16.
The German war being finished, Caesar
thought it expedient for him to cross the Rhine , for many reasons; of
which this was the most weighty, that, since he saw the Germans were so easily urged to go into Gaul, he desired
they should have their fears for their own territories, when they discovered
that the army of the Roman people both could and
dared pass the Rhine . There was added also,
that portion of the cavalry of the Usipetes and the
Tenchtheri, which I have above related to have crossed the
Meuse for the purpose of
plundering and procuring forage, and was not present at the engagement, had
betaken themselves, after the retreat of their countrymen, across the Rhine
into the territories of the Sigambri, and united themselves
to them. When Caesar sent embassadors to them, to
demand that they should give up to him those who had made war against him and
against Gaul, they replied, "That the
Rhine bounded the empire of the Roman
people; if he did not think it just for the Germans
to pass over into Gaul against his consent, why
did he claim that any thing beyond the Rhine should be subject to
his dominion or power?" The Ubii, also, who alone, out of all the
nations lying beyond the Rhine , had sent embassadors
to Caesar, and formed an alliance and given hostages,
earnestly entreated "that he would bring them assistance, because they were
grievously oppressed by the Suevi; or, if he was prevented from
doing so by the business of the commonwealth, he would at least transport his
army over the Rhine ; that that would be
sufficient for their present assistance and their hope for the future; that so
great was the name and the reputation of his army, even among the most remote
nations of the Germans, arising from the defeat of
Ariovistus and this last battle which was fought, that they
might be safe under the fame and friendship of the Roman people." They promised a large number of ships for
transporting the army.
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