47.
Caesar, having accomplished the object which he had in
view, ordered the signal to be sounded for a retreat; and the soldiers of the
tenth legion, by which he was then accompanied, halted. But the soldiers of the
other legions, not hearing the sound of the trumpet, because there was a very
large valley between them, were however kept back by the tribunes of the
soldiers and the lieutenants, according to Caesar's
orders; but being animated by the prospect of speedy victory, and the flight of
the enemy, and the favorable battles of former periods, they thought nothing so
difficult that their bravery could not accomplish it; nor did they put an end to
the pursuit, until they drew nigh to the wall of the town and the gates. But
then, when a shout arose in every quarter of the city, those who were at a
distance being alarmed by the sudden tumult, fled hastily from the town, since
they thought that the enemy were within the gates. The matrons begin to cast
their clothes and silver over the wall, and bending over as far as the lower
part of the bosom, with outstretched hands beseech the Romans to spare them, and not to sacrifice to their resentment even
women and children, as they had done at Avaricum . Some of them let themselves down from the walls by their
hands, and surrendered to our soldiers. Lucius Fabius a centurion
of the eighth legion, who, it was ascertained, had said that day among his
fellow soldiers that he was excited by the plunder of Avaricum , and would not allow any one to mount the wall before him,
finding three men of his own company, and being raised up by them, scaled the
wall. He himself, in turn, taking hold of them one by one drew them up to the
wall.
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