38.21
The
Gauls feeling confident that on two sides they were unassailable directed
their attention to the southern slope. To close all access on this side they sent
4000 men to seize a height which commanded the road, distant rather less
than a mile from their camp, where, as in a fort, they might prevent the
enemy's advance. When they saw this, the Romans made ready for battle.
Somewhat in front of the legions went the velites, the Cretan archers and
slingers and the Tralli and Thracians under Attalus. The heavy infantry
advanced slowly as the ground was steep and they held their shields in front
of them, not because they expected a hand-to-hand contest, but simply to
avoid the missiles. With the discharge of missiles the battle began, and at first
it was fought on even terms as the Gauls had the advantage of their position,
the Romans that of the variety and abundance of their missile weapons. As
the struggle went on, however, it became anything but equal; the shields of
the Gauls though long were not broad enough to cover their bodies, and
being flat also afforded poor protection. Moreover, they had no weapons but
their swords, and as they could not come to close quarters these were
useless. They tried to make use of stones, but as they had not got any ready,
they had to use what each man in his hurry and confusion could lay hands
on, and unaccustomed as they were to these weapons, they could not make
them more effective by either skill or strength. On all sides they were being
hit by the arrows and leaden bullets and javelins which they were powerless
to ward off; blinded by rage and fear they did not see what they were to do,
and they found themselves engaged in the kind of fighting for which they
were least fitted. In close fighting where they can receive and inflict wounds
in turn, their fury stimulates their courage; so when they are being wounded
by missiles flung from a distance by an unseen foe and there is no one against
whom they can make a blind rush, they dash recklessly against their own
comrades like wild beasts that have been speared. Their practice of always
fighting naked makes their wounds more visible, and their bodies are white
and fleshy as they never strip except in battle. Consequently more blood
flowed from them, the open gashes appeared more horrible, and the
whiteness of their bodies showed up the stain of the dark blood. Open
wounds, however, do not trouble them much. Sometimes, where it is a
surface bruise rather than a deep wound, they cut the skin, and even think
that in this way they win greater glory in battle. But when the head of an
arrow has gone in or a leaden bullet buried itself and it tortures them with
what looks like a slight wound and defies all their efforts to get rid of it, they
fling themselves on the ground in shame and fury at so small an injury
threatening to prove fatal. So they were lying about everywhere, and some
who rushed down on their enemy were being pierced with missiles from all
sides; those who got to close quarters the velites slew with their swords.
These soldiers carry a shield three feet long, javelins in their right hand for
use at a distance and a Spanish sword in their belts. When they have to fight
at close quarters they transfer the javelins to their left hands and draw their
swords. Few of the Gauls now survived, and when they found themselves
worsted by the light infantry and the legions coming on, they fled in disorder
back to their camp, which was full of tumult and panic, as the women and
children and other noncombatants were all crowded there together. The
Romans took possession of the heights from which the enemy had fled.
