50.
While the fight was going on most vigorously, hand to hand, and the enemy
depended on their position and numbers, our men on their bravery, the
Aedui suddenly appeared on our exposed flank, as Caesar had sent them by another ascent on the right, for
the sake of creating a diversion. These, from the similarity of their arms,
greatly terrified our men; and although they were discovered to have their right
shoulders bare, which was usually the sign of those reduced to peace, yet the
soldiers suspected that this very thing was done by the enemy to deceive them.
At the same time Lucius Fabius the centurion, and those who had
scaled the wall with him, being surrounded and slain, were cast from the wall.
Marcus Petreius, a centurion of the same legion, after
attempting to hew down the gates, was overpowered by numbers, and, despairing of
his safety, having already received many wounds, said to the soldiers of his own
company who followed him: "Since I can not save you as well as myself, I shall
at least provide for your safety, since I, allured by the love of glory, led you
into this danger, do you save yourselves when an opportunity is given." At the
same time he rushed into the midst of the enemy, and slaying two of them, drove
back the rest a little from the gate. When his men attempted to aid him, "In
vain," he says, "you endeavor to procure me safety, since blood and strength are
now failing me, therefore leave this, while you have the opportunity, and
retreat to the legion." Thus he fell fighting a few moments after, and saved his
men by his own death.
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