Upon these encouragements, Germanicus to the command of Caecina committed
four legions, five thousand auxiliaries, and some bands of Germans,
dwellers on this side the Rhine, drawn suddenly together; he led himself
as many legions with double the number of allies, and erecting a fort in
Mount Taunus, [Footnote: Near Homburg.] upon the old foundations of one
raised by his father, rushed full march against the Cattans; having behind
him left Lucius Apronius, to secure the ways from the fury of inundations:
for as the roads were then dry and the rivers low, events in that climate
exceeding rare, he had without check expedited his march; but against his
return apprehended the violence of rains and floods. Upon the Cattans he
fell with such surprise, that all the weak through sex or age were
instantly taken or slaughtered: their youth, by swimming over the Adrana,
[Footnote: Eder.] escaped, and attempted to force the Romans from building
a bridge to follow them, but by dint of arrows and engines were repulsed;
and then, having in vain tried to gain terms of peace, some submitted to
Germanicus; the rest abandoned their villages and dwellings, and dispersed
themselves in the woods.
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