down the stream so silently as not to use even
their oars, lest the noise should rouse the barbarians, and then using
all activity both of mind and body, to force a landing on the opposite
bank, within the frontier of the enemy, while they were still watching
the camp-fires of our men.

13. While these orders were being performed with great promptness, King
Hortarius, who had been previously bound to us by treaties, and was
without any intention of revolting, kept on friendly terms with the
bordering tribes, having invited all their kings, princes, and
chieftains to a banquet, detained them to the third watch, the banquet
being prolonged so late according to the custom of his nation. And as
they were departing, our men chanced to come upon them suddenly, but
could neither stay nor capture any of them owing to the darkness of the
night and the fleetness of their horses, on which they fled at random in
all directions. A number of sutlers and slaves, however, who were
following them on foot, our men slew; the few who escaped being likewise
protected by the darkness of the hour.

14. When it became known that the Romans had crossed the river (and they
then as well as in all former expeditions accounted it a great relief to
their labours when they could find the enemy), the kings and their
people, who were watching zealously to prevent the bridge from being
made, were alarmed, and being panic-stricken fled in all directions, and
their violent fury being thus cooled, they hastened to remove their
relations and their treasures to a distance. And as all difficulties
were now surmounted, the bridge was at once made, and before the
barbarians could expect it, the Roman army appeared in their
territories, and passed through the dominions of Hortarius without doing
any injury.

15. But when they reached the lands of those kings who were still
hostile, they went on invincibly through the midst of their rebellious
country, laying waste with fire and sword, and plundering everything.
And after their frail houses were destroyed by fire, and a vast number
of men had been slain, and the army, having nothing to face but corpses
and suppliants, had arrived in the region called Capellatum, or Palas,
where there are boundary stones marking the frontiers of the Allemanni
and the Burgundians; the army pitched its camp, in order that Macrianus
and Hariobaudus, brothers, and both kings, might be received by us, and
delivered from their fears.