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538 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
to any combate. And in truth he loved to see them
richly armed, and made them weare gilt, graven and
silvered armours, that their care to keepe them cleane
and bright might make them more fierce and readie to
defend themselves. Speaking to them, he ever called
them by the name of fellow-souldiers, a name used
at this day by some captaines; which his successor
Augustus afterward reformed, esteeming he had, done
it for the necessitie of his affaires, and to flatter the
hearts of those which followed him but voluntarily.
Rheni mihi Casar in undis,
Dux erat, hie socius,/acinus quos tnqumat, ccquat. 1
When Caesar past the Rheine he was my generall.
My fellow heere; binne whom it staines makes fellowes-all.
But this custome was over-lowlie for the dignitie of an
emperor and chiefe generall of an armie, and he brought
up the fashion againe to cal them only souldiers. To
this curtesie, Cwsar did, notwithstanding, intermixe a
great severity, to suppresse and keep them humble. His
ninth legion having mutinied neere unto Placentia, he
presently cassiered the same with great ignominie unto
it, notwithstanding that Pompey were yet on foot and
strong; and would not receive it into favour but with
humble petition and entreatie. Hee did more appease
them by authoritie and audacitie than by mildnesse and
affabilitie. Where he speaketh of his passage over the
river of llheinc, towards Germanie, he saith that, deeming
it unworthy the honour of the Romane people his
army should pass over in shippes, he caused a bridge
to be built, that so it might passe over drie-foot. There
he erected that admirable bridge whereof he so particularly
d escribe th the same: for he never more
willingly dilates himselfe in describing any of his explores
then where he endevoreth to represent unto us
the subtilitie of his inventions in such kindes of
manuall workes. I have also noted this in his booke,
that he much accompteth of his exhortations he made
1 LUCAN. 1. v. 289.