At break of day, the legions posted on the wings, through
contumacy or affright, deserted their stations, and took sudden possession
of a field beyond the bogs. Neither did Arminius fall straight upon them,
however open they lay to his assault; but, when he perceived the baggage
set fast in mire and ditches, the soldiers above it disorderly and
embarrassed, the ranks and ensigns in confusion, and, as usual in a time
of distress, every one in haste to save himself, but slow to obey his
officer, he then commanded his Germans to break in, "Behold," he
vehemently cried; "behold again Varus and his legions subdued by the same
fate." Thus he cried, and instantly with a select body broke quite through
our forces, and chiefly against the horse directed his havoc; so that the
ground becoming slippery by their blood and the slime of the marsh, their
feet flew from them, and they cast their riders; then galloping and
stumbling amongst the ranks, they overthrew all they met, and trod to
death all they overthrew. The greatest difficulty was to maintain the
Eagles; a storm of darts made it impossible to advance them, and the
rotten ground impossible to fix them.
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