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them in a close body. During this action, fortune gave Nennius an
opportunity of encountering Caesar. Nennius therefore boldly made up
to him, and was in great joy that he could but give so much as one blow
to so great a man. On the other hand, Caesar being aware of his design,
stretched out his shield to receive him, and with all his might struck him
upon the helmet with his drawn sword, which he lifted up again with an
intention to finish his first blow, and make it mortal; but Nennius
carefully prevented him with his shield, upon which CaesarÕs sword
glancing with great force from the helmet, became so firmly fastened
therein, that when by the intervention of the troops they could no longer
continue the encounter, the general was not able to draw it out again.
Nennius, thus becoming master of CaesarÕs sword, threw away his own,
and pulling the other out, made haste to employ it against the enemy.
Whomsoever he struck with it, he either cut off his head, or left him
wounded without hopes of recovery. While he was thus exerting himself,
he was met by Labienus, a tribune, whom he killed in the very beginning
of the encounter. At last, after the greatest part of the day was spent the
Britons poured in so fast, and made such vigorous efforts, that by the
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blessing of God they obtained the victory, and Caesar, with his broken
forces, retired to his camp and fleet. The very same night, as soon as he
had got his men together again, he went on board his fleet, rejoicing that
he had the sea for his camp. And upon his companions dissuading him
from continuing the war any longer, he acquiesced in their advice, and
returned back to Gaul.
Chapter 4. Nennius, the brother of Cassibellaun,
being wounded in battle by Caesar, dies.
Cassibellaun, in joy for this triumph, returned solemn thanks to God;
and calling the companions of his victory together, amply rewarded
every one of them, according as they had distinguished themselves. On
the other hand, he was very much oppressed with grief for his brother
Nennius, who lay mortally wounded, and at the very point. of death. For
Caesar had wounded him in the encounter, and the blow which he had
given him proved incurable; so that fifteen days after the battle he died,
and was buried at Trinovantum, by the North Gate. His funeral
obsequies were performed with regal pomp, and CaesarÕs sword put into
the tomb with him, which he had kept possession of, when struck into his
shield in the combat. The name of the sword was Crocea Mors (Yellow
Death), as being mortal to every body that was wounded with it.
Chapter 5. CaesarÕs inglorious return to Gaul.
After this flight of Caesar, and his arrival on the Gallic coast, the
Gauls attempted to rebel and throw off his yoke. For they thought he
was so much weakened, that his forces could be no longer a terror to
them. Besides, a general report was spread among them, that
Cassibellaun was now out at sea with a vast fleet to pursue, him in his
flight; on which account the Gauls, growing still more bold, began to
think of driving him from their coasts. Caesar, aware of their designs,
was not willing to engage in a doubtful war with a fierce people, but
rather chose to go to all their first nobility with open treasures, and
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reconcile them with presents. To the common people he promised liberty,
to the dispossessed the restitution of their estates, and to the slaves their
freedom. Thus he that had insulted them before with the fierceness of a
lion, and plundered them of all, now, with the mildness of a lamb, fawns
on them with submissive abject speeches, and is glad to restore all again.
To these acts of meanness he was forced to condescend till he had
pacified them, and was able to regain his lost power. In the meantime not
a day passed without reflecting upon his flight, and the victory of the
Britons.
Chapter 6. Cassibellaun forms a stratagem for sinking CaesarÕs ships.
After two years were expired, he prepared to cross the sea again, and
revenge himself on Cassibellaun, who having intelligence of his design,
everywhere fortified his cities, repaired the ruined walls, and placed
armed men at all the ports. In the river Thames, on which Caesar
intended to sail up to Trinovantum, he caused iron and leaden stakes,
each as thick as a manÕs thigh, to be fixed under the surface of the water,
that CaesarÕs ships might founder. He then assembled all the forces of
the island, and took up his quarters with them near the sea-coasts, in
expectation of the enemyÕs coming.
Chapter 7. Caesar a second time vanquished by the Britons.
After he had furnished himself with all necessaries, the Roman
general embarked with a vast army, eager to revenge himself on a people
that had defeated him; in which he undoubtedly would have succeeded,
if he could but have brought his fleet safe to land; but this he was not
able to do. For in sailing up the Thames to Trinovantum, the ships struck
against the stakes, which so endangered them all on a sudden, that many
thousands of the men were drowned, while the ships being pierced sank
into the river. Caesar, upon this, employed all his force to shift his sails,
and hastened to get back again to land. And so those that remained,
after a narrow escape, went on shore with him. Cassibellaun, who was
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present upon the bank, with joy observed the disaster of the drowned,
but grieved at the escape of the rest; and upon his giving a signal to his
men, made an attack upon the Romans, who, notwithstanding the danger
they had suffered in the river, when landed, bravely withstood the
Britons; and having no other fence to trust to but their own courage,
they made no small slaughter; but yet suffered a greater loss themselves,
than that which they were able to give the enemy. For their number was
considerably diminished by their loss in the river; whereas the Britons
being hourly increased with new recruits, were three times their number,
and by that advantage defeated them. Caesar, seeing he could no longer
maintain his ground, fled with a small body of men to his ships, and
made the sea his safe retreat; and as the wind stood fair, he hoisted his
sails, and steered to the shore of the Morini. From thence he repaired to
a certain tower, which he had built at a place called Odnea, before this
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