according　to　the　representations　of　seditious　men；　I　have　resolved
  to　say　a　few　words；　which；　as　the　war　is　at　an　end；　it　may　be　useful
  for　you　to　have　heard　rather　than　for　me　to　have　spoken。　Roman
  generals　and　Emperors　entered　your　territory；　as　they　did　the　rest
  of　Gaul；　with　no　ambitious　purposes；　but　at　the　solicitation　of　your
  ancestors；　who　were　wearied　to　the　last　extremity　by　intestine　strife；
  while　the　Germans；　whom　they　had　summoned　to　their　help；　had　imposed
  their　yoke　alike　on　friend　and　foe。　How　many　battles　we　have　fought
  against　the　Cimbri　and　Teutones；　at　the　cost　of　what　hardships　to
  our　armies；　and　with　what　result　we　have　waged　our　German　wars；　is
  perfectly　well　known。　It　was　not　to　defend　Italy　that　we　occupied
  the　borders　of　the　Rhine；　but　to　insure　that　no　second　Ariovistus
  should　seize　the　empire　of　Gaul。　Do　you　fancy　yourselves　to　be
  dearer　in　the　eyes　of　Civilis　and　the　Batavi　and　the　Transrhenane
  tribes；　than　your　fathers　and　grandfathers　were　to　their　ancestors？
  There　have　ever　been　the　same　causes　at　work　to　make　the　Germans　cross
  over　into　Gaul；　lust；　avarice；　and　the　longing　for　a　new　home；
  prompting　them　to　leave　their　own　marshes　and　deserts；　and　to
  possess　themselves　of　this　most　fertile　soil　and　of　you　its
  inhabitants。　Liberty；　indeed；　and　the　like　specious　names　are　their
  pretexts；　but　never　did　any　man　seek　to　enslave　his　fellows　and　secure
  dominion　for　himself；　without　using　the　very　same　words。
  〃Gaul　always　had　its　petty　kingdoms　and　intestine　wars；　till　you
  submitted　to　our　authority。　We；　though　so　often　provoked；　have　used
  the　right　of　conquest　to　burden　you　only　with　the　cost　of
  maintaining　peace。　For　the　tranquillity　of　nations　cannot　be　preserved
  without　armies；　armies　cannot　exist　without　pay；　pay　cannot　be
  furnished　without　tribute；　all　else　is　common　between　us。　You　often
  command　our　legions。　You　rule　these　and　other　provinces。　There　is　no
  privilege；　no　exclusion。　From　worthy　Emperors　you　derive　equal
  advantage；　though　you　dwell　so　far　away；　while　cruel　rulers　are　most
  formidable　to　their　neighbours。　Endure　the　passions　and　rapacity　of
  your　masters；　just　as　you　bear　barren　seasons　and　excessive　rains
  and　other　natural　evils。　There　will　be　vices　as　long　as　there　are　men。
  But　they　are　not　perpetual；　and　they　are　compensated　by　the　occurrence
  of　better　things。　Perhaps；　however；　you　expect　a　milder　rule　under
  Tutor　and　Classicus；　and　fancy　that　armies　to　repel　the　Germans　and
  the　Britons　will　be　furnished　by　less　tribute　than　you　now　pay。　Should
  the　Romans　be　driven　out　（which　God　forbid）　what　can　result　but　wars
  between　all　these　nations？　By　the　prosperity　and　order　of　eight
  hundred　years　has　this　fabric　of　empire　been　consolidated；　nor　can
  it　be　overthrown　without　destroying　those　who　overthrow　it。　Yours　will
  be　the　worst　peril；　for　you　have　gold　and　wealth；　and　these　are　the
  chief　incentives　to　war。　Give　therefore　your　love　and　respect　to　the
  cause　of　peace；　and　to　that　capital　in　which　we；　conquerors　and
  conquered；　claim　an　equal　right。　Let　the　lessons　of　fortune　in　both
  its　forms　teach　you　not　to　prefer　rebellion　and　ruin　to　submission　and
  safety。〃　With　words　to　this　effect　he　quieted　and　encouraged　his
  audience；　who　feared　harsher　treatment。
  The　territory　of　the　Treveri　was　occupied　by　the　victorious　army；
  when　Civilis　and　Classicus　sent　letters　to　Cerialis；　the　purport　of
  which　was　as　follows：　〃Vespasian；　though　the　news　is　suppressed；　is
  dead。　Rome　and　Italy　are　thoroughly　wasted　by　intestine　war。
  Mucianus　and　Domitian　are　mere　empty　and　powerless　names。　If
  Cerialis　wishes　for　the　empire　of　Gaul；　we　can　be　content　with　the
  boundaries　of　our　own　States。　If　he　prefers　to　fight；　we　do　not　refuse
  that　alternative。〃　Cerialis　sent　no　answer　to　Civilis　and　Classicus；
  but　despatched　the　bearer　and　the　letter　itself　to　Domitian。　The　enemy
  advanced　from　every　quarter　in　several　bodies。　Cerialis　was
  generally　censured　for　allowing　them　to　unite；　when　he　might　have
  destroyed　them　in　detail。　The　Roman　army　surrounded　their　camp　with
  a　fosse　and　rampart；　for　up　to　that　time　they　had　been　rash　enough
  to　occupy　it　without　any　defence。　Among　the　Germans　there　was　a
  conflict　of　opinions。
  Civilis　said：　〃We　must　await　the　arrival　of　the　Transrhenane　tribes；
  the　terror　of　whose　name　will　break　down　the　shattered　strength　of
  Rome。　As　for　the　Gauls；　what　are　they　but　the　prey　of　the　conqueror？
  And　yet　the　chief　strength　of　the　nation；　the　Belgae；　are　with　us；
  either　openly；　or　in　heart。〃　Tutor　maintained　that　the　power　of　Rome
  would　only　increase　with　delay；　as　her　armies　were　assembling　from　all
  quarters。　〃One　legion；〃　he　said；　〃has　already　been　brought　over　from
  Britain；　others　have　been　summoned　from　Spain；　or　are　advancing　from
  Italy。　Nor　are　these　troops　newly　raised　levies；　but　they　are
  veteran　soldiers；　experienced　in　war。　But　the　Germans；　whom　we　are
  expecting；　do　not　obey　orders；　and　cannot　be　controlled；　but　always
  act　according　to　their　own　caprice。　The　money　too　and　other　presents
  by　which　alone　they　can　be　bribed　are　more　plentiful　among　the　Romans；
  and　no　one　can　be　so　bent　on　fighting　as　not　to　prefer　repose　to
  peril；　when　the　profit　is　the　same。　But　if　we　at　once　meet　the　foe；
  Cerialis　has　no　legions　but　those　that　survive　from　the　wreck　of　the
  German　army；　and　these　are　bound　by　treaties　to　the　States　of　Gaul。
  And　the　very　fact　of　their　having；　contrary　to　their　expectations；
  lately　routed　the　undisciplined　force　of　Valentinus　will　confirm　in
  their　rashness　both　them　and　their　general。　They　will　venture　again；
  and　will　find　themselves　in　the　hands；　not　of　an　ignorant　stripling；
  whose　thoughts　were　of　speeches　and　harangues　rather　than　of　battle
  and　the　sword；　but　in　those　of　Civilis　and　Classicus；　whom　when　they
  once　behold　they　will　be　reminded　of　panic；　of　flight；　of　famine；
  and　of　the　many　times　when　as　captives　they　had　to　beg　for　life。　Nor
  are　the　Treveri　and　Lingones　bound　by　any　ties　of　affection；　once
  let　their　fear　cease；　and　they　will　resume　their　arms。〃　Classicus
  put　an　end　to　these　differences　of　opinion　by　giving　his　approval　to
  the　suggestions　of　Tutor；　which　were　at　once　acted　on。
  The　centre　was　the　post　assigned　to　the　Ubii　and　Lingones。　On　the
  right　were　the　Batavian　cohorts；　on　the　left　the　Bructeri　and　the
  Tencteri。　One　division　marching　over　the　hills；　another　passing
  between　the　highroad　and　the　river　Mosella；　made　the　attack　with
  such　suddenness；　that　Cerialis；　who　had　not　slept　in　the　camp；　was
  in　his　chamber　and　even　in　his　bed；　when　he　heard　at　the　same　moment
  that　the　battle　had　begun；　and　that　his　men　were　being　worsted。　He
  rebuked　the　alarm　of　the　messengers；　till　the　whole　extent　of　the
  disaster　became　visible；　and　he　saw　that　the　camp　of　the　legions　had
  been　forced；　that　the　cavalry　were　routed；　that　the　bridge　over　the
  Mosella；　which　connected　the　farther　bank　of　the　river　with　the
  Colony；　was　held　by　the　Germans。　Undismayed　by　the　confusion；　Cerialis
  held　back　the　fugitives　with　his　own　hand；　and　readily　exposing
  himself；　with　his　person　entirely　unprotected；　to　the　missiles　of
  the　enemy；　he　succeeded　by　a　daring　and　successful　effort；　with　the
  prompt　aid　of　his　bravest　soldiers；　in　recovering　the　bridge　and
  holding　it　with　a　picked　force。　Then　returning　to　the　camp；　he　saw　the
  broken　companies　of　the　legions；　which　had　been　captured　at　Bonna
  and　Novesium；　with　but　few　soldiers　round　the　standards；　and　the
  eagles　all　but　surrounded　by　the　foe。　Fired　with　indignation；　he
  exclaimed；　〃It　is　not　Flaccus　or　Vocula；　whom　you　are　thus　abandoning。
  There　is　no　treachery　here；　I　have　nothing　to　excuse　but　that　I　rashly
  believed　that　you；　forgetting　your　alliance　with　Gaul；　had　again
  recollected　your　allegiance　to　Rome。　I　shall　be　added　to　the　number　of
  the　Numisii　and　Herennii；　so　that　all　your　commanders　will　have　fallen
  by　the　hands　of　their　soldiers　or　of　the　enemy。　Go；　tell　Vespasian；
  or；　since　they　are　nearer；　Civilis　and　Classicus；　that　you　have
  deserted　your　general　on　the　battlefield。　Legions　will　come　who　will
  not　leave　me　unavenged　or　you　unpunished。〃
  All　this　was　true；　and　the　tribunes　and　prefects　heaped　on　their　men
  the　same　reproaches。　The　troops　formed　themselves　in　cohorts　and
  companies；　for　they　could　not　deploy　into　line；　as　the　enemy　were
  scattered　everywhere；　while　from　the　fact　that　the　battle　was　raging
  within　the　entrenchments；　they　were　themselves　hampered　with　their
  tents　and　baggage。　Tutor；　Classicus；　and　Civilis；　each　at　his　post；
  animated　the　combatants；　the　Gauls　they　urged　to　fight　for　freedom；
  the　Batavi　for　glory；　the　Germans　for　plunder。　Everything　seemed　in
  favour　of　the　enemy；　till　the　21