Germanicus, in order to
lighten the ships in which he had embarked his men, and fit their burden
to the ebbs and shallows, delivered the second and fourteenth legions to
Publius Vitellius, to lead them by land. Vitellius at first had an easy
march on dry ground, or ground moderately overflowed by the tide, when
suddenly the fury of the north wind swelling the ocean (a constant effect
of the equinox) the legions were surrounded and tossed with the tide, and
the land was all on flood; the sea, the shore, the fields, had the same
tempestuous face; no distinction of depths from shallows; none of firm,
from deceitful, footing. They were overturned by the billows, swallowed
down by the eddies; and horses, baggage, and drowned men encountered each
other, and floated together. The several companies were mixed at random by
the waves; they waded, now breast high, now up to the chin, and as the
ground failed them, they fell, some never more to rise. Their cries and
mutual encouragements availed them nothing against the prevailing and
inexorable waves; no difference between the coward and the brave, the wise
and the foolish; none between circumspection and chance; but all were
equally involved in the invincible violence of the flood.
Pages:
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150