Chapter 71

Faced with an enemy of this kind Caesar proceeded to train his forces, not as a commander trains a veteran army with a magnificent record of victorious achievements, but as a gladiatorial instructor trains his recruits. How many feet they were to retreat from the enemy the manner in which they must wheel round upon their adversary; the restricted space in which they must offer him resistance—now doubling forward, now retiring and making feint attacks; and almost the spot from which, and the manner in which they must discharge their missiles—these were the lessons he taught them. For it was surprising the amount of worry and anxiety the enemy’s light-armed troops were causing our army, what with their making the cavalry chary of engaging for fear of losing their mounts, since the light-armed troops kept killing them with their javelins, and with their wearing the legionaries out by their speediness; for no sooner had a heavy-armed soldier, when pursued by them, halted and then made an attack on them than their speed of movement enabled them easily to avoid the danger.