Page:Tacitus; (IA tacituswilliam00donnrich).pdf/33

Rh open or secret peril immediately. His first act was nearly to exterminate the Ordovices. Yet prompt and sharp as this retaliation was, it was a two-edged weapon. It might intimidate or if might more deeply incense the Britons. The victory must be followed up. The next blow was stricken in the same quarter, and the little island of Mona (Anglesey), which Suetonius Paulinus had taken, but had been compelled by a rising of the eastern tribes to abandon, was again annexed to Roman Britain. This time, the natives made but a feeble defence of the sacred island, although the assailants laboured under the grave disadvantage of being without a fleet. "The skill and resolution of the general accomplished the passage. With some picked men of the auxiliaries, disencumbered of all baggage, who knew the shallows and had that national experience in swimming which enables the Britons to take care not only of themselves, but of their arms and horses, he delivered so unexpected an attack, that the astonished enemy, who were looking for a fleet, and an assault by sea, could not imagine anything would be formidable or invincible to such assailants."

Let the reader observe that Agricola's success was mainly owing to the skill of British auxiliaries in "swimming." It is an undesigned evidence that the tribes of Britain were employed by Roman generals against their own countrymen, just as native regiments in our Indian wars are employed as auxiliaries. The recovery of Mona immediately increased the fame and stamped the character of Agricola as an energetic soldier. Other proconsuls, if we may accept the statement of a panegyrist, had idled their time away "in vain display" and a round of ceremonies, whereas he