Chapter 13

Meanwhile the enemy, led by Labienus and the two Pacidei, deployed a straight line of remarkable length and closely packed, not with infantry, but with cavalry, interspersed with light-armed Numidians and unmounted archers in such close formation that at a distance Caesar’s men supposed them to be infantry: the two wings—to right and left—were reinforced with strong detachments of cavalry. Meanwhile Caesar deployed a single straight line— the most his small numbers allowed; he drew up his archers in front of the line and posted cavalry to cover his right and left wings, with instructions to take care they were not enveloped by the mass of the enemy’s cavalry; for he supposed that he would be engaging infantry troops in the set battle line.