19.
Caesar, having remained in their territories a few days,
and burned all their villages and houses, and cut down their corn, proceeded
into the territories of the Ubii; and having promised them his
assistance, if they were ever harassed by the Suevi, he learned
from them these particulars: that the Suevi, after they had by
means of their scouts found that the bridge was being built, had called a
council, according to their custom, and sent orders to all parts of their state
to remove from the towns and convey their children, wives, and all their
possessions into the woods, and that all who could bear arms should assemble in
one place; that the place thus chosen was nearly the centre of those regions
which the Suevi possessed; that in this spot they had resolved to
await the arrival of the Romans, and give them battle
there. When Caesar discovered this, having already
accomplished all these things on account of which he had resolved to lead his
army over, namely, to strike fear into the Germans,
take vengeance on the Sigambri, and free the Ubii from
the invasion of the Suevi, having spent altogether eighteen days
beyond the Rhine , and thinking he had
advanced far enough to serve both honor and interest, he returned into Gaul, and cut down the bridge.
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