owed even there by his relentless
rival. At first he made a gallant effort to defend himself, and
partially succeeded. But convinced of the hopelessness of his
position, and assured of the suicide of his mistress, he followed the
example which he was falsely informed she had given (30 B.C.). Antony
had been married in succession to Fadia, Antonia, Fulvia, and Octavia,
and left behind him a number of children. A short but vivid sketch of
Antony is given by De Quincey in his "Essay on the Caesars."

HERMANN

(16 B.C.-21 A.D.)

[Illustration: Hermann.]

Hermann, the Arminius of the Roman historians, the son of Sigimer,
chief of the Cherusci, was born about B.C. 16 or 17. Being sent in
early youth as a hostage to Rome, probably in consequence of the
victories of Drusus, which had established the supremacy of Rome over
the Catti, Cherusci, and other tribes of North Germany, he obtained
the favor of Augustus, and was inscribed among the Roman knights. On
his return to his native country, he resolved to deliver it from the
Romans, whose oppression had become intolerable. Quintilius Varus, a
rapacious man, was then the Roman governor in Germany. He had held
office in Syria, where he had ruled with great harshness; and fancying
that he might act in the same way toward the fierce tribes of the
North, he roused among them a bitter hatred of the Romans.

[Illustration: Hermann's triumph over the Romans.]

They found in Hermann a leader of extraordinary bravery and resource.
He laid his plans with the chiefs of the Catti, Bructeri, and other
tribes that lived between the Rhine and the Albis (Elbe), some of
which broke out into insurrection. Hermann then offered Varus his
assistance in reducing them to subjection, and thus led him to advance
some distance from the Rhine into the interior. Varus began his march
with three legions, six cohorts, and a body of cavalry, and Hermann
served him as a guide through the wilds. The Romans were thus drawn
into an ambuscade in the Teutoburg forest, and found themselves all at
once surrounded by numerous bodies of Germans, who were directed by
Hermann himself. The Romans fought desperately; but being
unacquainted with the localities, and unable to form their ranks owing
to the thickness of the forests and the marshy nature of the ground,
they were defeated after a three days' battle, by the Germans, who
destroyed them in detail. At last, Varus, being wounded and seeing no
chance of