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A31706 The commentaries of C. Julius Cæsar of his warres in Gallia, and the civil warres betwixt him and Pompey / translated into English with many excellent and judicious observations thereupon ; as also The art of our modern training, or, Tactick practise, by Clement Edmonds Esquire, ... ; where unto is adjoyned the eighth commentary of the warres in Gallia, with some short observations upon it ; together with the life of Cæsar, and an account of his medalls ; revised, corrected, and enlarged.; De bello civili. English Caesar, Julius.; Edmondes, Clement, Sir, 1566 or 7-1622. Observations upon Caesars commentaries of the civil warres.; Hirtius, Aulus. De bello Gallico. Liber 8. English.; Edmondes, Clement, Sir, 1566 or 7-1622. Manner of our modern training or tactick practise.; Caesar, Julius. De bello Gallico. English. 1655 (1655) Wing C199; ESTC R17666 660,153 403

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thus commanded at sometimes to turn his face to the right or left hand or about the Battallion standing in order that is according to the distance before named so the whole Battallion being reduced into their close order is commanded to turn as one body to the right or left hand It is performed thus Imagine the Battallion stand first in order it shall be commanded that they close their files to the right hand when the right file standing still the rest turning their faces to the right hand march into their close order and return as they were next that they close their ranks from behind when every follower marcheth forward to his leader unto his rapiers point as is said before This done the leader of the right file standing immoveable all the rest as the body of a ship or a great gate turn about that leader as about the hinge or center every one keeping the same distance and order wherein they were first placed as if they were but one entire body When the same Battallion is to be restored into the same station wherein it was first it is commanded Faces about to the left hand and march into your order from whence you were closed Then let your leaders or first ranks stand still and the rest turning faces about march ranks in order as before then turn as you were and you are restored When the whole Battallion being in their close order should turn about and make the Rere the Front it is done by a double turning or declination and commanded to wheel about which is answerable to the former faces about or mutation There is also another wheeling in this sort when the front changeth the aspect thrice for as wheeling about maketh the Front the Rere so this wheeleth from the right hand to the left or contrariwise which fashion is so seldome used that we scarce afford it a name In all such motions and alterations it is most fit that all men perform their directions with their pikes advanced being in that sort most easie to be commanded as also lesse troublesome to their followers and leaders Countermarching Files and Ranks THere is also another means to prevent the enemy his assaulting us in the rere or flank lest he should find our worst men least able to make resistance and this is performed by countermarching both files and ranks three divers wayes apiece The first was used by the Macedonians after this fashion First the leader turneth his face about towards the right or left hand and so the next follower marching behind his leader turneth also and so the third and fourth untill the bringer up have carried himself out into a new place in the rere further from the enemy as he was before next unto him But this neither was nor is accounted safe or secure because it doth somewhat resemble a flying or running away from the enemy which might give him no small incouragement and therefore it is not much in practise Only at some times the bringers up marching throughout beyond the leaders untill they possesse the same space before them which they did behind them all turning their faces about make their leaders to affront the enemy who were before farthest from them The Lacedamonians used the contrary as it were pursuing the enemy the bringer up first being turned face about and so the next marching before him and so the third untill the leader himself became also turned and in the foremost front unto the enemy Which with us is somewhat otherwise but yet both affronting and as it were pursuing the enemy because our leaders first begin this motion and so countermarching through on the right or left hand become in the front in a new space of ground who were before in the rere The third and last was invented by the Persians whom when the place or near approch of the enemy would not suffer to change their ground they were wont to countermarch the front to the right or left hand and being come unto the depth of the bringers up to stand still untill the other half file had likewise marched forth and fallen upon their leaders in every file In all these it is especially commanded to march still in the same distance and by whole ranks to prevent confusion which especially the enemy at hand must needs be most dangerous and therefore carefully to be avoided In like sort the ranks may countermarch when either the right wing would be strengthened by the left or the left by the right alwayes marching by whole files towards the right or left hand according as they shall have the direction either changing the ground or upon the same ground as in the former countermarches There is used also another kind of strengthening both the front and flank when occasion shall be offered viz by doubling either files or ranks And this either by doubling the number of souldiers in the same files or ranks keeping still the same breadth and depth of ground or else by doubling the ground keeping the same number of souldiers The files are doubled when the second file shall insert it self into the first the leader thereof putting himself a follower unto the leader of the first and the next follower follower to the next in the first file and so forwards And likewise the fourth file inserting it self into the third and the sixth into the fifth And this is to be performed when the Battallion standeth in his order To double the place or depth is when the same number of men shall put themselves out of their order into their open order either by advancing forward or by falling backwards as they shall be commanded The ranks are doubled two manner of wayes either by inserting the second into the first to the right or left hand as before in the files or else the enemy being at hand by joyning whole troups together to the right or left wing according as occasion shall be offered and this is held to be the safest when the enemy is near to avoid confusion It is performed either in the same ground or by doubling the ground when either we desire to exceed the front of our enemy his battallion or to prevent lest we our selves be included The terms to both are Double your files or ranks to the right or left hand and when you would have them return again into their proper places it is commanded As you were The ordinary directions which are especially given in these martial exercises are first that no man in the time of exercising or marshalling shall be lowder then his Officer but every one attending to his place when he is commanded shall diligently hearken to such directions as shall be given The Captain in the front shall speak and the Sergeants in each flank shall give the word unto the Lieutenant or Ensigne
charge and to retreat with all which severall notes the souldier is so familiarly to be acquainted that so soon as he hears them beaten he may be ready sodainly to put them in execution as if he heard his Captain pronouncing as much The directions by word of mouth are infinite according to the different occasions which shall be offered yet alwayes with this caveat that they be short yet perspicuous without all ambiguity and plainly pronounced first by the Captain then derived by the Sergeants through the division or Battallion Though infinite yet the most usuall are these To your armes Keep your files keep your ranks Follow your leader Leaders look to your files Keep your distance Faces to your right hand Faces to your left hand Close your files Close your ranks Stand as you are As you were Faces about to the right hand Wheel about to the right or left hand Double your ranks Double your files Leaders countermarch through to the right or left hand Leaders countermarch to the right or left hand and stand Middlemen come forth and fall upon your leaders Besides many fit terms commanded in managing particular armes as pikes and muskets which are omitted And thus much touching the Tactick practise of our modern wars which I have the rather added in regard that diverse souldiers as unacquainted both with the manner and the value thereof do think a heap of people unmartialled to be as available for a great designe as any other number distinguished in files and parts and disposed for facile and easie motions according to the powerfull circumstances of time and place Wherein howsoever the practise of the Turk and the Hungarian may seem to give warrant to that opinion yet the use of Armes amongst the Graecians and the Romans whose conquering armies are pregnant witnesses of the excellency of their militarie discipline shall speak sufficiently for order and Tactick motion as most necessary parts in a well-ordered war FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 3. Salu●● de bello Jogur Suitzers M●tron● S●quara Curardum vi●in●s populis 〈…〉 in●●r 〈◊〉 ●opulos col 〈◊〉 Caesar * S●voyards The omission in the Helvetian expedition Caesar * Rome Caesar * So ne 〈◊〉 The manner of their watch Caesar Caesar 〈…〉 Places o● advantage in the Romane wars Their manner of victualling Caesar The manner of their imbattelling By triple● A●ies Lib. 1. de bello Civili Lib. 3. de bello Civili Lib. 5. de militia Romana A Phalanx d●●●ribed Caesar Speeches of incouragement before they gave battel Lib. 7. de bello Gallico The Roman Pile described Lib. ● de militia Romans Lib. 5. Salus● The Ensignes of the Romans The division of their day Caesar Langres Periculum 〈…〉 Caesar Caesar Caesar Tthe authority of the Roman Generals Liv. lib. 8. Lib. 3. de bello Civili Caesar Caesar le Doux Caesar Whether men have greater co●rage in their own or in a stra●gers Country Caesar Footmen intermingled amongst horsemen Lib. 6. Lib. 3. de ex●id Lib. 3. De bello Africano Caesar Caesar Caesar The use of lots Caesar Caesar a The countrey about B●auvois b The countrey about So●ssons c The people about Tournay d Arras e Amiens f Vermandois g Tervenne h Liege 308000. in all * La Disne Caesar A legion what it was Lib. 4. De vita Romuli Liv. lib. 22. Taci●us ● hist Velites Hastati Principes Triarii Lib. 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. de mil. Rom. The use of this division The distinction of their companies Manipuli Ordines Cohors Lib. 3. de re ●ust A legion ranged in battell The first order 3 De bello civili Prima cohor● The benefit of this discipline The benefit of small battalions and the disadvantage of great squadrons * Bray in the county of Re●ell To take a town by surprise A Testudo described Lib. 44. Lib. 4● The necessity of good discovery * Now England The order which is to be observed in discovery Slingers with their art and use Lib. ● Lib. 2. 〈◊〉 quest 〈◊〉 Caesar * No●on Caesar * Soyssons Agger or mount Towers or Turrets described Caesar The Bellovaci taken to mercy The Ambiani yield up themselves The Nervii * Sambre near Namur The manner of the Roman march The two respects which Caesar had in ordering a m●r●h 1 Safety 2 Conveniency Agmen quadratum * Lib. 8. de bel Gall. * 60. Epist Lib 6. Agmen longum Lib. 5. de bello Gall. The use that may be made of this in our modern wars Caesar The descript on of the Roman Camp with all the parts belonging unto it The lodging of the legions Quintana Principia The tents of the Tribunes The space between the tents and the rampier Contubernium The ditch and the rampier Agger Vallum Praetoria porta Portae Decumana Portae principales Laeva Dextra Castra Aestiva Hiberna The commodity of this incamping The ceremonies which they used in their preparation to battel Caesar And therefore I rather take it be something else then a word The place and offices of 〈◊〉 Primipile The Target described Lib. 16. cap. 40. Caesar Lib. de Militia Ju. Cae. * Either Doway or Bolda● in Brabant Caesar Circumvallatio In the seventh Commentary Aries or the Ram. Cales Aries simplex Aries composita To give notice of an Alarme by fire Lib. 25. The punishments which the Romans laid upon a conquered Nation Caesar Of this suppli●●tion I ●ill speak in the latter end of the fourth book Caesar Caesar The force of novelty turning the fortune of a battel Caesar * Savoyards * Le Perche * Cornoaille in Bretaigne 〈◊〉 * Vannes The weaknesse of our judgement in●eg●●rd of the knowledge of 〈…〉 The Authority of example Caesar * Lig●ris The grounds of that reverent opinion which is held of Embassadours Caesar Lendriguer Lisieux Nantes Auren be Le●●do●● Cities in Little Britain * Triers Caesar The causes of the ebbing and flowing of the sea Spring●ides The manner of their shipping Lib. 28. The manner of sea-sights Lib. 2. de bello civili Caesar The force of industry * La Perch● Caesar * Roane * Eureux The use which the Romans made of a counterfeit fear Lib. 5. Caesar * Evocati Evocati Lib. 7. de Bello Gall. Caesar Sertorius Two meanes to atchieve victory and to over-master our enemies Tuba 〈◊〉 by war and Naamah by the floud Not to forgoe an advantage The place where suspected forces are best bestowed in battel Caesar Lib. 3. Avertimen to secundo Lib. de bello Gallico Caesar * T●roane * Cl●ve and 〈◊〉 * Those of Zutphen * Of Hassia Caesar Caesar * Geldres and Cleve Salust Tacit. 1. Annal. Caesar * Liege * Co●o●ia Agrippina * Wael Vincitur haud gratis jugulo qui provocat hostem Liv. lib. 9. Liv. lib. 7. Caesar Caesar Csar Lib. de Machin Caesar Caesar Caesar * 〈…〉 Monstr●ul Caesar Ans●er to the first objection The answer to the second reason The
but all being triviall and imaginary we forbear further disquisition and passe to our observations upon his MEDALLS Observations upon CAESAR'S MEDALLS Vpon the first Medall THe effigies of Venus Genitrix with a globe or world before her without any inscription though Occo and Vrsinus mention one inscrib'd with L. BUCA the other side hath Venus giving Anchises a meeting near Mount Ida this it should seem Caesar caused to be done out of flattery to himself in that it served both to make his originall more illustrious and as a monument of that happinesse and good fortune which this Goddesse had procured him in all his enterprises For it was his ambition to have descended in a right line from Anchises and Venus by whose indulgence he had conquered the Universe as being his directrix in all his designes as is represented by the globe or world whereof this Goddesse was thought to be in some sort the Protectresse as being esteem'd the Sovereign Genius of Generation according to Solinus Tu foetibus auges Cuncta suis totus pariter tibi parturit orbis And her worship was questionlesse very ancient For it was the head of Venus Genitrix that the Saracens and Ishmaelites worshipped alledging that Abraham had by the means of it enjoy'd Hagar from whom proceeded a great generation as Enthymius Zigabenus in his table of the opinions of that Nation and the anonymous Greek Authour of the Saracen History have observed So have we here the same Goddesse accosting that great Heros to have issue by him The Genius destin'd to further the establishment of the Roman greatnesse hath a Scepter in his hand to signify the future Majesty of that Monarchy The second Medall L. SEPULIUS MACER Venus standing with a Victory in her right hand and a pike in the other being the otherside of that which bore the effigies of Caesar and the starre of this Goddesse Servius quoting an observation of Varro sayes upon the first of the Aeneids that when this Heros lest Troy looking up into the sky he presently perceives Venus in the day-time she shining then purposely to direct him to Laurentum the place for which the Destinies had design'd him The Aegyptians represented this starre by the figure of a most beautifull woman it being thought the brightest in the firmament whence it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pulcherrima being nam'd in the morning Phosphorus or Lucifer in the evening Vesper This starre therefore that was Aeneas's conductresse was no other then that midwife of the Light Venus being the same which the Saracens call Cubar or Kabar which word signifies great being also otherwise called Astarte Vrania or Coelestis by all which names is meant no other but this Genetrix under which epithet the Lacedemonians ador'd and invok'd her as an advancer of Generation The Romans in the Circensian games brought forth the statue of Caesar in pompe having the Planet Venus on his head Now this Vrania because of her procreative influence was held in particular devotion by the women as divers Medalls of the Empresses discover being commonly inscrib'd Veneri coelesti and having that Starre Gualterus furnishes us with an inscription of a certain priestesse of hers out of the ancient monuments of Sicily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diodotus Titieli filius Appeiraeus sororem suam Minyram Artemonis filiam Sacerdotem Veneris Coelestis She was also inscribed Venus Coelestis Augusta possibly in favour of some Empresse as also Invicta Coelestis The third Medall CAESAR DICT PERP. Caesar perpetuall Dictator A Venus Victrix naked holding an Helmet and a Buckler There is before her a Pillar upon which is plac'd an Eagle and behind a military Ensign The meaning is this We have Venus here naked with a Helmet in her hand to signify her victorious over Mars by her charming attractions as if that God had quite lost all courage delivering up his Armes and rendring himself her Prisoner Thus Menelaus casts away his pike sword and buckler having had but a glimpse of the delicate breast of the fair Hellen. But in this Medall Venus denotes that she had so fortunately assisted Caesar the minion of all her progeny in all his warlike enterprises that he had obtained absolute Victory over all his enemies whereof the Helmet Buckler and military Ensign being the marks Caesar had consecrated them to her in acknowledgement of her favours The Eagle pitched upon a pillar signifies that his Victories have assured him the Roman Empire which should be his eternally The Eagle denotes Empire and Royalty and presages and signifies absolute Victory It signifies also that the Empire shall be assur'd to him maugre all the force and opposition of the Galles and Germans or any other whatsoever whom he should despise as this bird doth thunder for that of all creatures it can ascend above the clouds where it can suffer no injury The fourth Medall GERMAN INDUTI III. A River lying by a mountain side pours out his water having a boat or bark near him This Medall seems to have been stampt purposely to exercise our divinations We conceive it should be read GERMANA INDUTIA and that the number three stands for nothing else but the year taking the word INDUTIA to signify a Colony of Germans disposed into that place by Caesar's order This name indeed is not found among the Geographers onely Pliny mentions a Town called INDUSTRIA situated along the Apennine upon the famous River of Po. Now there is a great conformity between the situation of this Town and this Medall and possibly it may be an erratum in Pliny and that it should be read INDUTIA instead of INDUSTRIA which is not so likely to be the name of a City For the three points III. they may signifie the year of the establishment of that Colony or of the foundation of the City There is another Medall hath four IIII. denoting the fourth year but it hath withall the devise of an Ox with his head stooping and his knee bent which posture implies the establishment and foundation of a City In this posture doth Nonnus describe the Oxe of Cadmus Upon both these Medalls there is a Venus Victrix on one side and what is before recited on the other whence it is inferr'd that the planting of this Colony happened after Caesar's most remarkable Victories against the Germans The fifth and sixth Medalls WE have these two Medalls from Goltzius whereof one in Greek hath a Tripod and two starres the inscription of the head the other side is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caesar Imperator Pontifex maximus Augur This Tripod of Apollo hath something in it more particular Apollo Augur or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is here design'd by one of the starres which accompanies that of Venus Genetrix or Coelestis shewes that Caesar was assisted in his charge of Augur and his study of Astrologie and presaging whereof the Lituus and
Philip's time though but the people of a particular City were honour'd with the charge of Neocori there being a Medall which hath on the one side the effigies of Bacchus crown'd with Vine-branches inscrib'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the reverse that of Philip thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In fine the inhabitants of Ilium obtained leave of Caesar to make some magnificence under the title of Neocori to honour him and the Iulian Family having erected in memory of his extraction from Anchises Aeneas and Iulus some Colossus representing the posture of Aeneas when he left Troy doing a signall act of Piety both toward the Gods and men having the Palladium in his hand and carrying the old man his Father in his right arme as women carry children the little Iulus marching before having his hat in one hand and asking his father the way with the other The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that this was the second time they had been honour'd with the quality and commission of being Neocori and that they had celebrated the solemn dayes with Panegyricks Pomps exercises and other magnificences befitting the grandeur of Caesar The Wives of Caesar HIs first wife was COSSUTIA whom he married in his youth but divorc'd her at the seventeenth year of his Age before he had lived with her though she was rich and descended of a family of the Roman Knights The second was CORNELIA the daughter of Cornelius Cinna one who had been four times Consul by whom he had onely one daughter named Iulia afterwards first wife to Pompey He took her death very heavily and publickly commended her in a most elegant funerall Oration The third was POMPEIA the daughter of Q. Pompeius who had gotten that evill report as if Publius Claudius had been somewhat too familiar with her which was the reason that Caesar divorc'd her The fourth and last was CALPHURNIA who out-lived him and was the daughter of Lucius Piso a woman of a generous spirit and well spoken and had that honour and affection for Caesar that after his death she her self made a most elegant funerall Oration to his honour and afterward retir'd to Mark Antony The Medall of the TRIUMVIRI THis Medall is of Copper small of the Greek fashion It represents the three effigies of Caesar Antonius and Lepidus done sidewayes one upon another on the same side without Inscription On the reverse it represents an Hermathena before which image there is an altar out of which issues a serpent that lifts it self above it behind there is a Legionary eagle time hath worn out the inscription to this half word APXIEP This figure represents Mercury and Minerva join'd in one statue that is to say the upper part is of that Goddesse arm'd with a Helmet Buckler and Iaveline the Lower part is a Terminus or Hermes For the interpretation of this devise This Hermathena comprehending in it the God Terminus with Minerva and Mercury denotes an excellent union as to affection interest and good understanding among the Triumviri aswell for the management and conduct of civile affairs as military Which being so the invention must needs be ingenious denoting that though their employments were severall yet there was such a concurrence between their Counsels and intentions as that they jump'd into the same resolution for to carry on the interest of the Common-wealth As for the Altar and Serpent they signifie certain sacrifices performed by that people for the welfare union and concord of those three powers as also either to obtain some Victory or to give thanks to the Gods for one received For a Serpent issuing from under a table was taken by Sylla to presage Victory as the Historian Sisenna observes upon Cicero lib. 1. de Divinatione See also Val. Maximus lib. 1. ch 6. and Plutarch in his Life 'T is therefore the Symbole of Health Victory and Felicity Of which opinion is also Theophrastus who giving the marks of a Superstitious man sayes that if he surprize a Serpent in any place he presently raises a chappell or an altar in that place as it were to thank the Gods for so good an adventure There may this further reason be given of this juncture in the Hermathena that as Minerva hath a dominion over wrastling as well as Mercury so were they also both equally patrons of Traffick and Merchandise We shall divert a little to speak of another kind of statues called Hermheracles consisting the lower part of Hermes the upper of Hercules Both these and the Hermathenas were placed in the places of publick exercises Mercury and Hercules implying strength and sleight The reason why Mercury was so often joyn'd with the other Gods was that he could conform to any and was one with all as Iamblichus affirmes Isque sayes he de Diis verae scientiae praesidium ac tutelam tenens unus extat idem in universis for which reason the Ancients dedicated all their works under his onely name Hercules was held in such veneration for the God and Genius of all Gymnick engagements that they came to be called angustiori vocabulo Herculea certamina He was the institutour of the Olympick Games wherein having had the honour to wrastle with Iupiter he was thought fit to be the patron of them whence Lycophron call's him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wrastler The second Medall M. ANTONIUS IMP. AUG IIIVIR R. P. C. Marcus Antonius Imperator Augur Triumvir Reipublicae constituendae A sacrificing vessel called praefericulum and the augurall stick called Lituus On the reverse there is L. PLANCUS IMP. COS. An urne between a thunderbolt and a Caduceus It is to be noted first that there is a vessell on either side of this Medall and therefore it is not enough to say that that on one side with the Lituus is the mark of an augurall dignity which Antonius obtained from his favourite L. Plancus being Consul but something must be said of this urne so honourably plac'd between a thunderbolt and a Caduceus on the other Appianus Alexandrinus in his book of the warres against the Parthians speaking of the design which Mark Antony had being at Athens to undertake the warre against them and to partake of the glory might follow the ruining of so great and powerfull a nation sayes that to satisfy the admonition of a certain Oracle he carried with him a vessell full of water taken out of the sacred fountain which was in that City called Clepsydra Et ut oraculo cuidam satisfaceret etiam è Clepsydra fonte vas repletum aqua secum asportavit This fountain Hesychius sayes was within the Cittadell of Athens Now this is the representation of that vessell and a monument of the transportation of that water by Mark Antony which must needs be of great concernment to him since he was advised to do it by the Oracle and specified the fountain As for the thunderbolt and Caduceus they signify that Mark Antony should in that expedition make a thundring and
for the bad beginning was not the beginning of a good but of an evil end And therefore that his men might foresee a happy end in a good beginning it behoved him with the best of his Army to assault the weakest part of the enemy The last form is called Gibbosa or gibbera Acies when the battell is advanced and the two cornets lag behind This form did Hannibal use in the battell of Cannae but with this Art that he strengthened his two cornets with the best of his souldiers and placed his weakest in the midst that the Romans following the retreat of the battell which was easily repelld might be inclosed on each side with the two cornets Chap. XX. The Battell between Caesar and Ariovistus THe sign of the battell being thereupon given our men charged upon the enemy very fiercely and they on the otherside returned so speedy a counterbuffe that the legions had no time to cast their piles and in that regard made hast to betake themselves to their swords But the Germans according to their manner putting themselves into a Phalanx received the force of their swords In the battell there were many legionary souldiers seen to leap upon the Phalanx and to pull up with their hands the targets that covered it and so to wound and kill those that were underneath and so the left Cornet of the enemy was overthrown and put to flight Now while the right Cornet was thus busied the left Cornet was overcharged with an unequall multitude of the Germans which young Crassus the Generall of the horse no sooner perceived having more scope and liberty then any of the Commanders that were in the battell but he sent tertiam Aciem the third battell to rescue and aid their fellows that were in danger by means whereof the fight was renewed and all the enemy was put to flight and never looked back untill they came to the Rhene which was about fifty miles from the place where they fought Where some few of them saved themselves by swimming others found some boats and so escaped Ariovistus lighting upon a little Bark tied to the shore recovered the other side and so saved himself the rest were all slain by the horsemen Ariovistus had two wives one a Swevian whom he brought with him from home and the other of Norica the sister of King Vocion sent unto him by her brother into Gallia and married there both these perished in that fight His two daughters likewise being there one was slain and the other taken As Caesar pursued the German horsemen it was his chance to light upon Valerius Procillus as he was drawn up and down by his Keepers bound in three chains which accident was as gratefull to him as the victory it self being so fortunate to recover his familiar friend and a man of sort in the Province whom the barbarous enemy contrary to the law of Nations had cast into prison Neither would Fortune by the losse of him abate any thing of so great pleasure and contentment for he reported that in his own presence they had three severall times cast lots whether he should be burned alive and that still he escaped by the fortune of the lots And M. Titius was found in like manner and brought unto him The same of this battell being carried beyond the Rhene the Swevians that were come to the banks of the Rhene returned home again whom the inhabitants neare upon that river pursued finding them terrified and distracted and slew a great number of them Caesar having thus ended two great warres in one Summer brought his Army into their wintering Campes somewhat sooner then the time of the year required and leaving Labienus to command them himself returned into the hither Gallia to keep Courts and publick Diets THE FIRST OBSERVATION THis Phalanx here mentioned can hardly be proved to be the right Macedonian Phalanx but we are rather to understand it to be so termed by reason of the close and compact imbattelling rather then in any other respect and it resembled much a testudo as I said of the Helvetian Phalanx Secondly I observe that Caesar kept the old rule concerning their discipline in fight for although the name of Triaries be not mentioned in his history yet he omitted not the substance which was to have primam secundam tertiam Aciem and that prima Acies should begin the battell and the second should come fresh and assist them or peradventure if the enemy were many and strong the first and second battell were joyned together and so charged upon the enemy with greater fury and violence but at all adventures the third battell was ever in subsidio as they termed it to succour any part that should be overcharged which was a thing of much consequence and of great wisdome For if we either respect the incouragement of the souldiers or the casualty of Fortune what could be more added to their discipline in this behalf then to have a second and a third succour to give strength to the fainting weaknesse of their men and to repair the disadvantage which any accident should cast upon them Or if their valour were equally ballanced and victory stood doubtfull which of the two parties she should honour these alwayes stept in being fresh against weary and over-laboured spirits and so drew victory in despight of casualty unto themselves THE SECOND OBSERVATION COncerning use of lots it shall not be amisse to look into the nature of them being in former times so generall that there was no Nation civil or barbarous but was directed in their greatest affairs by the sentence of lots As we may not refuse for an undoubted truth that which Salomon saith in the sixteenth of Proverbs The lots are cast into the lap but the direction thereof belongeth to the Lord through the knowledge whereof Josua was directed to take Achan the Marriners Jonas and the Apostles to consecrate Matthias So whether the heathen and barbarous people whose blindnesse in the way of truth could direct them no further then to senselesse superstition and put them in mind of a duty which they owed but could not tell them what it was nor how to be performed whether these I say were perswaded that there was any supernaturall power in their lotteries which directed the action to the decree of destiny and as the Gods would have it it remaineth doubtfull Aristotle the wisest of the heathen concerning things naturall nameth that event casuall or proceeding from Fortune of which the reason of man could assign no cause or as he saith which hath no cause So that whatsoever happened in any action besides the intent of the agent and workman was termed an effect of Fortune or chance of hab-nab For all other effects which depended upon a certainty and definite cause were necessarily produced and therefore could not be casuall or subject to the inconstancy of chance And because many and sundry such chances daily happened which like terrae filii
flight yet having some thirty horse which Comius of Arras had carried with him at his coming into Britany he imbattelled his legions before his Camp and so gave them battel The Enemy not being able to bear the assault of the Roman souldiers turned their backs and fled the Romans followed them as far as they could by running on foot and after a great slaughter with the burning of their towns far and near they returned to their Camp The same day the Britans sent messengers to Caesar to intreat for peace whom he commanded to double their number of hostages which he commanded to be carried into Gallia And forasmuch as the Aequinoctium was at hand he thought it not safe to put himself to the sea in winter with such weak shipping and therefore having got a convenient time he hoised sail a little after midnight and brought all his ships safe unto the Continent Two of these ships of burthen not being able to reach the same haven put in somewhat lower into the land the souldiers that were in them which were about three hundred being set on shore and marching towards their Camp the Morini with whom Caesar at his going into Britany had made peace in hope of a booty first with a few of their men stood about them commanding them upon pain of death to lay down their weapons and as the Romans by casting themselves into an Orbe began to make defence at the noise and clamour amongst them there were suddenly gathered together about six thousand of the Enemy Which thing being known Caesar sent out all the horsemen to relieve them In the meantime the Romans sustained the force of the Enemy and fought valiantly about the space of four hours and receiving themselves only some few wounds they slew many of the Enemy As soon as the Roman horsemen came in sight the Enemy cast away their weapons and fled and a great number of them fell by the horsemen OBSERVATION OF all the figures which the Tactici have chosen to make use of in military affairs the circle hath ever been taken for the fittest to be applyed in the defensive part as inclosing with an equall circuit on all parts whatsoever is contained within the circumference of that Area and therefore Geometry termeth a circumference a simple line forasmuch as if you alter the site of the parts and transport one arch into the place of another the figure notwithstanding will remain the same because of the equall bending of the line throughout the whole circumference Which property as it proveth an uniformity of strength in the whole circuit so that it cannot be said that this is the beginning or this is the end this is front or this is flank so doth that which Euclide doth demonstrate in the third of his Elements concerning the small affinity between a right line and a circle which being drawn to touch the circumference doth touch it but in a point only shew the greatnesse of this strength in regard of any other line by which it may be broken Which howsoever they seem as speculative qualities conceived rather by intellectuall discourse then manifested to sensible apprehension yet forasmuch as experience hath proved the strength of this figure in a defensive part above any other manner of imbattelling let us not neglect the knowledge of these naturall properties which discover the causes of this effect neither let us neglect this part of military knowledge being so strong a means to maintain valour and the sinew of all our ability for order correspondent to circumstances is the whole strength and power of an Army Neither ought there any action in a wel-ordered discipline to be irregular or void of order And therefore the Romans did neither eat nor sleep without the direction of the Consul or chief Commander otherwise their valour might rather have been termed fury then vertue but when their courage was ranged with order and disposed according to the occurrences of the time it never failed as long as the said order continued perfect It appeareth therefore how important it is for a Commander to look into the diversity of orders for imbattelling and to weigh the nature thereof that he may with knowledge apply them to the quality of any occasion The Romans termed this figure Orbis which signifieth a round body both with a concave and a convex surface in resemblance whereof I understand this Orbe of men imbattelled to be so named which might peradventure consist of five or more or fewer ranks inclosing one another after the nature of so many circles described about one Centre so that either the midst thereof remained void or otherwise contained such carriages and impediments as they had with them in their march This form of imbattelling was never used but in great extremity for as it was the safest of all other so it gave suspicion to the souldiers of exceeding danger which abated much of their heat in battel as will hereafter appear by the testimony of Caesar himself in the fifth Commentary upon the occasion which happened unto Sabinus and Cotta CHAP. XIIII THe next day Caesar sent Titus Labienus a Legate with those legions which he had brought out of Britany against the revolted Morini who having no place of refuge because their bogs and fens were dryed up where they had sheltred themselves the year before they all fell under the power of his mercy Q. Titurius and A. Cotta the Legates who had led the legions against the Menapii after they had wasted their fields cut up their corn burned their houses for the Menapii were all hid in thick woods returned to Caesar These things being thus ended Caesar placed the wintering Camps of all his legions amongst the Belgae to which place two only of all the Cities in Britany sent hostages unto him the rest neglecting it These wars being thus ended upon the relation of Caesars letters the Senate decreed a supplication for the space of twenty dayes OBSERVATION IN the end of the second Commentary we read of a supplication granted by the Senate for fifteen dayes which was never granted to any man before that time since the first building of the City but forasmuch as in this fourth year of the wars in Gallia it was augmented from fifteen unto twenty dayes I thought it fit to refer the handling thereof unto this place We are therefore to understand that whensoever a Roman Generall had carried himself well in the wars by gaining a victory or enlarging the bounds of their Empire that then the Senate did decree a supplication to the gods in the name of that Captain And this dignity was much sought after not only because it was a matter of great honour that in their names the Temples of their gods should be opened and their victories acknowledged with the concourse and gratulation of the Roman people but also because a supplication was commonly the forerunner of a triumph which was the greatest honour in the Roman
and raised of earth as the best defence against the fury of the artillery But forasmuch as the old manner of fortification is here in part delivered by Caesar give me leave to have a word or two touching the fortifications of these times And first touching the art it self in respect of the matter and the manner it is a member of architecture but the end is military for to fortify is nothing else but to make a building answerable to necessity and the occurrences of war Neither is it the end of fortification to make a place inexpugnable or unpossible to be taken for so it were Ars artium but to reduce it to a good and reasonable defence Wheresoever then any such defence is required the mystery of fortification is to raise such a fort and to apply such a figure answering the quality and site of that place as may give greatest strength thereunto for as all places are not capable in the disposition of their best strength of all sorts of figures so there is a difference of strength between this and that figure And as the place wanteth the advantage of motion and agility for its own defence so is it requisite it should be furnished with the best means and commodities both to annoy the enemy and to defend its own people And in that respect all circular forms as compounded of parts of one and the same nature are unfit for fortification for where a fort ought so to be disposed that it may have as many hands to strike as Briar●us and as a Hydra never to want a head it is necessary that the figure thereof be of different and unlike parts as apt to work divers effects For unlesse it be able to discover a far off to command the country about as far as the artillery will play to stop the passages to hinder approaches and assaults to damnify the enemy at hand and far off sometimes with the artillery sometimes with small shot sometimes with fire-works and other times by sallies it hath not that perfection as is requisite Admitting therefore composition of parts next unto the circle the triangular fortresse is most unperfect first in regard it is a figure of lesse capacity then any other of equall bounds which is a great inconvenience in a hold when the souldiers shall be pinn'd up for want of room and through the straightnesse of the place not to be able to avoid confusion Secondly the bulwarks of all such triangular fortresses have alwayes such sharp cantons as are easily subject to breaking which giveth the enemy means to approach them without disturbance from the fort The quadrangle fortresse hath almost the same imperfection of angles as the triangle hath but is more spacious within and of greater capacity And therefore Pentagons or Hexagons or any other that hath more angles is fittest for fortification understanding the place to be capable of them as being of a greater content and having their angles more obtuse and by consequence more solid and strong A plain champain level doth admit all sorts of figures and may take the best having these advantages it easily hindereth an enemy from approaching near unto it or incamping before it and is not subject to mines by reason of the water rising in such levels But on the other side a small troup will besiege it and battery may be laid to divers places of it it is alwayes subject to mounts of earth and needeth many bulwarks ●ditches and much cost to keep it A fortresse upon a hill hath these advantages an enemy can hardly lodge near unto it or lay battery against it it requireth more men to besiege it and is not subject to mounts The disadvantages are that it is not in our choice to make it in the best form of strength but must give it such a figure as may best fit the place being sometimes too large and spacious and sometimes too strait The enemies artillery hath greater force against it playing upward and the artillery of the fort playeth not so sure downward The hands of all forts are the bulwarks from whence the artillery playeth the supplements to the bulwarks are the ravelins the platforms the casmates and the cavaleros The walls are made in scarp canting inwards the better to bear the weight of the earth with this proportion that to every five foot and half or six foot in height there be one foot allowed in scarp The counterscarp is another wall outward to the first and stopeth inward in the same manner as the former And thus much touching the generall view of fortification which is as much as may well be comprehended in these short observations reserving the further consideration thereof to a particular treatise by it self CHAP. XII The siege of Avaricum continued THe siege being hindered by so many disturbances and the souldiers afflicted all the time with cold and continuall rain yet they overcame all these lets with continuall labour and in five and twenty dayes they raised a mount of three hundred and thirty foot in breadth and fourscore in height When it came almost to touch the wall Caesar himself attending the work as his custome was and encouraging the souldiers to omit no time from the same a little before the third watch of the night the mount was seen to smoak the enemy having set it on fire with a mine And at the same instant of time a shout being taken up by them that stood upon the wall they made a sally out at two gates on both sides the towers Some cast firebrands and dry matter from the wall unto the mount pouring pitch and other things to nourish the fire that no man knew whither to run first or where to give help Notwithstanding forasmuch as Caesar had appointed two legions by turn to watch before the camp and two other to follow the works it happened and that quickly that some were ready to confront the sallies and others to draw back the towers from the front of the mount and to cut the mount asunder the whole multitude coming out of the camp to quench the fire The rest of the night being now spent the fight continued every where and ever the enemy took new spirits and had hope of victory the rather because they saw the sheds or hovels belonging to the towers burnt and that the souldiers could not come near the said towers to manage them as was fitting without shelter and covert and that they ever sent fresh men to take the rooms of such as were weary and over-laboured supposing the safety of all Gallia to consist in that instant of time There happened our selves beholding it an accident worthy memory which I think not fit to omit A certain Gall before the gate of the town casting with his hands balls of tallow and pitch to increase the fire right over against the tower was shot through the right side
he propoundeth to the world as an absolute pattern both of military and civile vertue CHAP. XXIII The Romans continue the assault and are beaten off with losse THe contention was not indifferent to the Romans neither in place nor in number of combatants being wearied withall both with the long race which they had run and with the continuance of their fight whereby they did not so easily bear the enemy being whole and fresh Caesar seeing the fight to be in an unequall place and the enemy still to increase their forces fearing his people he sent to T. Sextius the legate whom he had left to command the lesser camp to bring out the cohorts speedily and to place them at the foot of the hill on the right side of the enemy to the end that if our men were forced to forsake their place yet the enemy might be terrified from following them over freely he himself removing a little out of that place where he stood with the legion attended the event of the battel And as they fought at hand very fiercely the enemy trusting in the place and in the multitude and our men in their valour the Hedui suddenly appeared on the open side of our men whom Caesar had sent up by another ascent on the right hand to keep off part of the enemy These by the likenesse of their armour did wonderfully astonish our men who although they saw their right arms shewed or put forth which was a sign of peace yet they doubted lest the enemy had used that policy to deceive them At the same instant L. Fabius the Centurion and those that climbed up upon the wall with him being slain were cast down from the wall again and M. Petreius a Centurion of the same legion as he was about to cut down the gates being oppressed with the multitude and despairing of his own life having received many wounds Forasmuch saith he to his souldiers that followed him as I cannot save my self and you too I will certainly provide for your safety whom I have brought into danger whilst I thirsted after honour You while you may shift for your selves And withall he brake through the thickest of the enemy and with the slaughter of a couple he removed the rest from the gate And as his souldiers went about to help him In vain saith he do you endeavour to save my life which bloud and strength have already forsaken and therefore get you hence while you have means and betake your selves to the legion and so fighting fell down dead but saved his men Our men being overcharge don all sides with the losse of six and fourty Centurions were beaten down from the place but the tenth legion which stood for a rescue in a more equall place hindred the Galles from following over eagerly And again the cohorts of the thirteenth legion which Sextius had brought out of the camp seconded that legion having got the advantage of the upper ground The legions assoon as they came into the plain stood still and turned head to the enemy Vercingetorix drew back his men from the foot of the hill and brought them into their camps That day few lesse then seven hundred souldiers were wanting OBSERVATIONS ANd this is the end of presumptuous rashnesse when men are become so pregnant as to take upon them more then is required But as they say of fair weather that it is pity it should do hurt so is it great pity that valour and resolution should prove disadvantageous For this over-doing of a service is but the spirit of valiant carriage and the very motion of prowesse and courage memorable in the offenders themselves as we may see by this particular report of Fabius and Petreius and much to be pitied that vertue should at any time be overquelled with a greater strength At this service the Romans stood in these terms they were overmatched in number they had spent their strength in speedy running to the place which in it self was not favourable unto them but almost as great an enemy as the Galls only they trusted in their valour and thought by vertue to clear all difficulties The Galles had the favour of the place a far greater number of fighting men they came fresh to the battel and were alwaies seconded with fresh supplies Caesar seeing the two armies ingaged one with another could neither part them nor recall his souldiers but set such forces as were free in such convenient places as might rescue his people in the retreat and keep the Galles from following the chase or making any great slaughter of the Roman souldier Whereby it happened that in so great an inequality where there were so many swords drawn to make way to death there were not seven hundred men lost of the Roman army And yet it happened to be the greatest losse that ever he received in those wars in his own presence when the issue of the conflict gave the enemy the better of the day CHAP. XXIIII Caesar rebuketh the rashnesse of his souldiers and maketh light but successfull skirmishes upon the enemy CAesar the next day calling the army before him rebuked the temerity and cupidity of the souldiers forasmuch as they had took upon them to judge how far they were to go or what they were to do neither would they stay upon the sounding of a retreat nor hearken to the Tribunes nor the Legates that would have kept them back He laid open unto them how avai●eable the inequality of the place was and what he himself thought of it when at Avaricum he took the enemy without a Generall and without cavalry yet did forgo a most assured victory lest in the buckling he might have received a small losse through the inequitie of the place How admirable was the greatnesse of their spirit whom neither the fortifications of the camps the height of the hill nor the wall of the town could stop or hinder Wherein he blamed their licentious arrogancy the more forasmuch as they had took upon them to judge better of the victory and the successe of that service then the Generall himself neither did he so much desire to find courage and vertue in his souldiers as modesty and sobriety This speech being delivered and in the end confirming their minds that they might not be discouraged at the matter nor attribute that to the worth of the enemy which indeed was in the nature of the place keeping his former purpose of departure he brought the legions out of the camp imbattelled them in a convenient place and finding that Vercingetorix would not be drawn into an indifferent place after a light skirmish of horse wherein the Romans had the better he caried his armie back again into the camp and doing the like the next day thinking it sufficient to abate the pride of the Galles and to strengthen the courage of his souldiers he removed his camp into the State of the Hedui the enemy refusing to make after him OBSERVATIONS