Flavius, full of rage and
calling for his arms and his horse. On the opposite side was seen
Arminius, menacing furiously and proclaiming battle. For most of what he
said in this dialogue was in Latin, having, as the general of his
countrymen, served in the Roman camp.

Next day the German army stood in order of battle beyond the Visurgis.
Germanicus, who thought it became not a general to endanger the legions
in the passage without bridges and guards, made the horse ford over.
They were led by Stertinius and AEmilius, one of the principal
centurions, who entered the river at distant places to divide the
attention of the foe. Cariovalda, captain of the Batavians, dashed
through where the stream was most rapid, and was by the Cheruscans--who
feigned flight--drawn into a plain surrounded by woods. Then starting up
at once, and pouring upon him on every side, they overthrew those who
resisted, and pressed after those who gave way, who at length, forming
themselves into a circle, were assailed by some hand-to-hand, by others
were annoyed by missiles. Cariovalda, having long sustained the fury of
the enemy, exhorted his men to break through the assailing bands in a
solid body; he himself charged into the thickest, and fell under a
shower of darts--his horse also being killed--and many nobles fell
around him. The rest were saved by their own bravery, or by the cavalry
under Stertinius and AEmilius, which came up to their assistance.

Germanicus, having passed the Visurgis, learned from a deserter that
Arminius had marked out the place of battle; that more tribes also had
joined him at a wood sacred to Hercules, and would attempt to storm our
camp by night. The deserter was believed, the enemy's fires were in
view, and the scouts, having advanced toward them, reported that they
heard the neighing of horses and the murmur of a mighty and tumultuous
host. Being thus upon the eve of a decisive battle, Germanicus thought
it behooved him to learn the sentiments of the soldiers, and deliberated
with himself how to get at the truth; "the reports of the tribunes and
centurions were oftener agreeable than true; the freedmen had servile
spirits; friends were apt to flatter; if an assembly were called, there,
too, the counsel proposed by a few was carried by the clamorous plaudits
of the rest. The minds of soldiers could, then, only be thoroughly known
when, by themselves, free from all restraint, and over their mess, they
gave unreserv