During this a joyful omen appeared: eight eagles were seen to fly
toward the wood, and to enter it; a presage of victory to the General.
"_Advance_," he cried, "_follow the Roman birds; follow the tutelar
Deities of the legions!_" Instantly the foot charged the enemy's front,
and instantly the detached cavalry attacked their flank and rear: this
double assault had a strange event; the two divisions of their army fled
opposite ways; that in the woods ran to the plain; that in the plain
rushed into the woods. The Cheruscans, between both, were driven from the
hills; amongst them Arminius, remarkably brave, who with his hand, his
voice, and distinguished wounds was still sustaining the fight. He had
assaulted the archers, and would have broken through them, but the cohorts
of the Retians, the Vindelicians, and the Gauls marched to their relief;
however, by his own vigour and the force of his horse, he escaped, his
face besmeared with his own blood to avoid being known. Some have related
that the Chaucians, who were amongst the Roman auxiliaries, knew him, and
let him go; the same bravery or deceit procured Inguiomerus his escape;
the rest were everywhere slain; and great numbers attempting to swim the
Visurgis were destroyed in it, either pursued with darts, or swallowed by
the current, or overwhelmed with the weight of the crowd, or buried under
the falling banks; some seeking a base refuge on the tops of trees, and
concealment amongst the branches, were shot in sport by the archers, or
squashed as the trees were felled: a mighty victory this, and to us far
from bloody!
This slaughter of the foe, from the fifth hour of the day till night,
filled the country for ten miles with carcasses and arms: amongst the
spoils, chains were found, which, sure of conquering, they had brought to
bind the Roman captives.
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