Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 2.djvu/217

 958 GALLIA TRANS. who, after livinfi: on the Menapii during the winter, had moved south into the territories of the Eburones and the Condrusi, who were dependents of the Tre* viri. The Germans had got as far south as Liege, when Caesar came towards them. He tells us his own story of the treacheroift dealing of the German! with him, bnt he also shows that be was quite a match for them in cunning. The Germans at last were fallen upon hj the Romans at the confluence of the Mosa and Rhenns (" ad conflnentem Mosae et Rbeni," as it is in Caesar's text, iv. 1 5), where thoee who escaped the Roman sword were drowned in the river. There is a great difference of opinion about the explanation of this campaign. But the writer still thinks that this river Mosa b the Mostly and that the Germans were beaten and drowned near Coblcnz, A little below Coblenz^ if this explanation is accepted, and between Coblenz and Andemach, Caesar buiK a wooden bridge on which he paseed over the Rhine to the German side {B. G, iv. 17), rather to make a display of Roman power than for any other purpoiies. He stayed eighteen days in Germany, and returning into Gallia destroyed his bridge (iv. 19). The re^t of the summer was oc- cupied with Caesars first expedition to Britain, the immediate motive for which, he says, was the in- formation that he had of aid being supplied from Britain to the Roman enemies in almost all the Gallic wars. (R G. iv. 20.) The fact may be true or not: he does not say that it was so. He has mentioned one occasion (R G. iii. 9) when the Ve- neti sent to Britain for aid; but he does not say that it came. Wliat he says (iv. 20) may be fiurly in • terpreted to apply to the wars of the Romans with the Galli before his time, as well as to his own time. Caesar remarks that " few pei'sona " went to Britain except " mercatores," and they were only acquainted with the coast and the parts which were opposite to Gallia. These " mercatores " tnay have been Ita- lians from tile Provincia, and also Galli. One would suppose that in those days nobody would go to Bri- tain except traders, bnt Caesar's expression of " few persons" is explained by other parts of his work. (J9. G. ii. 14.) Political refugees used to run away from Gallia to Britain. Caesar sailed from Portus Itius ( Wiasant), and landed about JOeal on the Kent coa-st On his return to the French coast the Mo- rini, whom he had left on good terms, could not resist the temptation uf plundering some 300 Romans, who had landed on a different part of tiie coast from the rest of the troops (iv. 37). But the Morini got nothing by their treachery; and they lost many of their men in the pursuit by the Roman cavalry. La> bienus also entered their country, and the Morini submitted ; for this autumn had been a dry season, and the Romans wera not stopped by the waters. The country of the Menapii, who lived on the Lower Rhine and the Lower Mosa, was mercilessly ravaged this autumn. The people hid themselves in their thickest forests, while the Romans waited their lauds, cut down the cors, and burnt the buildings. {B, G. iv. 38.) Caeasr placed all his men in winter quarters within the territory of the Belgae. Caesar prepared for his invasion of Britain in b. c. 54 by building a great number of ships in Gallia, but he had to get from Spain the materials for fitting them out {B. G, x, 1.) In this spring he visited the country of the Treviri, who were on the Rhine above and below CobUnz, and he settled the disputes between the two factions. These Gallic statea were continually distracted by quarrels among Uie chief GALLIA TBAKS poo^de. Caesar sailed on his second expedition la Britain from Portus Itius, and landed on the aame part of the Britbh coast as in hia first expedition. {B, G. V. 8—23.) On hb return he fmind tfaeat the harvest had failed in Gallia, which made it pecf i ii y for him to dbperse hb troops in winter qnarters (t. 24). He had various in-ays of keeping the GtiBi quiet. If he found a man who could be neefn] and was fit for the place, he would make him a fcii^, as in the case of Ta.sget, who was a man cf lii^ mik among the Gamut es, for his anoestore had held rcjal power. Caesar, finding Tasget useful, restored bin to his ancestral rank ; but in the third year of las reign he was mnrdered, and a great number of per- sons were implicated in the conspiracy. (A G. ▼. 25.) In this winter the Romans had a greal loss; a division of the army was cut off in the ooontij of the Eburones; and Q. Cicero, the brother of M. Cicero, had great difiiculty in defoiding hK camp againet the Nervii till Caesar came to hb aatstancCL {B, G. V. 38 — 52.) Caesar spent all thb winter in Gallia. Things were in too dbtuibed a state to let him leave. The Senones had a king, CaTarin, whoo Caesar had made them a present of. Ther were going to put their king to death by a determinalieB of the whole people, or the senate at least (pabUeo consilio); but the king, hearing of their deBgu, escaped to hb friend the prooonsnl. Caesar sum- moned the senate of the Simones, and the senate re- fused to come. In this winter the Treviri attacked tile camp of Labienns, who was on their borfen; but Inducioraar, the leader of the Treviri, was kiOed, and the assailants were defeated. {B, G, t. 58.) In B. c. 53, Caesar, expecting fresh troubles in Gallia, increased his forces. (J?. (?. tL 1.) AJter checking a rising of the Nervii, he summoned the states of Gatlb to assemble in the spring, as bis practice had been, and all came except the (^onotes, Senones, and Treviri. He does not mention the plai:e to which they were summoned ; but he moved the meeting to Lutetb Parisiomm {Pari$% in order to be nearer to the Senones, who soon submitted, and also the Carnutes. {B. G, vi. 4.) Hb prindpsl business now was with the Treviri and ALmbioris, king of the Eburones, who had cut off the Bomaa troops in the previous winter. The Menapii woe friends to Ambiorix, and tbey had been guilty of the insolence of never having sent ambassadors to Caesar. He entered their country with hb forces ia three divisions, burnt as usual all that he came near, and carried off many head of cattle and many pri- soners. (B. G. vi. 6.) This brought Uiem to terms; and the proconsul without delay set off to punish the Treviri, who bad got Ambiorix some friend among the Germans east of the Rhine. Before Caeisar came Labienus had defeated the Treviri; and on hb arrival Caesar built a second wooden bridge over the Rhine, a little above the place where lie built the first, and went a second time into Ger- mania. {B. G, vi. 9.) Thb second passage of the Rhine was not marked by any great event. The Ubii, a nation on the east bank, who will afterwards appear on the Gallic side, humbly submitted; and Caesar, finding that hb real enemies on the Gcaman side were the Suevi, made inquiries about them. They had retired with all their forces a long way, and planted themselves at the place where a forest of boundless extent commenced. There they were waiting for the Romans, who prudently turned their backs on the Suen and returned by theur bridge (vi 10). Being bent on taking Ambioria^ wlra had