Read Online THE INVASION OF GAUL by S. J. A. Turney - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: S. J. A. Turney
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spoke up for the first time, earning him an evil glare from his counterpart.
“ Great general, we have brought with us on this journey everything we have; everything we are. For your assurances of safe passage, we can give gifts to the Roman people that would earn you a place in their heart.”
For a moment, and just for a moment, Caesar was actually speechless. Fronto could understand. He was under no illusion. This plan of the general’s was not greatly for the good of Rome, or even the legions, but for the good of Caesar. What he wished to achieve with a war was being handed to him on a plate by the barbarians, but he would lose face if he came this far and relented. The other officers held their breath.
Caesar turned to the officers, gave them a meaningful look, and then addressed the Helvetii once again, this time loud enough for the whole tribe to hear.
“ Chieftains, I will deliberate on this matter. Go away from this place, where trouble will brew between our two armies, to a place of refuge and return, if you still require passage, on the day before the ides of April, which is the twelfth day to you.”
With that the general turned away from the ambassadors and marched down the embankment. The officers turned and followed him, leaving only sentries on the raised earth.
“ That should give them something to think about, and give us time to train the new legions and complete the defences gentlemen, yes?”
Longinus’ jaw dropped.
“ Caesar, you cannot be suggesting we refuse their offer? Think of the booty we can take back to Rome for a simple two weeks’ escort duty!”
The general gave Longinus a distasteful look. “You would bargain with the murderers of a Roman Consul, Longinus? I thought you had more about you than that. Pull yourself together and stop thinking of money. Revenge is the order of the day.”
The general turned to look up at the sentry who was still standing atop the mound. “Soldier! What is happening among the Helvetii?”
The sentry turned and saluted. “There’s some heated conversation going on sir. I think they’re confused.”
“ Good. Keep an eye on them. If they move away, send someone to inform me and have the scouts placed back in position. If they move in this direction, sound the alarm. Fronto? Balbus? Come with me.”
Chapter 3
(Along the bank of the Rhone)
“ Primus Pilus: The chief centurion of a legion. Essentially the second in command of a legion.”
“ Capsarius: Legionary soldiers trained as combat medics, whose job was to patch men up in the field until they could reach a hospital.”
“ Vienna: Latin name for the modern town of Vienne, in the Rhone Valley.”
Fronto and Tetricus surveyed their handiwork. The green embankment continued nineteen miles to the west from here. The height inevitably varied, but was generally around fifteen feet. Only a yard lay between the wall and a ditch six feet deep which, itself, was only five or ten yards from the river bank. Such was the defensive system that Caesar had ordered. Fronto and Tetricus had gone a step beyond with their handiwork. The ditch was lined with a deadly carpet of sharpened points, and the lilia, small concealed pits each housing a pointed stake, were strategically placed between the bank and the ditch. On the top of the bank, an eight foot palisade covered the entire length of the system, with only three gates, set five or six miles apart. Fort-like structures lay at regular intervals along the wall, small redoubts in which a large number of soldiers could be based. All in all it was a system any Roman commander would be happy with. Any commander except Fronto, at least. He turned to Tetricus.
“ What happens if they come across the lake in boats?”
Tetricus sighed. He was getting a little sick of Fronto’s pessimism.
“ Sir, there aren’t enough boats in the whole province to get a tribe that big across a lake this size.”
“ And if they go round the
“ Great general, we have brought with us on this journey everything we have; everything we are. For your assurances of safe passage, we can give gifts to the Roman people that would earn you a place in their heart.”
For a moment, and just for a moment, Caesar was actually speechless. Fronto could understand. He was under no illusion. This plan of the general’s was not greatly for the good of Rome, or even the legions, but for the good of Caesar. What he wished to achieve with a war was being handed to him on a plate by the barbarians, but he would lose face if he came this far and relented. The other officers held their breath.
Caesar turned to the officers, gave them a meaningful look, and then addressed the Helvetii once again, this time loud enough for the whole tribe to hear.
“ Chieftains, I will deliberate on this matter. Go away from this place, where trouble will brew between our two armies, to a place of refuge and return, if you still require passage, on the day before the ides of April, which is the twelfth day to you.”
With that the general turned away from the ambassadors and marched down the embankment. The officers turned and followed him, leaving only sentries on the raised earth.
“ That should give them something to think about, and give us time to train the new legions and complete the defences gentlemen, yes?”
Longinus’ jaw dropped.
“ Caesar, you cannot be suggesting we refuse their offer? Think of the booty we can take back to Rome for a simple two weeks’ escort duty!”
The general gave Longinus a distasteful look. “You would bargain with the murderers of a Roman Consul, Longinus? I thought you had more about you than that. Pull yourself together and stop thinking of money. Revenge is the order of the day.”
The general turned to look up at the sentry who was still standing atop the mound. “Soldier! What is happening among the Helvetii?”
The sentry turned and saluted. “There’s some heated conversation going on sir. I think they’re confused.”
“ Good. Keep an eye on them. If they move away, send someone to inform me and have the scouts placed back in position. If they move in this direction, sound the alarm. Fronto? Balbus? Come with me.”
Chapter 3
(Along the bank of the Rhone)
“ Primus Pilus: The chief centurion of a legion. Essentially the second in command of a legion.”
“ Capsarius: Legionary soldiers trained as combat medics, whose job was to patch men up in the field until they could reach a hospital.”
“ Vienna: Latin name for the modern town of Vienne, in the Rhone Valley.”
Fronto and Tetricus surveyed their handiwork. The green embankment continued nineteen miles to the west from here. The height inevitably varied, but was generally around fifteen feet. Only a yard lay between the wall and a ditch six feet deep which, itself, was only five or ten yards from the river bank. Such was the defensive system that Caesar had ordered. Fronto and Tetricus had gone a step beyond with their handiwork. The ditch was lined with a deadly carpet of sharpened points, and the lilia, small concealed pits each housing a pointed stake, were strategically placed between the bank and the ditch. On the top of the bank, an eight foot palisade covered the entire length of the system, with only three gates, set five or six miles apart. Fort-like structures lay at regular intervals along the wall, small redoubts in which a large number of soldiers could be based. All in all it was a system any Roman commander would be happy with. Any commander except Fronto, at least. He turned to Tetricus.
“ What happens if they come across the lake in boats?”
Tetricus sighed. He was getting a little sick of Fronto’s pessimism.
“ Sir, there aren’t enough boats in the whole province to get a tribe that big across a lake this size.”
“ And if they go round the
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