FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120  
121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   >>   >|  
ns were taught the error of their conduct at the expense of a terrible slaughter. Twice defeated, they had recourse once more to submission. Caesar, who found the winter approaching, provisions scarce, and his fleet not fit to contend with that rough and tempestuous sea in a winter voyage, hearkened to their proposals, exacting double the number of the former hostages. He then set sail with his whole army. In this first expedition into Britain, Caesar did not make, nor indeed could he expect, any considerable advantage. He acquired a knowledge of the sea-coast, and of the country contiguous to it; and he became acquainted with the force, the manner of fighting, and the military character of the people. To compass these purposes he did not think a part of the summer ill-bestowed. But early in the next he prepared to make a more effective use of the experience he had gained. He embarked again at the same port, but with a more numerous army. The Britons, on their part, had prepared more regularly for their defence in this than the former year. Several of those states which were nearest and most exposed to the danger had, during Caesar's absence, combined for their common safety, and chosen Cassibelan, a chief of power and reputation, for the leader of their union. They seemed resolved to dispute the landing of the Romans with their former intrepidity. But when they beheld the sea covered, as far as the eye could reach, with the multitude of the enemy's ships, (for they were eight hundred sail,) they despaired of defending the coast, they retired into the woods' and fastnesses, and Caesar landed his army without opposition. The Britons now saw the necessity of altering their former method of war. They no longer, therefore, opposed the Romans in the open field; they formed frequent ambuscades; they divided themselves into light flying parties, and continually harassed the enemy on his march. This plan, though in their circumstances the most judicious, was attended with no great success. Caesar forced some of their strongest intrenchments, and then carried the war directly into the territories of Cassibelan. The only fordable passage which he could find over the Thames was defended by a row of palisadoes which lined the opposite bank; another row of sharpened stakes stood under water along the middle of the stream. Some remains of these works long subsisted, and were to be discerned in the river[6] down almost to the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120  
121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Caesar

 

prepared

 

Britons

 
Romans
 
winter
 

Cassibelan

 
altering
 

divided

 

necessity

 

ambuscades


longer
 

opposed

 

method

 

formed

 

frequent

 
retired
 

multitude

 

covered

 

beheld

 
dispute

landing

 
intrepidity
 

landed

 

opposition

 

fastnesses

 

hundred

 

despaired

 
defending
 

forced

 

stakes


sharpened

 

palisadoes

 

opposite

 

middle

 

stream

 

discerned

 

subsisted

 

remains

 

defended

 

Thames


circumstances

 

judicious

 

attended

 

parties

 

flying

 

continually

 
harassed
 

success

 

resolved

 

fordable