58.
Labienus at first attempted to raise
Vineae, fill up the marsh with hurdles and clay, and secure a road.
After he perceived that this was too difficult to accomplish, he issued in
silence from his camp at the third watch, and reached Melodunum by the same route by which he came. This is a town of the
Senones , situated on an island in the Seine
, as we have just before observed of Lutetia . Having seized upon about fifty ships and quickly joined
them together, and having placed soldiers in them, he intimidated by his
unexpected arrival the inhabitants, of whom a great number had been called out
to the war, and obtains possession of the town without a contest. Having
repaired the bridge, which the enemy had broken down during the preceding days,
he led over his army, and began to march along the banks of the river to Lutetia . The enemy, on learning the circumstance from those who had
escaped from Melodunum , set fire to Lutetia , and order the bridges of that town to be broken down: they
themselves set out from the marsh, and take their position on the banks of the
Seine , over
against Lutetia and opposite the camp of Labienus.
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