The courage of Ariovistus was somewhat
broken by the bare approach of the Romans; for as he had supposed that
the Romans would not stand the attack of the Germans, and he never
expected that they would turn assailants, he was amazed at Caesar's
daring and he also saw that his own army was disturbed. The spirit of
the Germans was still more blunted by the predictions of their wise
women, who observing the eddies in the rivers and drawing signs from
the whirlings and noise of the waters, foreboded the future and
declared that the army ought not to fight before it was new moon.
Caesar hearing of this and perceiving that the Germans were inactive,
thought it a good opportunity for engaging with them, while they were
out of spirits instead of sitting still and waiting for their time. By
attacking their fortifications and the hills on which they were
encamped, he irritated the Germans and provoked them to come down in
passion and fight. The Germans were completely routed and pursued to
the Rhenus a distance of four hundred stadia, and the whole of this
space was strewed with dead bodies and arms. Ariovistus with a few
escaped across the river. The dead are said to have been eighty
thousand in number.
XX. After these exploits he left his forces among the Sequani[488] to
winter, and with the view of attending to what was going on at Rome,
came down to Gaul about the Padus, which was a part of his province;
for the river Rubico separates the rest of Italy from Gaul beneath the
Alps.
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