Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/413

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 395 successful expeditions''. The consternation of the CHAP Y JV Ge»'mans, after the battle of Strasburgh, encouraged ' him to the first attempt ; and the reluctance of the troops soon yielded to the persuasive eloquence of a leader who shared the fatigues and dangers which he imposed on the meanest of the soldiers. The villages on either side of the Meyn, which were plentifully stored with corn and cattle, felt the ravages of an in- vading army. The principal houses, constructed whh some imitation of Roman elegance, were consumed by the flames ; and the Caesar boldly advanced about ten miles, till his progress was stopped by a dark and im- penetrable forest, undermined by subterraneous pas- sages, which threatened, with secret snares and am- bush, every step of the assailant. The ground was already covered with snow ; and Julian, after repairing an ancient castle which had been erected by Trajan, granted a truce of ten months to the submissive bar- barians. At the expiration of the truce, Julian under- took a second expedition beyond the Rhine, to humble the pride of Surmar and Ilortaire, two of the kings of the Alemanni, who had been present at the battle of Strasburgh. They promised to I'estore all the Roman captives who yet remained alive; and as the Caesar had procured an exact account from the cities and villages of Gaul, of the inhabitants whom they had lost, he detected every attempt to deceive him with a degree of readiness and accuracy, which almost established the belief of his supernatural knowledge. His third ex- pedition was still more splendid and important than the two former. The Germans had collected their military powers, and moved along the opposite banks of the river, with a design of destroying the bridge, and of preventing the passage of the Romans. But this judi- cious plan of defence was disconcerted by a skilful di- version. Three hundred light armed and active sol- diers were detached in forty small boats, to fall down n See Ammian. xvii. I. 10. xviii. 2, and Zosim. 1. iii. p. 144 ; Julian ad S. P. Q. Aihen. p. 280.