The next day the 14th legion was sent into the
Upper Province to join Gallus Annius. The 10th, which had arrived
GERMANS ROUTED; CIVILIS PERSISTS |
from
Spain, supplied its place in the army of Cerialis.
Civilis was joined by some auxiliaries from the Chauci. Nevertheless he did
not venture to fight for the defence of the Batavian capital, but carrying
off property that could be removed, and setting fire to the remainder, he
retreated into the island, aware that there were not vessels enough for
constructing a bridge, and that the Roman army could not cross the river in
any other way. He also demolished the dyke, constructed by Drusus
Germanicus, and, by destroying this barrier, sent the river flowing down a
steep channel on the side of
Gaul. The river having
been thus, so to speak, diverted, the narrowness of the channel between the
island and
Germany created an appearance of an
uninterrupted surface of dry ground. Tutor, Classicus, and one hundred and
thirteen senators of the Treveri, also crossed the
Rhine. Among them was Alpinius Montanus, of whose
mission into
Gaul by Antonius I have already spoken.
He was accompanied by his brother Decimus Alpinius. His other adherents were
now endeavouring to collect auxiliaries among these danger-loving tribes by
appeals to their pity and their greed.
