they were all put to the sword by the enemie The free towne of Verulamium receiued the like ouerthrow because the barbarians forsaking their Castels and forts and being well manned spoiled the richest and fattest and carrying it to a sure place glad of the bootie went on to places more notable It is certaine there were slaine in those places I haue spoken of to the number of seuentie thousand citizens and confederates Neither did they sell or take any one prisoner or vse any entercourse of traffick of warre but kill hang burne crucifie as though they would requite the measure they had suffered and as it were in the meane time hasten to anticipate reuenge XI Suetonius vanquished the Britaines vvhich Boudicea conducted her stoutnes and death NOw Suetonius hauing with him the foureteenth legion with the Standard bearers of the twentith and the aides from places adioyning which came all to the number almost of ten thousand armed men resolued to lay aside all delay and trie the chaunce of a maine battell And chooseth a place with a narrow entrance and inclosed behinde with a wood being well assured that he had no enimies but before him and that the plaine was wide without feare of ambush The legionarie souldier then marshalled togither in thicke and close rankes and the light harnessed closely about them the horsemen made the wings But the Britaines forces triumphed abroade in troupes and companies by such multitudes that the like had not beene seene and of such fiercenes of courage that they brought their wiues with them and placed them in carts in the vtmost parts of the plaine as witnesses of the victorie Boudicea hauing her daughters by her in a chariot now going to one now to another Told them that the Britaines were woont to make warre vnder the conduct of women But at that time not as though she had descended of such noble auncestors she sought neither for kingdome nor wealth but a reuenge as one of the common people of their lost libertie of her bodie beaten with stripes and the chastitie of her daughters violated That the desire of the Romaines was growen to that passe that they left none of what age soeuer nor any virgin vndefiled Neuertheles that the gods fauored iust reuenge
forbearing from rest turned all the waters which rose in the mountaines into the vnder grounds whereupon the plaine being drownd and so much of the worke ouerthrowne as they had cast vp the Romaine souldier was put to a double labour XIIII The Romans escape a great danger through the good conduct of Caecina CAEcina had then in qualitie of a soldier of commander fortie yeere receiued pay and therefore being acquainted as well with the changeable euents of fortune as prosperous successes fell nothing at all in courage but pondering in his minde what might follow found nothing more expedient then to inclose the enimie in the wood vntill the wounded and the cariages were gotten before For betwixt the hils and the marshes there stretched out a plaine capable of a small armie The legions were so placed that the fift shoulde be in the right flancke the one and twentieth in the left the first to lead and the twentieth to defende if they were pursued The night was vnquiet for diuers respects the barbarous enimie in feasting and banketting songs of ioie and hideous outcries filled the valleies and woods which redoubled the sounde againe The Romans had small fires broken voices laie neere the trenches went from tent to tent rather disquieted and not able to sleepe then watchfull The generall had that night a heauie dreame which droue him into a feare for he thought that he had seene Quinctilius Varus rising out of those bogs embrued all in bloud calling him by name and stretching out his hand towards him which he thrust backe refusing to follow At daie breaking the legions appointed for the flankes either for feare or contempt abandoned their standings and seased on the fielde adioining beyond the marshes Arminius although hee might safely haue assaulted them yet forbare a time But he no sooner perceiued their bag and baggage to sticke in the mire and ditches and the souldiers troubled about it disbanded and out of order and the ensignes confusedly disordered as it falleth out in such times euery man busie to helpe himselfe and deafe to harken what was commanded but he encharged the Germaines to breake in crieng aloud Behold Varus and the legions once againe vanquished by the same destinie Hauing thus saide accompanied with a choise band of horsemen breaketh the rankes of the Romans and especially woundeth their horses which slipping by reason of their owne bloud and moisture of the bogs ouerthrowing their masters either trode vnderfeete or scattered all they met Much a doo they had about the ensignes which they could neither beare vp the shot came so thicke nor pitch on the ground it was so mirie Whilest Caecina maintaineth battell his horse was killed vnder him from which being fallen he had been taken by the enimie if the first legion had not opposed herselfe The greedines of the enimie was some helpe vnto them being more thirstie of pillage then bloud whereby the legions had leisure towards the euening to win the open firme land And yet their miseries did not thus end They had defences to make and stuffe wherewithall to seeke their tooles to cast vp earth or cut turfes were almost all lost tentes they had none to couer them nor medicaments to heale the wounded and diuiding their meate partly stained with bloud or beraied with dirt they bewailed that vnfortunate darknes and that onely daie left for so many thousands to liue By meere chance a horse brake loose in the campe and praunsing vp and downe affrighted with noise ouerthrew all he met in his waie which stroake such a feare and terror in the souldiers harts that thinking the Germans had broken vpon them ran all to the gates of the campe and especially to the Decumana which was farthest from the enimie and safest to flee awaie Caecina being assured that it was but a vaine feare yet not being able either by his authoritie entreatie or forcible meanes to staie their fleeing cast himselfe a crosse the gate and so mooued them to pitie stopping the passage bicause they would not tread on their captaines bodie The Tribunes and Centurions shewed them withall that their seare was false and without cause Then assembling them in the Principia and commanding silence admonished them of the time and necessitie they stoode in That their safetie onely consisted in their weapons which yet they were to moderate by discretion keeping still within their trench vntill the enimie with hope to breake vpon them should drawe neere and that then they shoulde rush out on euerie side and so get to the riuer of Rhene Whereas if they should flie they should passe through more woods finde deeper bogs and the enimie more cruell then euer but by conquering they shoulde purchase glorie and renowme putting them in mind of those things which were esteemed deere at home and of credit in campe not once mentioning their disgraces and aduersities This done he assigned to the most couragious a horse beginning with his owne then with the Tribunes and Centurions not respecting calling or quality to the end that they should first inuade the enimie and the footemen follow The Germains what with hope what with greedines of praie what with disgreeing opinions of captaines were as much disquieted as the Romaines Arminius thought it best to suffer them come out of their fort and set on them in the bogs and marshes but Inguiomerus aduise though more cruell was most pleasing to the barbarians which was that they should besiege the campe perswading that by that means the assault would be easier more captiues taken and the bootie entire and vntouched Assoone then as it was day they beate down the trenches filled them vp with hurdles grappled vp to the toppe of the trench fewe souldiers resisting them and those all stocke still in amaze The cohorts within had the alarum giuen the cornets and trumpets sounded and with a great clamour sallied out couragiouslie and hemmed the enimie in casting in their teeth that heere there were neither woods nor quagmiers but the places and the gods indifferent to both The enimies imagining it but an easie conquest and that there were but a fewe to resist and those but halfe armed hearing the sound of the trumpets and seeing the glittering of the armour which seemed so much the greater by how much the lesse they were esteemed on a sudden were beaten downe and slaine as men in prosperitie greedy and in aduersitie vncircumspect Arminius and Inguiomerus fled th'one not hurt and the other greeuously wounded The common sort were slaine as long as the daie and anger lasted the legions returned at night to their forte And although there were more wounded then the day before and no lesse want of victuales yet with the victorie they thought they had recouered strength courage health and all other necessaries XV. The danger the legions vvere in vnder Vitellius Tiberius renevveth the lavv of treason IT was noised abroad in the meane season that the legions were besieged and that the
downe in his place II. Germanicus maketh war in Germanie BVt it displeased Tiberius nothing at all that the East parts were in an vprore bicause that vnder that pretext he might draw Germanicus from his accustomed legions and by giuing him charge ouer new prouinces expose him to trecherie and hazard But he by how much the more affectionate the souldiers were towards him and his vnkle backward by so much the more earnest he was to hasten the victory and laide all the plots he could to giue the enimie battell Discoursing with himselfe what fortunate or vnfortunate successes had happened vnto him those three yeeres past which he had spent in war amongst them that the Germans in a pitched field and indifferent places would easily be vanquished that they tooke aduantage of woods bogs short sommers and timely winters that his souldiers receiued not so great hurt by wounds as by long iourneies and waight of their armor that Gallia was wearied with furnishing horses the long traine of cariage was subiect to ambushes and not easily defended But if he should take sea the possession was open for him and vnknowen to the enimie Withall that so the war might be sooner begun the legions and victuals brought togither the horses and horsemen conueied by channels and mouthes of riuers into the hart of Germanie Hauing thus resolued he sent P. Vitellius and Scantius to leuie the subsidies of Gallia Silius Anteius Caecina had charge of all preparation by sea A thousand ships were thought to suffice which were made ready with speed Some were short and narrow at the fore hinder part broad in the middle as stronger against the waues Some were flat bottommed to land without danger Many had rudders at both ends that the rowers altering their stroke on a sudden might driue to land at either end Many of them had bridges ouer to carrie both their engins horses and prouision swift of saile and nimble with oares in shew gallant and fearefull to the enimie by reason of the soldiers cheerfulnes The place appointed to meete at was the Iland of the Batauians as a place of easie arriuall and fit to receine the armie and frō thence to transport them to the place of battell For the riuer of Rhene keeping one chanell or else enuironing but fewe Ilands at the entering of Batauia is diuided into two riuers and keepeth his name and swiftnes through Germanie vntill he fall into the Ocean But by the coast of Gallia it waxeth broader and runneth not so swiftly and changing his name the inhabitants call it Vahales which name it afterward changeth againe into Mosa so continuing vntill it fall into the same Ocean with a great bredth Whilest the ships were a putting from shoare Caesar commandeth the Lieutenant Silius with a bande of men lightly appointed suddenly to inuade the Chatti And himselfe vnderstanding that the fort of Luppia vpon the riuers side was besieged conducteth thither sixe legions Silius by reason of sudden raines did little else then bring away some small bootie and the wife and daughter of Arpas prince of the Chatti Neither did those which had besieged the forte staie to fight but slipt away when Caesars comming was noised Yet they had throwne downe the tumbe lately built in honor of Varus legions and the old altar erected for Drusus The altar the Prince reedified and in memorie of his father he and the legions ran a horse race but thought it not conuenient to set vp the tumb againe but fortified all passages betwixt the fort Aliso and Rhene with new mounds and bulwarks By this time the Fleete was come and hauing sent before all prouision and assigned the legions and confederates their shipping himselfe entered the ditch called the Drusian ditch where he made a prayer to Drusus his father that hauing vndertaken the same enterprise that he had done he would willingly and benignly further him with the example and memorie of his counsels and exploites From thence he sailed prosperously by the lakes and Ocean vntill he came to the riuer Amisia where the nauie was left leauing the riuer on the left side of it Wherein there was an ouersight that they brought the shipping no higher the souldiers being afterward constrained to land on the right side whereby many dayes were spent in making of bridges to passe them ouer The horsemen and legions passed the first arme of the sea the waters being yet but small without feare but the auxiliary souldiers which followed and Batauians whilest they sported themselues and shewed their skill in swimming were some hindered and troubled and some drowned III. Arminius dehorteth his brother Flauius from the Romans seruice AS Caesar was planting his camp word was brought that the Angriuarians were reuolted behinde him And Stertinius was incontinently dispatched away with a companie of light horsemen which reuenged their treason with fire and sword Betwixt the Romaines and the Cheruscians ran the riuer Visurgis and on the banke side was Arminius with the rest of the nobilitie who inquiring whether Caesar were come and answere giuen him that he was intreated that he might haue licence to speake with his brother Flauius who was in the camp faithfull and trustie to the Romaines and who not many yeares before had lost one of his eyes vnder Tiberius His request was graunted him and as Flauius came neere Arminius saluted him And causing his followers to withdraw themselues requested that our archers which were placed in order on the banke side should stand farther off who being gone away he asked his brother how he came to that blemish in his face He named both the place and the battell He asked him further what rewards he had receiued Flauius telleth him that his pay was augmented sheweth his chaine his crowne and other military gifts which Arminius skorned as base rewards of seruitude After that they grew to farther communication the one extolling the greatnes of the Romans Caesars wealth the grieuous punishments inflicted on the conquered and the clemencie vsed to such as yeelded that neither his wife nor sonne were intreated as enemies Arminius alleaged the dutie of his countrey their auncient libertie the gods of the inward parts of Germanie that his mother and himselfe besought him that he would not rather choose to be a traitor and forsaker of his countrey then a captaine of his kindred allies and nation Growing from thence by little and little to hard words although the riuer was betwixt them they had coped if Stertinius had not run in and held backe Flauius full of anger calling for his armour and horse Arminius was heard to threaten on the other side and denounce battell intermingling some latine words for once he commaunded his countriemen and receiued pay in the Romaine campes The next day the German armie presented it selfe in battell aray beyond Visurgis Germanicus not thinking it the part of a commaunder to hazard the legions not hauing first made bridges and appointed gards to
defend them passed ouer the horsemen at the foord Stertinius and Aemilius sometime captaine of the principall ensigne were the leaders who seperated themselues farre one from the other to deuide the enemies forces Carioualda Captaine of the Batauians where the riuer was swiftest sallied out the Cherusci making as though they fled tolled them to a plaine enuironed with woods and there turning againe and spreading abroad droue back those which made head hotly pursued those which shrunke then being gathered round in a ring ouerthrew them some neere some farre off Carioualda hauing long sustained the brunt of the enemie exhorted his souldiers closely together to breake into the enemie troupes himselfe venturing amongst the thickest was beaten downe with darts and his horse killed vnder him and many noble men about him The rest either through their owne valour or aide of the horsemen with Stertinius and Aemilius escaped danger When Caesar had passed the riuer Visurgis he vnderstoode by a fugitiue from the enemie campe what place Arminius had chosen to giue battell and that other nations were assembled in a wood consecrated to Hercules with intention to assaile the camp by night The runnagate was beleeued lights were seene and the espiales getting neerer reported they heard a great confuse noise of men and horses Being therefore at a iumpe to hazard all thinking it conuenient to founde the souldiers minde he bethought himselfe what was the fittest expedient to trie the truth The Tribunes and Centurions brought him oftener pleasing then true newes the freed men were of a seruile disposition in friends therewas flatterie if he should call an assembly that which a few should begin the rest would applaude That their minds would be best knowen when they were by themselues not ouerlooked in eating and drinking they would vtter their feare or hope As soone as it was night going out at the Augural gate accompanied with one alone in secret and vnknowen places to the watch casting a sauage beasts skin on his backe he went from one place to another stoode listning at the tents and ioyeth in the praise of himselfe some extolling the nobilitie of their Captaine others his comely personage many his patience and courtesie that in sports and serious matters he was still one man confessing therefore that they thought it their parts to make him some requitall in this battell and sacrifice the traitors and peace-breakers to reuenge and glory IIII. Arminius and the Germans ouerthrow AMidst these things one of the enimie campe skilfull in the Latine toong riding close to the trench promiseth a lowd in Arminius name wiues and lands a hundred sesterces a day as long as the war cōtinued if any would flee from the Romans and come to his side That brauado did greatly exasperate the legious wishing among themselues O that the day were come that we might once come to ioine battell with them saying that they would take possession of the Germans lands and bring away their wiues by force They accepted of their words as a presage and vowed they would haue their wiues and money for a bootie About the third watch the enimie assailed the campe but threw no dart bicause he perceiued many in a readines to defend their fortes and no man remisse in his charge The same night Germanicus in a pleasant dreame thought he had beene offering of sacrifice and that his pretext or robes of his infancie had beene sprinkled with holy blood and that he receiued another at the hands of Augusta his grandmother Emboldned with that dreame and the Augures foretelling lucky successe concurring with it he called the soldiers to an assembly and declared vnto them what things by wisedome he had foreseene and what he thought expedient for the imminent danger of the battell That not onely the open fields were commodious for the Romans to fight in but the woods also and forests if they proceeded by discretion Neither were the barbarous huge targets and long pikes so handsome among trees and low shrubs as darts and swords and armour close to the bodie They should therefore lay on thicke load and strike at their faces with their swords That the Germans had neither coat of fence nor helmet and their bucklers were not ribbed with iron or sinewes but with osiars or painted thinne boord Their first rancke was in some sort appointed with pikes but the rest had but short weapons burnt at the point And although they were grim in countenance and of some courage for a short fit yet being once wounded they would flee and be gone without shame of discredit or care of their Captaine in aduersitie faint harted and timorous but in prosperitie vnmindfull both of diuine and humane lawes If they desired an end of their wearisome iournies and sea in this battell they might ease themselues Albis was now neerer then Rhene Neither was there any further warre to be made if in that place treading the steps of his father vncle they would make him Conqueror The heat of the soldier being inflamed with this speech of the Captaine the signe of battel was giuen Neither did Arminius nor the rest of the Germā nobility omit to incourage theirs on the other side saying These are the Romans which fled from Varus campe who for fear of ioining battel had raised a rebelliō Wherofsom their backs loadē with wounds others their sides tired brokē with waues tempests of sea once more offered themselus to the enimy ful of ire without hope of good the gods being against them They tooke sea and chose out the bie-waies of the Ocean least they should haue beene encountered as they came or pursued after they were repulsed But when they shall come to handistrokes they shall find small refuge in the winde and oares That now they should call to minde their coueteousnes crueltie and pride was there any thing els to be done then to maintaine their libertie or die rather then be brought to seruitude Thus encouraged and demaunding battell they were brought into a place called Idistauisum betwixt Visurgis and the hils not of one breadth but now wide now straight as the riuer or iutting out of the hils did suffer Behinde them was a wood of high trees and betweene those trees a plaine and eeuen ground which the Barbarians had possessed with the entrance of the wood the Cherusci put themselues on the tops of the hils to fall furiously vpon the Romans in the heat of the fight The order of our battell was this The aides of Gallia and the Germans were placed in the front followed with the foote archers after them fower legions and Caesar himselfe with two Pretorian cohorts and a choise troupe of horsmen After them so many legions more with light horsemen bow men on horseback and the rest of the confederates all of them most carefull to keepe their order and aray Germanicus perceiuing the Cheruscians troupes to come fiercely toward thē commanded the ablest horsmē to
we hasten to come to Rome with Germanicus ashes that Agrippinas lamentation and the vnskilfull multitude at the first rumor should laie hands on thee vnheard and vndefended Thou hast for thee Augustas conscience and Caesars fauour though in secret And none bewaile more braggingly Germanicus death in outward shew then such as in their harts are most glad Piso being forward enough of himself to haughtie attempts was with small adoe drawen to this opinion And sending letters to Tiberius accuseth Germanicus of riot and pride and that himselfe was driuen out of the prouince bicause there might be a way made open to innouation that he had againe taken charge of the armie with the same fidelitie as he had alreadie gouerned it Withall he commanded Domitius with a galley to saile into Syria and auoiding the coasting of the shoare and letting passe the Ilands take wide and open sea Then marshalling and arming runnagates and rascall base companions and sailing ouer to the continent he intercepted an ensigne of yoong and rawe souldiers which were going to Syria And writeth also to the Lords of Cilicia to send him aide the yoong man Piso being nothing slacke in the seruice although he was against the vndertaking of the warre Wherefore passing by the coast of Lycia Pamphylia meeting with the ships which had conueied Agrippina to Rome each side hating one another made themselues readie to fight yet both sides fearing the one the other they proceeded no further then to hard words Mirsus Vibius sommoned Piso to come to Rome to answere for himselfe who scoffingly answered him againe that he would come and appeere when the Pretor which was to inquire of poisonings would appoint a day as well for the plaintif as defendāt In the meane time Domitius being ariued at Laodicea a citie in Syria and going to the standing camp of the sixt legion as most fit for new enterprises was preuēted by the Lieutenāt Pacuuius Sentius openeth that by letters to Piso warning him not to go about to tempt the armie with corrupters nor raise any war in the Prouince And such as he knew to haue Germanicus in minde or were aduersaries to the enimies he assembled togither putting them oftē in mind of the greatnes of the Emperor and how the common-wealth was assailed and thereupon gathereth a strong power readie to fight Yet neither Piso nor his side although his enterprises fell out otherwise than he expected did let slip that which was of most safetie for the present but putteth himselfe in a verie strong castle in Cilicia called Celenderis For by sorting and medling togither the runnagates the new and raw soldier lately taken his owne and Plancinaes slaues and the aides which the Lords of Cilicia sent he marshalled them in forme of a legion And then affirmed that he was Caesars Lieutenant but drouen out of the Prouince committed to him not by the legions for they called him thither but by Sentius which cloaked his priuate malice with false crimes therfore that they should stād stoutly to the battel bicause the soldiers would not fight when they should see Piso whom heretofore they called their father If they would proceed by order of iustice the right was on his side if by armes he wanted not strength Then he displaied his companies in order of battell before the castle on a steepe craggie hils side the rest being inuironed with sea On the contrarie side the old soldiers with their supplies were marshalled into rankes On this side was the strength of souldiers one that of place In courage and hope there was great oddes also and on their side no weapons but rude and clownish prepared for a present shift And when they came to handie strokes there was no lōger doubt who should haue the vpper hand but til the Roman cohorts could win the plaine ground which done the Cilicians shewed their backs shut themselues in their fort In the meane space Piso went about but in vaine to assaile the nauie which waited not farre off Then returned to the castle againe now tormenting himselfe vpon the wals now calling to euerie souldier by his name and offering rewards assaied to raise a mutinie and did so much preuaile that the standard bearer of the sixt legion went with his ensigne to his side Then Sentius commaunded the cornets and trumpets to sounde gaue an assault to the rampiers caused laddres to be put vp and the ablest men to follow and the others out of engines to shoote dartes stones and fire brands In the end Pisoes obstinacie being ouercome entreateth that hauing yeelded vp his weapons he might remaine in the castle vntill Caesar were consulted who should be gouernor of Syria The conditions were not accepted nor any thing graunted him but onely that he should haue shipping and safe conduct to the citie XIX Great bewailing for Germanicus death strange religions suppressed loose life restrained in women of account BVt when Germanicus sicknes was noised at Rome and as in newes it falleth out the farther it goeth augmented to the worser all men burst out into anger griefe and complaints saying that therefore he was sent to forren countries that was the reason why Piso had the prouince committed to him this was the effect of Augustaes secret conference with Plancina that the auncient men said most truly of Drusus that the courteous and modest disposition of children doth dislike such as raigne Neither were they made away for any other reason but because libertie restored they had a meaning to reduce the people of Rome to a certain equalitie These speeches of the common people the newes of his death did so much kindle that before any edict of Magistrates before any decree of Senate was made vacation being taken of themselues the places of iudgement were abandoned houses shut vp silence and mourning euery where nothing of all this counterfeited or done for ostentation And although they did not abstaine from outward tokens of mourning yet in their harts they mourned much more Certaine Merchants returning by chaunce out of Syria Germanicus yet liuing bringing ioyfull tidings of his health were presently beleeued and spread abroad and as they met one another although they had scarse heard the tale to the end yet they reported it againe and they againe to others still making it more and increasing their ioy They ran vp and downe the citie went about to wrest open the gates of the temples the night furthered their credulousnes and in the darke euery man more readie to affirme Neither did Tiberius gainsay these false reports but let them vanish away with time But then the people as though he had beene a second time taken from them greeued more bitterly Such was his funerall pomp done in memory of him as either mens loue or pregnancie of conceipt could inuent as that his name should be sung in a Salarian verse which Mars priests were wont to sing that in the roomes of the Augustall priests chaires of estate
woulde shew so much fauour to the Iunian familie and to one who had beene of the same colledge with them that he shoulde rather be sent to the Iland Cythera which was also the request of Torquata Silanus sister a virigin of good life vnto which censure they all condescended XV. More accusations prosecuted A decree touching Iupiters priests Tacfarinas driuen by Blaesus out of Affrike AFter this the Cyrenenses were heard and Caesius Cordus condemned of polling the prouinces at the sute of Ancharius Priscus L. Ennius a gentleman of Rome accused of treason bicause he had conuerted the image of the prince to common vses in plate Caesar forbad to be receiued amongst the criminall persons Ateius Capito openly complaining and by a kinde of libertie saieng That power of determining such a matter ought not to be taken frō the Senate nor so heinous a crime passe vnpunished That the Emperour might be as slowe as he lusted in punishing iniuries done to himselfe yet that he ought not to pardon such as were done to the common-wealth Tiberius vnderstood these things as they were indeed rather then as they were spoken and so persisted in opposing himselfe Capito was so much the more noted bicause that knowing what appertained to diuine and humane lawes discredited the common good and the commendable arts he had learned at home Then there grew a scruple in knowing in what temple the gift should be placed which the gentlemen of Rome had vowed to fortune Equestris for the health of Augusta For although there were many temples in the citie of that goddesse yet there was none which bare that surname In the ende there was one so called found at Antium and all the ceremonies in the townes of Italie and temples and images of gods to be vnder the right and empire of Rome and therupon the gift was placed at Antium And seeing the matter was debated touching the religions Caesar declared the answere which not long before he had deferred against Seruius Maluginensis and recited the decree of the chiefe priestes which was That as oft as the Flamen Dial or Iupiters priest fell into any sicknes he might be absent from the city with licence of the chiefe priest so as it were not aboue two nights or in daies of publike sacrifice nor oftner then twise in one yeere Which being ordained in Augustus time did manifestly shew that the absence for a yeere or administration of prouinces was not graunted to the Diales And the example of L. Metellus the high pontife was alleaged who in the like case had kept Aulus Posthumus the Flamen in the citie And thereupon the lot of Asia was bestowed vpon him who of the Consuls was next vnto Maluginensis At the same time Lepidus made request vnto the Lords of the Senate that he might at his owne charges reedifie and adorne Paulus Aemilius temple the ornament of his memorie for at that time publike munificence was in vse neither did Augustus blame Taurus Philippus Balbus for bestowing spoiles taken from enimies or the ouerplus of their wealth to the ornament of the citie and glorie of posteritie By which examples Lepidus although he had no great store of money did renewe the honor of his auncestors Pompeius theatre consumed by casuall fire bicause there was none left of the familie of abilitie to performe it Caesar promised to build at his own charges and leaue it stil the old name And withall he highly extolled Seianus as though through his labour and watchfulnes the violence of that fire had beene staied from hurting any more then that one thing and the Senate ordained an image to be erected in honour of Seianus in Pompeius theatre And not long after when Caesar had honored Iunius Blaesus proconsull of Affrike with the ornaments of triumph he said that he attributed that to Seianus honour whose vncle he was Yet Blaesus owne acts deserued that honour For although Tacfarinas had beene often put to the woorst yet renewing his aide in the middle of Affrike he grewe to that arrogancie as to send embassadors to Tiberius and require a place for himselfe and his armie to inhabite or else threatned an endles warre It was reported that Caesar neuer more grieued at any disgrace done vnto himselfe or the people of Rome then that a traitor and theefe should deale like an enimie There was neuer so much graunted Spartacus after he had defeated so many armies of Consuls and burnt Italie vnreuenged yea when the common-wealth was greatly weakned by Sertorius and Mithridates great warres that he shoulde be receiued by couenant into safe conduct therefore much lesse that Tacfarinas a theefe the Roman empire being in most flourishing state should be hired with a peace and lands to inhabite He committed the whole matter to Blaesus with charge that he shoulde induce the rest to lay down their armes with warrant that they should sustaine no hurt yet that he should lay holde on the captaine by all means possible through which pardon many came in Not long after they vsed the same maner of fight against Tacfarinas as he had vsed against others for bicause he inferior to the Romans in strength though better in theeuery made many inroades by scattered companies deceiued his enimie and laid many traines to intrap him Their companies were therefore set in order and marched against him of which the lieutenant Cornelius Scipio was the chiefe who lay in waite in that coast where Tacfarinas did waste and trouble the Leptins and the Garamantes places of refuge On another side Blaesus son lead his owne power least the Cirtensien villages shoulde be entised to take part with Tacfarinas In the middle placing fortresses and strong holdes in conuenient places with choise soldiers the captaine himselfe brought the enimie to a narrowe straight and disaduantage bicause that which way soeuer he should bend some of the Romane soldiers were in his face some in his sides and often some in his backe and so many slaine and intrapped Then diuideth the three armies againe into many other companies with centurions of knowen valour ouer them Neither did he as the custome was retire his forces in the ende of sommer or put them in standing campes of the old prouince but as it had been in the beginning of warre his fortresses well manned by light horsemen and skilfull in those deserts he gaue Tacfarinas often changing his cabbins small rest vntill his brother being taken he retired in the end with more speede then was for the allies profit such being left behinde by whom the warre might rise againe But Tiberius taking this to be an ende of this warre gaue Blaesus that honour that he should be saluted Emperour by the legions being an old custome towards such Captaines as had shewen valour for the common-wealth with ioy and acclamations to be saluted by that name by the conquering armies There were many Emperours at one time but none aboue an other Augustus had graunted that name to
haue alreadie said had inueighled Libo then betrayed him and brought him to destruction Which seruice Tiberius not forgetting though pretending other causes intreated that he might not be banished but that he should be deposed from the Senate he hindered not I am not ignorant that many of those things which I haue rehearsed and which I shall rehearse hereafter will seeme of small moment and not worthy the writing But I wish not that any should compare our annales with the writings of the auncient historiographers of the people of Rome for they reported with a free discourse of mightie great warres winning of townes of Kings taken and slaine or if they came to domesticall affaires they recorded the discords betwixt the Consuls and the Tribunes lawes concerning distribution of lands among the common people and iarres betweene the communaltie and nobilitie But the scope of our discourse is streight and our labour inglorious the times I write of being peaceable and quiet or no great warres the state of the citie dolefull and the Prince carelesse in dilating the Empire Yet it shall not bee lost labour to looke into those things which at the first seeme light oft yeelding instruction of greater matters For all Nations and Cities are gouerned by the people or Peers or one alone A forme of common-wealth constituted of one of these may better be praised then found or if it chaunce to be found it cannot long continue Therefore as in times past the people bearing swaie or the Lords of the Senate the humor of the communaltie was to be knowen and the meanes how with greatest discretion they were to be dealt withall and they iudged most wise and experienced who had deepliest entered into the disposition of the Senators nobilitie so the state being now changed and the regiment consisting in one alone it shall be conuenient to note those things which vnto that forme of gouernment doth best appertaine For there are but few which by wisedome distinguish honest things from dishonest and profitable from hurtfull but most men are taught by others euents And my writings bring more profit then delight for situation of countries varietie of battels the death of famous Captaines do feede and recreat the readers mindes But we heape vp bloodie commaundements continuall accusations deceitfull friendships the ouerthrow of innocent persons and causes bringing the like end matters tedious for want of varietie The old writers had also this aduantage that they had no detractors of their writing or fewe not being materiall to any whether he had praised the Affrican or Roman armies But many are yet aliue whose predecessors suffered punishment or infamie vnder Tiberius gouernment And although their familie be extinguished yet thou shalt find many which for conformitie of manners thinke that others misdeedes are obiected against themselues Glorie and vertue haue enimies likewise according to the disposition of euerie mans minde framing reasons contrarie to that which his own inclination is neerest vnto But I will returne to my first purpose VIII An oration of Cremutius in defence of his Annales Tiberius would not suffer the Spaniards to build a Temple in his honour COrnelius Cossus Asinius Agrippa being Consuls Cremutius Cordus was accused of a new crime neuer before heard of that in certaine Annales by him published he had praised M. Brutus and said that C. Cassius was the last of the Romans His accusers were Satrius Secundus and Pinarius Natta Seianus clients which was his ouerthrow Caesar with a sterne looke hearing his purgation which Cremutius being assured to lose his life began in this manner I am accused for words Lords of the Senate bicause in deedes I am innocent But they were neither against the Prince nor his father whom the lawe of treason doth comprehend I am said to haue commended Brutus and Cassius whose acts manie haue written and all in honorable termes T. Liuius an excellent writer as well for eloquence as truth did so much extoll Gn. Pompeius that Augustus called him a Pompeian yet that no breach of friendship at all Scipio Afranius did neuer call this selfe same Cassius this Brutus theeues and parricides as now adaies they are termed but often worthie famous men Asinius Pollioes writings do deliuer an honorable memorie of them Messalla Coruinus extolleth Cassius as his Captaine and both flourished in wealth and honour When M. Cicero had in a booke extolled Cato to the heauens what did Caesar the Dictator but answere him in an oration as if he had beene before the iudges Antonies epistles Brutus orations haue I confesse many vntrue and bitter speeches against Augustus Men read Bibaculus and Catullus verses which are stuffed with reproches against the Caesars But yet Iulius and Augnstus of famous memorie winked thereat whether with greater moderation or wisedome I know not for things of that qualitie neglected vanish of themselues but repined and greeued at argue a guiltie conscience The Grecians whose not onely libertie but vnrestrained licence escaped vnpunished I speake not of or if any felt himselfe greeued he reuenged words with other words It hath bin alwaies a matter of free libertie and least subiect vnto detraction to speake of those whom death had exempted from hatred and fauor Do I incense the peope by orations to ciuill warre with Cassius and Brutus alreadie in armes and masters of the Philippian fields Do not they who ended their life aboue seauentie yeeres agone as they are knowen by their images which the Conqueror himselfe hath not pulled downe so retaine some remembrance of them by writings Posteritie doth render vnto euery man the commendation he hath deserued Neither will there want some if I be condemned which will make mention not onely of Cassius and Brutus but of me also Hauing thus saide he went out of the Senat ended his life by abstinence Order was giuen by the Senators that the Aediles should burne his bookes which notwithstanding were still extant some secretly some publickly which maketh me the willinglier to laugh at the witles vncircumpection of such as thinke with the power and authoritie they haue in their own time they can also extinguish the memory of future times But it falleth out contrary that when good wits are punished their credit groweth greater neither haue forraine Kings or such as haue vsed the like crueltie purchased any other thing then discredit to themselues and to such wits glorie This yeere accusations were so hotly pursued that euen on the festiuall daies of the Latines Calphurnius Saluianus went to accuse Marius before Drusus Prouest of the citie as he was entering into the Tribunall to begin his charge for which cause Saluianus being publikely blamed by Tiberius was sent into banishment Great negligence was openly layd to the Cyzicenians charge in not solemnising Augustus sacrifices and that they had vsed violence against the citizens of Rome For which cause they lost the freedome which they had gotten in the warre when they were besieged by
legion and all the ayd he could leuie in the prouince on the banke of Danubium as an ayd to the conquered and a terror to the conquerer least puffed vp with prosperous fortune they would so disturb our peace For an infinite power of the Ligians and other nations were comming drawen with the fame of the wealth of Vannius kingdome which for thirtie yeeres space he had enriched with pillages and tributes Vannius owne forces consisted in footemen his horsemen were of Sarmates called Iazygiens vnable to encounter the multitude of the enemies power and therefore defended himselfe in fortresses and purposed to protract the warre But the Iazygiens not able to indure to be besieged but wandering and wasting the champion adioyning droue Vannius to a necessitie of fighting because Ligius and Hermundurus were pressing in on the backs of them Vannius therfore issuing out of his fort lost the battell but not without honor euen in his distresse because in person he shunned not the battell and face to face receiued wounds in his bodie and at last fled to his shipping which waited for him in Danubium by and by his vassals following him hauing receiued land to dwell in planted themselues in a part of Hungaria The kingdome Vangio and Sido parted betweene them shewing great loyaltie towards vs. Their subiects either for their desert or such being the disposition of those which are kept vnder whilest they were yet a getting the kingdome shewed them all tokens of loue and affection but after they had gotten it as the greater their loue before so the greater their hatred after VIII Ostorius gouernor of great Britannia gaineth a battell against the Iceni and tooke Caractacus King of the same countrey and sent him to Rome The warres of the Romaines against the Siluri POstorius Propretor of Britannia at his landing found all in an vprore the enemie ranging the allies countrey and vsing so much the greater violence bicause he thought the new captaine as vnacquainted with his armie and the winter also begun would not come foorth to encounter him But he knowing well that the first successe breedeth either feare or confidence gathered with speede his readiest cohorts made toward the enemie slaying those which made head against him pursued the residue stragled abroad for feare least they should ioyne againe and least a faithles and cloaked peace should neither giue the captaine nor the souldier any rest he disarmed those he suspected and hemmed them in with garrisons betweene Antona and Sabrina Which the Iceni first of all refused a strong people and vnshaken with warres because that of their owne motion they had sought our alliance and amitie and at their instigation the people adioyning chose a place to fight compassed in with a rude and common trench and narrow entrance to hinder the comming in of horsemen That fence the Roman Captaine although he wanted the strength of the legions went about to force with the aide of the allies alone and hauing placed his cohorts in rankes setteth the troupes of horsemen in alike readines to their busines then giuing the signe of battell brake the rampire and disordered the enimies in their owne fortresses Who stroken in conscience with a remorse for their rebellion and seeing all passages of escaping stopped vp shewed great courage and valoure in defending themselues In which fight M. Ostorius the Lieutenants sonne deserued the honour of sauing a citizen But by the slaughter of the Iceni those which wauered betweene warre and peace were quieted and the armie lead against the Cangi Whose countrey they wasted and spoiled the enimie not daring to shew himselfe in fielde or if priuily and by stealth they attempted to cut off any which dragged behind they payed for their comming Now the Roman armie was come neere vnto the sea coast which lookes towards Ireland when as certaine tumults sproong vp among the Brigantes brought backe the Captaine certainly resolued not to attempt any new matter vntill he had setled the old But as for the Brigantes some fewe put to death which first began to take armes the residue being pardoned all were quieted The Siluri could neither by crueltie nor faire meanes be hindered from making warre and therefore no remedie left to keepe them vnder but with a garrison of legionarie soldiers The which to performe more easily a colonie called Camalodunum of a strong companie of old souldiers was brought into the subdued countrey as an aide and safegard against the rebels and inducement to the confederates to the obseruation of lawes From thence they marched against the Siluri besides their owne courage trusting to Caractacus strength who hauing waded thorow manie dangers and in manie aduentures prosperous and luckie had gotten such reputation that he was preferred before all the British Captaines But in craft and skilfulnes of the countrey hauing the aduantage on vs but weaker in strength remoueth the war to the Ordouices and there all those ioyning to him which feared our peace resolued to hazard the last chaunce chusing a place for the battell where the comming in and going out was verie incommodious to vs and to his great aduantage Then they got to the top of a hill and if there were any easie passage vnto them they stopped it vp with heapes of stones as it were in maner of a rampire Not farre off ranne a riuer with an vncertaine foord where a great troupe of his best soldiers were readie in order before the rampire Besides this the leaders went about exhorted and incouraged the souldiers taking all occasion of feare from them and putting them in hope with all other inducements of warre And Caractacus coursing hither thither protested That that day and that battell should be either the beginning of the recouering of their libertie or perpetuall seruitude He called vpon the names of his auncestors which chased Caesar the Dictator out of the Ile by whose valour they were deliuered from hatchets and tributes and inioyed freely their wiues and childrens bodies vndefiled Whilest he vttered these or the like speeches the people made a noise about him and euerie man swore according to the religion of his countrey that he would yeeld neither for wounds nor armes That courage and cheerefulnes greatly astonied the Roman Captaine and considering the riuer before his face the forte they had cast vp the high hils which hanged ouer them all things deadly to thē and commodious for the enimie droue him into a doubt of the successe Neuerthelesse the souldier demaunded battell crying that there was nothing which valour could not ouercome The Prefects and Tribunes vsing the like speeches greatly incensed the ardour and courage of the rest The Ostorius hauing viewed what places were of hard passage and which of easie leadeth his armie boiling with choler with small difficultie ouer the riuer But when we were come to the rampire as long as we fought with throwing of dartes we receiued most
Vologeses was not yet moued to warre because he had rather debate the matter by reason then by force But if they would persist in warre the Arsacides should neither want courage nor fortune often experimented to the losse of the Romans Hereupon Corbulo knowing well that Velogeses was troubled with the Hircanians rebellion perswadeth Tiridates to deale with Caesar by intreatie that he might obtaine a firme possession of a kingdome without bloudshed if leauing of a long and slow hope he would imbrace that which was present and more sure Then they resolued because by entercourse of messengers they profited nothing for the full knitting vp of peace to appoint time and place for a parlie Tiridates sayd that he would come with a thousand horse for his gard how many of whatsoeuer sort of souldiers Corbulo should bring he weighed it not so as they came without curasses helmets as a better shew of peace The barbarous treacherie was palpable to all men much more to an old circumspect captaine therfore a small number was limited on one part and a greater permitted to the other that the treason might be the better effected for to oppose against practised horsemen archers vnarmed men the multitude would auaile nothing Yet Corbulo making as though he had not perceiued the treason answered that publick affaires would better be debated in the face of both the whole armies And for the purpose chose a place whereof the one part had hils of an easie ascent fit for ranks of footemen the other stretched out into a plaine conuenient to display troupes of horsemen And the day agreed on Corbulo appeared first in this order He placed the cohorts of allies and succours sent by Kings in the wings and in the middle the sixt legion among which he had intermingled three thousand of the third sent for by night from other garrisons with one ensigne as if all were but one legion Tiridates the day being well spent shewed himselfe aloofe where he might better be seene then heard so the Romaine captaine without parlie commaunded his souldiers to depart euery man to his owne camp The King either suspecting fraude because our men went at once to diuers places or to intercept our prouision of victuals comming from the sea of Pontus and the towne Trapezunt maketh away with all speede But he could not hinder the comming of the victuals because it was brought through mountaines possessed by our owne garrisons and Corbulo because the warre should draw to an end and the Armenians constrained to defend their owne goeth about to raze their Castels IX Corbulo hauing taken the Castles destroyeth Artaxata the chiefe towne of the countrey COrbulo chose to himselfe the strongest place of the countrey called Volandum to assault the lesser he committeth to Cornelius Flaccus Lieutenant and Isteus Capito camp-maister Then surueying his forces and seeing all things in a readines for the assault incourageth his souldiers to vnnestle the vagabond enemie neither readie for peace nor warre acknowledging by his fleeing away his perfidiousnes and cowardise and so win at once both glory and wealth After this hauing deuided his armie into foure parts he lead some close and thicke ranked together for a target fence to vndermine and beate downe the rampire others to scale the walles others to let flee fire and darts out of engins of warre the sling-casters and stone-throwers had a place appointed them from whence they might a farre off throw pellets of yron and stone that the besieged might haue no refuge or comfort of one another all places being full of like feare The courage of the assailants was so great that within the third part of the day the wals were naked of defendants the gates broken downe the fortresse scaled and all of lawfull yeeres put to the sword no one souldier lost on our side and verie few hurt the weake and vnable people were sold in a portsale and made slaues the rest of the bootie fell to the Conquerours share The Lieutenant and camp-master had the like fortune three castles taken in one day the rest for feare and by consent of the inhabitants yeelded which encouraged the Romans to set on Artaxata the chiefe towne of the countrey Yet the legions were not brought the next way bicause that passing the riuer Araxis which washeth the wals by the bridge they should haue come vnder the danger of blowes but went ouer a farre off at broade foordes But Tiridates assailed with seare and shame least if he should suffer the besieging he might seeme not to be able to succour it if hinder it encomber himselfe and his horsemen in dangerous and difficult places resouled in the end to shew his armie in battell aray and a day appointed giue the onset or making as though he would flee dresse an ambush Whereupon on a sudden he enuironeth the Romans our Captaine not ignorant thereof who had marshalled his armie in such aray that it might both march on and fight On the right side the third legion on the left the sixt marched in the middle a companie chosen out of the tenth the carriages betweene the rankes and a thousand horsemen in the rereward with commaundement that they should resist and make head against the enimie if they passed in but if they sled not to follow In the wings went the footemen archers with the residue of the horsemen the left wing stretched somewhat longer to the bottome of the hils that if the enimie should enter on them he should haue beene receiued both in the front and middle Tiridates on the contrarie side came about the Romans freely yet not within a darts cast now threatning now making as though he were afraide and so retiring to see whether we would open or breake our rankes to follow and so entrap vs being scattered But not seeing any thing disordered nor any ranke broken by rashnes and onely one vnder Captaine of horsemen ventring boldlier then the rest to haue beene slaine with an arrow and the rest by his example to obey the night being almost come he departed Corbulo hauing pitched his campe in the same place considered with himselfe whether he should goe by night to Artaxata and besiege it with light and vncumbered legions supposing that Tiridates had retired thither Then the scouts hauing brought intelligence that the King had taken a longer iourney doubtfull whether to the Medes or Persians he staied vntill it was day sending before a companie lightly armed to enuiron the wals and beginne the assault a farre off But the townesmen opening the gates of their owne accord yeelded themselues and all they had to the Romans whereby their liues were saued But Artaxata was burnt and raced to the ground because it could not be kept without a strong garrison by reason of the compasse of the wals and our forces were not so great that we could leaue there a sufficient garrison and withall keepe the field or if she should be left standing and
tributes woulde be demaunded Manie societies of tributes and tallages were established by the Consuls and Tribunes of the people euen when the communaltie had greatest libertie Things afterwarde were so proportioned that the receits and reuenues shoulde be answerable to the layings out Indeede the couetousnes of the farmers was to be moderated least things tolerated so many yeeres without complaint should turne to further mischiefe and hatred by their strange greedines The prince therefore by edict commanded that the taxation of euerie custome which hitherto hath bin concealed should now be published and that the farmers should not after the yeere was expired demaund any thing let slip or forgottē during that time That in Rome the Pretor in the prouinces those which supplied the places of the pretors Consuls should extraordinarily determine against the farmers of common rents That souldiers shoulde keepe their immunitie those things excepted wherin they trafficked and many other iust things which obserued a short time afterward came to nothing Neuerthelesse the abolishing of one in fortie and one in fiftie continueth and what other names the farmers had inuented for their vnlawfull exactions The carriage of corne to partes beyond the seas was moderated And ordained that marchants ships should not be valued in the generall estimate of their goods nor tribute paied for them Caesar discharged Sulpitius Camerinus and Pomponius Siluanus who had beene Proconsuls in Affrike and accused by the prouince obiecting against Camerinus rather cruell dealing against a few priuat men then extortion in generall A great number of accusers came about Siluanus and required time to produce witnesses but the defendant desired his defences might presently be hearde which being rich childlesse and old he obtained and ouerliued those by whose suite he had escaped The estate of Germanie was quiet vntill then through the industrie of the captaines who seeing the honor of triumph common hoped for greater glory if they could continue peace Paullinus Pompeius and L. Vetus had charge of the armie at that time yet least they should keepe the souldier in idlenes Paullinus finished a banke begun threescore and three yeeres before by Drusus to keepe in the riuer of Rhene Vetus went about to ioyne Mosella and Araris by a ditch cast betweene them that the armies conueyed by sea then by Rhodanus and Araris by that ditch anon after by Mosa into Rhene in the end should fall into the Ocean that all difficulties of the passages taken away the west and north seas might be nauigable from the one to the other Aelius Gracilis Lieutenant of Belgia enuied the worke dehorting Vetus least he should bring the legions into anothers prouince seeke to win the harts of the Gallois affirming it to be dangerous to the Emperour a pretext which often hindereth honest indeuours Through the continuall rest of the armies a rumor was spred that the Lieutenants were forbidden to leade them against the enemie Whereupon the Frisians placed their youth in the woods and marishes sent their feeble old men to the banks of Rhene planting them in voide grounds appointed out for the vse of souldiers Verritus and Malorigis being the authors thereof who then gouerned the countrey which the Germains were Lords of Now they had built houses sowed the ground and tilled it as though it had been their natiue countrey when Dubius Auitus hauing receiued the prouince of Paullinus threatning to send the Roman forces vnlesse the Frisians would returne to their old homes or obtaine a new place of habitation of Caesar enforced Varritus and Malorigis to fall to intreatie And taking their iourney to Rome whilest they attended for Nero busied in other matters among other things woont to be shewen to barbarous people they went to Pompeius Theater to behold the multitude of people There at their leisure for being vnskilfull in those plaies tooke no great delight in them whilest they inquired of many things touching the assemblie skaffolds differences of degrees which were gentlemen where the Senators sate they perceiued some in a strange attire in the Senators roomes and asking who they were when they vnderstoode that that honour was done to the Embassadors of those countries which excelled in vertue and friendship with the Romans they cried that There were none in the world more valiant and faithfull than the Germans and so went and sate among the Lords of the Senate which was courteously taken of the beholders as a forwardnes of their old good nature and a commendable emulation of vertue Nero gaue them both the priuileges of a citizen of Rome and commaunded the Frisians to depart the countrey they had possessed who refusing to obeie a troupe of ayde horsemen sent on the sudden forced them to it and those taken and slaine which most obstinately resisted The Ansibariās entered the same territories a stronger nation then the other not onely by their owne strength but by the pitie their neighbours take on them bicause that being driuen out by the Chauci and wanting dwelling places they desired they might haue it as a sure place of exile They had for their conductor a man of great reputation in that countrey and vnto vs likewise trustie called Boiocalus who declared how by the commaundement of Arminius he had beene taken prisoner when the Cheruscirebelled then how he had serued the Romans fiftie yeeres vnder Tiberius and Germanicus He said further He would put his nation vnder our dominion What neede was there of such spatious waste grounds to put at sometimes onely the souldiers heards and cattell to feed That they might reserue those grounds they had receiued for their stocks albeit men died with famine so as they desired not rather a wildernes than an habitation of people their confederates In times past those fields belonged to the Chamauorians then to the Tubantians and in the ende to the Vsipians As the heauen was giuen the gods so the earth to makind and that which was not possessed was common Then beholding the sunne and calling vpon the rest of the stars he asked as it were in their presence whether they would see the land naked That they would rather ouerwhelme the takers away of the earth with the sea Auitus mooued with these speeches aunswered that the commaundement of their betters was to be obeied It was the will of the gods whom they called vpon that the arbitrement should belong to the Romans what they should giue and what take away neither would they suffer any iudges but themselues These things he aunswered the Ansibarians in publicke to Boiocalus he would giue grounds in memorie of his friendship Which he as if it had beene a reward of treason contemning added We may want land to liue in but to die in we cannot and so they parted both discontented They called the Bructeri and Tencteri and other nations further off their confederates to ioine in warre with them Auitus hauing written to Curtilius Mancia Lieutenant of the vpper armie that he should passe
thousand choise men on the top of the hill Taurus hard by to hinder the King to passe He placed also certaine cornets of Pannonians which were the strength and sinewes of his horsemen in one part of the plaine His wife and sonne were shut vp in a castle called Arsamosata and a cohort appointed to guarde them and thus dispersed the souldiers which vnited in one would much better haue made head against the stragled and rouing enimie It is reported that he was hardly brought to confesse vnto Corbulo that the King was at hand neither did Corbulo make any great haste to the end that the dangers growing great his own praise in succouring might be the greater Neuerthelesse he commaunded three thousand to be set forwarde out of the three legions eight hundred horse and the like number out of the auxiliarie cohorts But Vologeses although he had vnderstood that the passages were shut vp by Paetus on the one side with footmen and on the other with horsmen nothing altering his determination what with violence what with threatnings hauing put the horsemen to flight broke the legionaries one onely Centurion Tarquitius Crescens hauing courage to defend himselfe in a towre wherein he had a garrison making often sallies and slaying such Barbarians as came neere vntill he was forced by fire to yeeld Of the footemen if any was vnhurt he fled to bye-places a farre off the wounded returned to the campe extolling the valour of the King the crueltie and number of his souldiers and all else for feare such easily beleeuing them as were in the like perplexitie The Captaine himselfe not once endeuoruing to remedie the calamitie neglected all duties of seruice and sent againe to intreat Corbulo that he would come away in all poste haste to defend the ensignes and standarts and the onely name left of the vnfortunate armie he for his owne part would whilest life lasted remaine faithfull III. Corbulo goeth to Syria to aide Paetus who in the meane space maketh a dishonorable peace with Vologeses COrbulo daunted nothing at all leauing part of his forces in Syria to defende the fortresses built vpon the shore of Euphrates tooke his iourney as the neerest way and plentifullest of victuals by the Comagenians then by Cappadocia and from thence to Armenia There followed the armie besides the vsuall furniture and prouision of warre a multitude of camels loaden with corne to driue away both the enimie and hunger The first he met of those which were throughly affrighted was Pactius the Centurion of the first ensigne then many other soldiers who pretending diuers and sundry causes of their flying away he admonished to returne to their ensignes and trust to Paetus clemencie As for himselfe he was rigorous to none but to the conquerers Withall he went to his legions encouraged them put them in minde of their old valour and what occasion they had to win new glory That they sought not now villages and townes of Armenia for a reward of their trauels but Roman camps and amongst them two legions If vnto euery common souldier the crowne was giuen by the Emperors hands as a speciall honor to him who had saued one citizen only how great and worthie an honor shall it be when the like number shall be seene of the succourers succoured And with these and the like incouragements generally cheered and some there were whom their brothers perils and neere kindred inflamed of their owne proper motions they hastned their iourney day and night Vologeses so much the more eagerly pursueth the besieged now assailing the trench of the legions now the fort where the fearefull or aged had fled for defence approching neerer then the Parthians custome is to allure by temeritie his enemie to battell But the Romans hardly haled out of their cabins did but defend their rampires part at the commaundement of the captaine and others by their owne cowardlines looking for Corbulo and if they should be put to any distresse purposed to shift for themselues by the example of the ouerthrowe at Caudina and Numantina Neither had the Samnites people of Italie nor the people of Carthage which contended for greatnes with the Romans so great power as the Parthians Their auncestors also both valiant and commended of all when fortune crossed them prouided for their safetie By which desperation Paetus the generall of the armie vtterly cast downe yet sent not his first letters to Vologeses in humble sort but in manner of a complaint That he vsed hostilitie against the Armenians subiect alwaies to the Romans or to a King chosen by the Emperour That peace was alike profitable to both That he should not regard things present only That he was come against two legions with all the power of his kingdome but the Romains had the whole world besides at commandement to aide the warre Vologeses answered nothing touching the matter but that he was to expect his brothers Pacorus and Tiridates and that that place and time was appointed to consult of Armenia * And that the gods had fauored them so much being a matter worthy of the Arsacides greatnes that withall they could determine of the Roman legions After that Paetus sent messengers to intreate a parly with the King who commanded Vasaces captaine of the horse to go Then Paetus beginneth with the Luculli Pompei and such other Captaines as had conquered and giuen away Armenia Vasaces answered that the Romaines had but a shadow of holding and giuing away of Armenia and that the right and power was with the Parthians And hauing sufficiently debated the matter on both sides Monobazus Adiabenus the next day was called a witnes of their agreement which was that the legions should no longer be besieged and all the souldiers depart out of the bounds of Armenia and all forts and prouisions to be deliuered to the Parthians which done that Vologeses should haue licence to send Embassadors to Nero. In the meane space Paetus built a bridge ouer the riuer Arsamites which ran by the camp vnder colour of passing that way but the Parthians had commanded it to be done as a token of the victorie for it serued their turne and our men went another way And the rumor went that the legions were sent sub iugum with other disgraces which the Armenians were wont to vse against the vanquished For they entered the trench before the Romaine camp was departed and beset the way challenging and leading away their horses and such as had beene their slaues Their apparell also and weapons were taken from them and the souldiers yeelded them for feare least any occasion of quarrell should be giuen Vologeses hauing gathered together our weapons and dead bodies to witnes the ouerthrow of our people forbare from seeing the running away of the legions A fame of moderation was sought for after he had satisfied and filled his pride He passed the riuer Arsamites on an Elephant and euery man neere the King on horseback because a rumor was
If he fall by chaunce it is not lawfull for him to rise or get vp but is rowled out all their superstition tending to this that from thence the nation had his beginning that there dwelleth the God ruler of all others and vnto whom all other things are subiect and obedient The fortune of the Semnones giueth this authoritie their countrey is inhabited by an hundred villages and by their great bodie they take themselues to be the head of the Sueuians Contrarily the Longobards are renowned by reason their number is so small that being hemmed in with many verie puissant nations yet maintaine themselues not by doing any dutie to any but by warres and dangers After them the Reudigni and Auiones and Angli and Varini and Eudoses and Suardones and Nuithones are defended by riuers or woods hauing no notable thing particular in any sauing that generally they adore Herthum that is the mother-earth whom they beleeue to be present at mens affaires There is a wood called Castum in an Iland of the Ocean and a chariot dedicated in it couered with apparell which one Priest onely may lawfully touch He knoweth that the goddesse is in some secret part of the house and followeth her with great reuerence as she is lead by Kowes and make those holy daies places of ioy which she vouchsafeth to honor with hir presence Warre they make none nor put on any armour nor shew any weapon but peace and quietnes is onely knowen and loued vntill the same priest bring backe the goddesse to her Temple filled with the conuersation of mortall men Then the chariot and the apparell if you will beleeue it the diuinitie itselfe is washed in some secret lake bond men minister vnto her which the same lake doth incontinently swallow vp Whereof ariseth a secret terror and an holy ignorance what that should be which they onely see which are a perishing And this part of Sueuia reacheth far within the country of Germanie the neerer that I may describe that part which lyeth by Danub as I haue done that which lyeth along the Rhene is the citie of the Hermunduri faithfull to the Romans and therefore of all the Germans trafficke not onely vpon the banke of Rhene but euen within the hart of the countrey and in the most famous colonie of the Prouince Rhaetia These goe all ouer without a guard and whereas we shew other nations somtimes our armes sometimes our campe to these we lay open our houses and villages as people not desiring them In the countrey of the Hermunduri the riuer Albis hath his beginning in times past a famous riuer and well knowen but now onely heard of Neere vnto the Hermundurians dwell the Narisci the Marcomani and Quadi The greatest renowne and strength that the Marcomans haue is in that they got their dwellings by valour and driuing out in times past the Boiens Neither do the Narisci and the Quadi degenerate And that is as it were the frontier of Germanie on that side which the Danube borders The Marcomani and the Quadi had euen vntill times of our memorie Kings of their owne nation of the noble stocke of the Marobodui and Tudri but now they suffer strangers which haue their strength and power by the authoritie of the Romans and seldome vse our armes but are often helpt with our money Neither are the Marsigni Gothini Osi Burij which are behinde the Marcomani and Quadi of lesser valour among which the Marsigni and Burij resemble the Sueuians in speech and attire The Gallican toong doth conuince the Gothinos and the Pannonicall the Osos not to be Germans and that they endure to paie tribute part of the tribute the Sarmates part the Quadi charge them with as strangers The Gothini the more to their shame dig for mines of iron and all these people inhabite small store of plaine ground but wood-landes and hill tops Sueuia is deuided by a continuall ridge of hils beyond which dwell many nations amongst which the name of the Lygians is farthest spread into many cities It will suffice to reckon the strongest as the Arios Helueconas Maninos Elysios Naharualos Among the Naharualians there is a wood long agone consecrated to religion ouer which a Priest apparelled in womans attire is superintendent but the Romans interpret them to be the goddes Castor and Pollux The name of the god is Alcis Images there are none nor signe of strange superstition yet they are reuerenced as brothers and two yong men But the Arij besides their strength wherein they go beyond the other people I haue made mention of fell and cruell do set forth their naturall fiercenes with arte time for they vse black targets and die their bodies with the same colour and choose the darkest nights to fight in striking a terror with the shadow of so deadly an armie into the enemies none of them able to indure so strange and as it were hellish sight the eyes being first ouercome in all battels Beyond the Lygians the Gothones liue vnder Kings in a more seuere gouernment then the other people of Germanie and not in full libertie Then from the Ocean follow the Rugij Lemouij all of them bearing for their marke round bucklers and short swords and liuing vnder the subiection of Kings After those are the cities of the Suionians scituated in the Ocean besides men and armor strong in shipping which in making differ from other vessels in that both ends are fore-parts readie to land at each end without saile or oares in a ranke in the sides but the mariners are at libertie readie to change hither and thither as occasion serueth as in some other riuers Those people esteeme of riches and therefore one hath amongst them absolute rule and gouernmēt and not at the will of the subiect They are not all licensed to weare weapons as in other parts of Germanie but their weapons are shut vp vnder a keeper and that a slaue because the enemie can make no sudden incursion against them by reason of the Ocean If the souldiers be idle and at rest they easily grow insolent and in deede it is not for the Kings profit to commit the charge of armor to noblemen or free borne or freed men Beyond the Suionas there is another sea so slow and almost immoueable that many thinke it to be the bounds which compasse in the whole worlde because that the Sunne continueth so cleare and bright from his setting till the rising that it darkneth the starres And some are further perswaded that the sound of him is hard as he riseth out of the sea and many shapes of gods seene and the beames of his head So farre the fame is true and that there was the end of nature and the world Now on the right shore of the Sweuian sea the Aestyans inhabit whose maner of life is like the Sweuians but their language more like the Britains language They adore the mother of the goddes for a skutchion of
yet continuing for which although great preparation was made for the sommer following yet he by a sudden incursion made on the Chatti did anticipate it in the beginning of the spring For a rumor bred a hope that the enimies were banded into factions some fauoring Arminius and others Segestes the one most loyall and the other most disloyall vnto vs. Arminius disquieted Germanie Segestes discouered often to Varus but especially in the last banket after which armes were taken a rebellion intended and counselled him to cast himselfe Arminius and the chiefest of the conspirators into prison the people not daring any attempt the ringleaders being taken away and that he should haue time thereby to sift out the offenders from the innocent But Varus by destinie and Arminius violence died And although Segestes was by common consent drawen to the war yet he shewed himselfe very backward by his priuate grudge against Arminius increasing more and more bicause he had taken away by force his daughter betrothed to another Thus then the sonne in lawe being odious to the father the fathers in lawe at vtter defiance betwixt themselues that which should serue for a bond of friendship among friends serued here for a prouocation of wrath and malice Whereupon Germanicus committed fower legions to Cecinaes charge fiue thousand auxiliaries and certaine Germain bands leuied in haste inhabiting the hither side of Rhene Himselfe conducted the like number of legions with twise as many confederates and hauing builded a fort on the hill Taunus where his father before him had appointed a garrison led his armie without encombrance against the Chatti leauing L. Apronius behinde him to mend and make sure the passages by land and riuers for by reason of a drought and lownesse of the waters a thing seldome seene in that countrie they had marched a good way without danger but feared raine and rising of the water at his returne But his comming was so sudden vpon the Chatti that the weaker sort by age or sexe were presently either taken or slaine the yoong men swam ouer the riuer Adrana and draue backe the Romans which began a bridge But at last driuen away themselues with shot of arrowes and other engins entreating in vaine of conditions of peace some fled to Germanicus the rest abandoning their villages and houses dispersed themselues in the woods Germanicus hauing burned Mattium the capitall citie of the countrey returned toward the Rhene the enimie not daring to set on him as he retired as his manner is when he gaue grounde rather vpon policie then feare The Cherusci woulde willingly haue succoured the Chatti but Caecinaes armie fleeting from place to place kept them in awe and ouerthrew the Marsi which ventured to ioine battell with him Shortly after embassadors came from Segestes to craue aid against the violence of his countriemen which had besieged him Arminius bearing greater sway bicause he incited them to warre For among barbarous people the more audacious a man sheweth himselfe the more loiall he is reputed and the fittest instrument in troubled times Segestes ioined his sonne Sigismond to these embassadors but being touched in conscience was vnwillingly drawn to it bicause that when the Germans rebelled being priested at the altar of the Vbians he brake his head-bande which was the marke of his calling and fled to the rebels Yet trusting in the Romans clemencie fulfilled his fathers commandement and being courteously receiued was conueied with a garde to the shores of Gallia After this Germanicus thought it conuenient to conuert his power against those which besieged Segestes whom he deliuered with a great number of his kindred and followers Among whom there were many noble dames and Segestes daughter Arminius wife affecting rather hir husband than father and being taken not once falling a teare nor crauing fauor ioining hir hands on hir breast looked down vpon hir great belly The spoiles of Varus ouerthrowe were at the same time brought in and distributed as a bootie to the greatest part of such as had yeelded themselues with Segestes Who with a comely maiestie and bolde courage and loyaltie to the Romans began a speech in this maner This is not the first day that the people of Rome hath had experience of my constancie and loyaltie for since Augustus of famous memorie gaue me the priuileges of a citizen of Rome I made choise of such friends or enimies as might stand you in stead not for any hatred to my countrie for traitors are odious euen to those whose instruments they be but bicause I iudged it profitable alike to the Romans and Germans and preferred peace before war for this cause I accused Arminius rauisher of my daughter and infringer of the league concluded with you before Varus the generall But when I was by the slacknes of the generall deferred to a farther day of hearing hauing small hope of support in lawes I besought him earnestly that he would commit me Arminius and the rest of the conspirators to straight custodie I call to witnes that night which if it had pleased the gods I would it had been my last in which those things ensued which deserue rather to be bewailed than maintained In fine I laide irons on Arminius and suffered the same in my selfe by his faction But seeing you haue vouchsafed me your presence I prefer old quietnes before new garboiles not hoping for any reward thereby but onely to excuse my selfe from disloyaltie and to serue for a conuenient meanes of reconciliation for the German nation if they will rather repent than perish For my sonnes youth and error I craue pardon my daughter I confesse was drawen hither by force It resteth in you to determine whether it ought to be of greater force to be with childe by Arminius or be begotten by me Caesar with a milde answere promised his children his kindred safetie and himselfe his ancient seate in the prouince This done he bringeth backe his armie and with Tiberius liking tooke vpon him the name of Emperor Arminius wife was deliuered of a sonne which was brought vp at Rauenna of whom we will speake more hereafter and how he serued for fortunes scorne XIII Arminius stirreth the Germans to warre seeketh reuenge What danger Caecina vvas in Germanicus burieth the legions vvhich vvere slaine vvith Varus THe newes being spred of Segestes yeelding and gentle vsage as mens mindes were affected to peace or warre so they were mooued with hope or griefe Arminius being fierce of his owne disposition vnderstanding that his wife was taken prisoner and the fruite of hir wombe a bonde slaue became as it were mad and raunging the Cheruscians countrey craued for succour against Segestes and Caesar not being able to containe for outragious speeches saieng That that must needes be a braue father a mightie Emperor a woorthie armie that coulde with so much helpe carrie awaie one sillie woman He had defeated three legions and so many lieutenants not by treason nor against women great with