_Miscere, ferire_, etc. A series of inf. denoting a rapid succession of events, cf. note, 5: noscere--nosci; G. 30: praeponere. _Equitum turmae_, sc. Britannorum. The word _turmae_ is applicable to such a cavalry as theirs, cf. Ann. 14, 34: _Britannorum_ copiae passim per catervas et _turmas_ exsultabant. Br. Ky. and others here understand it of the Roman cavalry. But R. Dr. and Wr. apply it to the Britons, and with reason, as we shall see below, and as we might infer indeed from its close connexion with _covinarii_, for the _covinarii_ were certainly Britons. _Peditum proelio, hostium agminibus_. These also both refer to the _Britons_. The covinarii were interspersed among their own infantry, and, as the Romans advanced, became entangled with them. This is disputed. But the small number of Romans slain in the whole battle is alone enough to show, that _their_ cavalry was not routed, nor _their_ infantry broken in upon by the chariots of the enemy. Moreover, how could T. properly use the word _hostium_ of his own countrymen? _Minimeque_, etc. This is one passage, among a few in T., which is so manifestly corrupt that no sense can be made of it, as it stands in the MSS. The reading given in the text is the simplest of all the conjectural readings that have been proposed. It is that of Br. and E., and is followed by the common editions. Cavalry took a large part in the battle. But the battle wore little the aspect of an equestrian fight; for the Britons, after maintaining their position with difficulty for some time, were at length swept away by the bodies (the _mere uncontrolled bodies_) of the horses--in short, the riders had no control over horses or chariots, which rushed on without drivers obliquely athwart, or directly through the lines, as their fears severally impelled them; all which was in marked contrast to a Roman's idea of a regular battle of cavalry. XXXVII. _Vacui. Free from apprehension_. _Ni_. Cf. note 4: ni.--_Subita belli. Unexpected emergencies_ arising in the course of the battle. Cf. 6: _inania honoris_. _Grande et atrox spectaculum_, etc. See a similar description in Sal. Jug. 101. The series of infinitives and the omission of the connectives (_asyndeton_) make the succession of events very rapid and animated. Compare the famous _veni, vidi, vici_, of Caesar. _Prout--erat_. According to their different natural disposition, i.e. _the timid, though armed, turned their backs before inferior numbers; while the brave, though unarmed, met death in the face_. _Praestare terga_ is an expression found only in T. _Et aliquando_, etc. _Et==ac tamen. And_ yet (notwithstanding the flight of crowds and the passive death of some as above) _sometimes to the conquered also_ there was _anger and bravery_. The language is Virgilian, cf. Aen. 2, 367.