Even our wounds do not make Caesar consider that he commands
perishable bodies, and that we are but mortal towards endurance and
pain; and the winter season and the storms of the sea even a god
cannot command; but this man runs all risks, as if he were not
pursuing his enemies, but flying from them." With such words as these
they marched slowly towards Brundisium. But when they found that Caesar
had embarked, then quickly changing their temper, they reproached
themselves as traitors to their Imperator; and they abused their
officers also for not hastening the march. Sitting on the heights,
they looked towards the sea and towards Epirus for the ships which
were to carry them over to their commander.
XXXVIII. At Apollonia, as Caesar had not a force sufficient to oppose
the enemy, and the delay of the troops from Italy put him in
perplexity and much uneasiness, he formed a desperate design, without
communicating it to any one, to embark in a twelve-oared boat and go
over to Brundisium, though the sea was commanded by so many ships of
the enemy.[533] Accordingly, disguising himself in a slave's dress, he
went on board by night, and throwing himself down as a person of no
importance, he lay quiet. While the river Anius[534] was carrying down
the boat towards the sea, the morning breeze, which at that time
generally made the water smooth at the outlet of the river by driving
the waves before it, was beaten down by a strong wind which blew all
night over the sea; and the river, chafing at the swell of the sea and
the opposition of the waves, was becoming rough, being driven back by
the huge blows and violent eddies, so that it was impossible for the
master of the boat to make head against it; on which he ordered the
men to change about, intending to turn the boat round.
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