Chapter 16

Labienus rode bare-headed up and down the front line, encouraging his own men the while and occasionally accosting Caesar’s legionaries in such terms as these: What are you up to, recruit? Quite the dashing little fellow, aren’t you? Have all of you too been made fools of by that fellow’s words? So help me, it’s a very dangerous situation he has driven you into. I feel sorry for you. I’m not a recruit, Labienus, replied one soldier, but a veteran of the Tenth legion. To this Labienus retorted: I don’t recognise the standards of the Tenth. Then said the soldier: You’ll soon see what I’m made of. As he spoke the words he flung the helmet from his head so that the other could recognise him and, thus uncovered, brandished his heavy javelin with all his force, as he aimed it at Labienus: then plunging it violently full in the horse’s chest he said: That will teach yon, Labienus, that it’s a soldier of the Tenth who is attacking you. All the troops, however, were demoralised, particularly the recruits for they kept looking round for Caesar and contented themselves with dodging the enemy javelins.