beyng by the same fire that was betwene them held backe.
[Sidenote: Annone of Carthage.]
ZANOBI. I am harde of beliefe, that this fyre coulde stay theim, in
especially because I remember that I have harde, howe Annone of
Carthage, beyng besieged of enemies, inclosed him selfe on the same
parte, with wodde, which he did set on fire where he purposed to make
eruption. Wherfore the enemies beyng not intentive on the same parte to
looke to him, he made his armie to passe over the same flame, causing
every man to holde his Target before his face for to defend them from
the fire, and smoke.
[Sidenote: Nabide a spartayne; Quintus Luttatius pollecie to passe over
a river; How to passe a ryver without a bridge; A polecie of Cesar to
passe a river, where his enemie beyng on the other side therof sought to
lette hym.]
FABRICIO. You saye well: but consider you howe I have saied, and howe
Annone did: for as muche as I saied that they made a diche, and filled
it with towe, so that he, that woulde passe over the same, should be
constrained to contende with the diche and with fire: Annone made the
fire, without the diche, and because he intended to passe over it, he
made it not great, for that otherwise without the diche, it shoulde have
letted him. Dooe you not knowe, that Nabide a Spartan beyng besieged in
Sparta of the Romaines, set fire on parte of his towne to let the way to
the Romaines, who alredie wer entred in? And by meane of the same flame
not onely hindered their way, but drave them oute: but let us turne to
our matter. Quintus Luttatius a Romaine, havyng at his backe the Cimbri,
and commyng to a river, to thentente the enemie should give him time to
passe over, semed to geve time to them to faight with him: and therfore
he fained that he would lodge there, and caused trenches to be made, and
certaine pavilions to be erected, and sent certayne horsemen into the
countrie for forredge: so that the Cimbrise beleevyng, that he incamped,
they also incamped, and devided them selves into sundrie partes, to
provide for victuals, wherof Luttatius being aware, passed the river
they beyng not able to let him. Some for to passe a river havynge no
bridge, have devided it, and one parte they have turned behynde their
backes, and the other then becomynge shalower, with ease they have
passed it: when the rivers be swift, purposyng to have their footemen to
passe safely, they place their strongest horses on the higher side, that
thei may sustain the water, and an other parte be lowe that may succour
the men, if any of the river in passyng should be overcome with the
water: They passe also rivers, that be verie deepe, with bridges, with
botes, and with barrelles: and therfore it is good to have in a
redinesse in an armie wherewith to be able to make all these thynges. It
fortuneth sometime that in passyng a river, the enemie standynge agaynst
thee on the other banke, doeth let thee: to minde to overcome this