5.
When they had now been fighting for more than six hours, without cessation, and
not only strength, but even weapons were failing our men, and the enemy were
pressing on more rigorously, and had begun to demolish the rampart and to fill
up the trench, while our men were becoming exhausted, and the matter was now
brought to the last extremity, P. Sextius Baculus, a
centurion of the first rank, whom we have related to have been disabled by
severe wounds in the engagement with the Nervii, and also C. Volusenus, a tribune of the soldiers, a man of great
skill and valor, hasten to Galba, and assure him that the only hope
of safety lay in making a sally, and trying the last resource. Whereupon
assembling the centurions, he quickly gives orders to the soldiers to
discontinue the fight a short time, and only collect the weapons flung [at
them], and recruit themselves after their fatigue, and afterward, upon the
signal being given, sally forth from the camp, and place in their valor all
their hope of safety.
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