 106. The Enemy Prevail |
108. The Gauls attack a Second Camp  |
Rēx respondit nihil Rōmānīs timendum esse, sēque Sabīnī ipsīus salūtem praestāre, sī ille ad colloquium venīre vellet. Quō audītō, Cotta tamen negāvit ad armātum hostem sē itūrum, atque in eō persevērāvit. Sabīnus autem tribūnōs mīlitum centuriōnēsque quī adstābant se sequī iussit; cumque propius Ambiorīgem accessisset, iussus arma abicere, pāruit, ac suīs ut idem facerent imperāvit. Dum autem ibi dē condiciōnibus inter sē agunt, Sabīnus paulātim circumventus ā Gallīs occīsus est.
Tum vērō hostēs sustulērunt ululātum, impetūque in nostrōs factō ōrdinēs perturbāvērunt. Ibi L. Cotta pugnāns periit cum maximā parte mīlitum. Reliquī sē in hīberna recēpērunt, unde erant nūper ēgressī. Ē quibus L. Petrosidius aquilifer, homō magnārum vīrium, cum cōnfertissimā multitūdine hostium premerētur, aquilam intrā vāllum prōiēcit, ipse prō castrīs fortissimē pugnāns interfectus est.
Rōmānī aegrē ad noctem oppugnātiōnem sustinuerunt; tum, dēspērātā salūte, ad ūnum omnēs sē ipsī interfēcērunt. Paucī, quī paulō ante ē proeliō effūgerant, per silvās incertīs itineribus ad T. Labiēnum lēgātum in hīberna pervēnērunt, atque eum dē rēbus gestīs fēcērunt certiōrem.
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The standards carried in the Roman army were numerous and rather diverse (see also the illustration on page 162). As the eagle was the chief standard of the legion, upon it was lavished all the enthusiastic devotion which modern soldiers feel for their flag. No disgrace was so deep and terrible as to have the eagle fall into the hands of the enemy.