off　for　infamous　purposes。　This　caused　indignation；　and　the
  ringleaders　of　the　concerted　rebellion　prevailed　upon　the　people　to
  refuse　the　conscription。　Civilis　collected　at　one　of　the　sacred
  groves；　ostensibly　for　a　banquet；　the　chiefs　of　the　nation　and　the
  boldest　spirits　of　the　lower　class。　When　he　saw　them　warmed　with　the
  festivities　of　the　night；　he　began　by　speaking　of　the　renown　and　glory
  of　their　race；　and　then　counted　the　wrongs　and　the　oppressions　which
  they　endured；　and　all　the　other　evils　of　slavery。　〃There　is；〃　he　said；
  〃no　alliance；　as　once　there　was；　we　are　treated　as　slaves。　When　does
  even　a　legate　come　among　us；　though　he　come　only　with　a　burdensome
  retinue　and　in　all　the　haughtiness　of　power？　We　are　handed　over　to
  prefects　and　centurions；　and　when　they　are　glutted　with　our　spoils　and
  our　blood；　then　they　are　changed；　and　new　receptacles　for　plunder；　new
  terms　for　spoliation；　are　discovered。　Now　the　conscription　is　at　hand；
  tearing；　we　may　say；　for　ever　children　from　parents；　and　brothers　from
  brothers。　Never　has　the　power　of　Rome　been　more　depressed。　In　the
  winter　quarters　of　the　legions　there　is　nothing　but　property　to
  plunder　and　a　few　old　men。　Only　dare　to　look　up；　and　cease　to
  tremble　at　the　empty　names　of　legions。　For　we　have　a　vast　force　of
  horse　and　foot；　we　have　the　Germans　our　kinsmen；　we　have　Gaul　bent
  on　the　same　objects。　Even　to　the　Roman　people　this　war　will　not　be
  displeasing；　if　defeated；　we　shall　still　reckon　it　a　service　to
  Vespasian；　and　for　success　no　account　need　be　rendered。〃
  Having　been　listened　to　with　great　approval；　he　bound　the　whole
  assembly　with　barbarous　rites　and　the　national　forms　of　oath。　Envoys
  were　sent　to　the　Canninefates　to　urge　a　common　policy。　This　is　a　tribe
  which　inhabits　part　of　the　island；　and　closely　resembles　the　Batavians
  in　their　origin；　their　language；　and　their　courageous　character；　but
  is　inferior　in　numbers。　After　this　he　sent　messengers　to　tamper　with
  the　British　auxiliaries　and　with　the　Batavian　cohorts；　who；　as　I
  have　before　related；　had　been　sent　into　Germany；　and　were　then
  stationed　at　Mogontiacum。　Among　the　Canninefates　there　was　a　certain
  Brinno；　a　man　of　a　certain　stolid　bravery　and　of　distinguished
  birth。　His　father；　after　venturing　on　many　acts　of　hostility；　had
  scorned　with　impunity　the　ridiculous　expedition　of　Caligula。　His
  very　name；　the　name　of　a　family　of　rebels；　made　him　popular。　Raised
  aloft　on　a　shield　after　the　national　fashion；　and　balanced　on　the
  shoulders　of　the　bearers；　he　was　chosen　general。　Immediately　summoning
  to　arms　the　Frisii；　a　tribe　of　the　farther　bank　of　the　Rhine；　he
  assailed　by　sea　the　winter　quarters　of　two　cohorts；　which　was　the
  nearest　point　to　attack。　The　soldiers　had　not　anticipated　the
  assault　of　the　enemy；　even　had　they　done　so；　they　had　not　strength
  to　repulse　it。　Thus　the　camp　was　taken　and　plundered。　Then　the　enemy
  fell　upon　the　sutlers　and　Roman　traders；　who　were　wandering　about　in
  every　direction；　as　they　would　in　a　time　of　peace。　At　the　same　time
  they　were　on　the　point　of　destroying　the　forts；　but　the　prefects　of
  the　cohorts；　seeing　that　they　could　not　hold　them；　set　them　on　fire。
  The　standards；　the　colours；　and　what　soldiers　there　were；　concentrated
  themselves　in　the　upper　part　of　the　island　under　the　command　of
  Aquilius；　a　centurion　of　the　first　rank；　an　army　in　name　rather　than
  in　strength。　Vitellius　in　fact；　after　withdrawing　the　effective　troops
  from　the　cohorts；　had　loaded　with　arms　a　crowd　of　idlers　from　the
  neighbouring　villages　of　the　Nervii　and　the　Germans。
  Civilis；　thinking　that　he　must　proceed　by　craft；　actually　blamed　the
  prefects　for　having　deserted　the　forts；　saying　that　he　would
  himself；　with　the　cohort　under　his　command；　quell　the　disturbance
  among　the　Canninefates；　and　that　they　had　better　return　to　their
  respective　winter　quarters。　It　was　evident；　however；　that　there　was
  some　treacherous　design　beneath　this　advice；　that　the　cohorts　would　be
  dispersed　only　to　be　more　easily　crushed；　and　that　the　guiding　hand　in
  the　war　was　not　Brinno　but　Civilis；　for　indications　of　the　truth；
  which　the　Germans；　a　people　who　delight　in　war；　could　not　long
  conceal；　were　gradually　coming　to　light。　When　stratagem　proved
  ineffectual；　he　resorted　to　force；　arranging　in　distinct　columns　the
  Canninefates；　the　Batavians；　and　the　Frisii。　The　Roman　army　was
  drawn　up　to　meet　them　not　far　from　the　river　Rhine；　and　the　ships；
  which；　after　burning　the　forts；　they　had　stranded　at　that　point；
  were　arranged　so　as　to　front　the　enemy。　Before　the　struggle　had　lasted
  long；　a　cohort　of　Tungrians　carried　over　their　standards　to　Civilis。
  The　other　troops；　paralysed　by　the　unexpected　desertion；　were　cut　down
  alike　by　friends　and　foes。　In　the　fleet　there　was　the　same
  treachery。　Some　of　the　rowers　were　Batavians；　and　they　hindered　the
  operations　of　the　sailors　and　combatants　by　an　apparent　want　of　skill；
  then　they　began　to　back　water；　and　to　run　the　sterns　on　to　the　hostile
  shore。　At　last　they　killed　the　pilots　and　centurions；　unless　these
  were　willing　to　join　them。　The　end　was　that　the　whole　fleet　of　four
  and　twenty　vessels　either　deserted　or　was　taken。
  For　the　moment　this　was　a　brilliant　success；　and　it　had　its　use
  for　the　future。　They　possessed　themselves　of　some　arms　and　some
  vessels；　both　of　which　they　wanted；　while　they　became　very　famous
  throughout　Germany　as　the　champions　of　liberty。　The　tribes　of
  Germany　immediately　sent　envoys　with　offers　of　troops。　The
  co…operation　of　Gaul　Civilis　endeavoured　to　secure　by　politic
  liberality；　sending　back　to　their　respective　states　the　captured
  prefects　of　cohorts；　and　giving　permission　to　their　men　to　go　or
  stay　as　they　preferred。　He　offered　to　those　who　stayed　service　on
  honourable　terms；　to　those　who　departed　the　spoils　of　the　Roman
  army。　At　the　same　time　he　reminded　them　in　confidential
  conversations　of　the　wrongs　which　they　had　endured　for　so　many
  years；　while　they　falsely　gave　to　a　wretched　slavery　the　name　of
  peace。　〃The　Batavians；〃　he　said；　〃though　free　of　tribute；　have　yet
  taken　up　arms　against　our　common　masters。　In　the　first　conflict　the
  soldiers　of　Rome　have　been　routed　and　vanquished。　What　will　be　the
  result　if　Gaul　throws　off　the　yoke？　What　strength　is　there　yet　left　in
  Italy？　It　is　by　the　blood　of　the　provinces　that　the　provinces　are
  conquered。　Think　not　of　how　it　fared　with　the　armies　of　Vindex。　It　was
  by　Batavian　cavalry　that　the　Aedui　and　the　Arverni　were　trampled　down；
  and　among　the　auxiliaries　of　Verginius　there　were　found　Belgian
  troops。　To　those　who　will　estimate　the　matter　aright　it　is　evident
  that　Gaul　fell　by　her　own　strength。　But　now　all　are　on　the　same
  side；　and　we　have　whatever　remnant　of　military　vigour　still　flourished
  in　the　camps　of　Rome。　With　us　too　are　the　veteran　cohorts　to　which　the
  legions　of　Otho　lately　succumbed。　Let　Syria；　Asia　Minor；　and　the　East；
  habituated　as　it　is　to　despotism；　submit　to　slavery；　there　are　many
  yet　alive　in　Gaul　who　were　born　before　the　days　of　tribute。　It　was
  only　lately　indeed　that　Quintilius　Varus　was　slain；　and　slavery　driven
  out　of　Germany。　And　the　Emperor　who　was　challenged　by　that　war　was　not
  a　Vitellius；　but　a　Caesar　Augustus。　Freedom　is　a　gift　bestowed　by
  nature　even　on　the　dumb　animals。　Courage　is　the　peculiar　excellence　of
  man；　and　the　Gods　help　the　braver　side。　Let　us　then；　who　are　free　to
  act　and　vigorous；　fall　on　a　distracted　and　exhausted　enemy。　While　some
  are　supporting　Vespasian；　and　others　Vitellius；　opportunities　are
  opening　up　for　acting　against　both。〃
  Civilis；　bent　on　winning　Gaul　and　Germany　if　his　purposes　should
  prosper；　was　on　the　point　of　securing　supremacy　over　the　most　powerful
  and　most　wealthy　of　the　states。　His　first　attempts　Hordeonius
  Flaccus　had　encouraged　by　affecting　ignorance。　But　when　messengers
  came　hurrying　in　with　intelligence　that　a　camp　had　been　stormed；
  that　cohorts　had　been　cut　to　pieces；　and　that　the　Roman　power　had　been
  expelled　from　the　island　of　the　Batavians；　the　general　ordered　the
  legate；　Munius　Lupercus；　who　was　in　command　of　the　winter　quarters
  of　two　legions；　to　advance　against　the　enemy。　Lupercus　in　great
  haste　threw　across　the　Rhine　such　legionaries　as　were　on　the　spot；
  some　Ubian　troops　who　were　close　at　hand；　and　some　cavalry　of　the
  Treveri；　who　were　stationed　at　no　great　distance；　these　were
  accompanied　by　some　Batavian　horse；　who；　though　they　had　been　long
  disaffected；　yet　still　simulated　loyalty　in　order　that　by　betraying
  the　Romans　in　the　moment　of　actual　conflict　they　might　receive　a
  higher　price　for　their　desertion。　Civilis；　surrounding　himself　with
  the　standards　of　the　captured　cohorts；　to　keep　their　recent　honours
  before　the　eyes　of　his　o