Caesar, for those reasons which I have mentioned, had resolved to cross
the Rhine; but to cross by ships he neither deemed to be sufficiently
safe nor considered consistent with his own dignity or that of the
Roman people. Therefore, altho the greatest difficulty in forming a
bridge was presented to him, on account of the breadth, rapidity, and
depth of the river, he nevertheless considered that it ought to be
attempted by him, or that his army ought not otherwise to be led over.
He devised this plan of a bridge: he joined together, at the distance
of two feet, two piles, each a foot and half thick, sharpened a little
at the lower end, and proportioned in length to the depth of the
river.
After he had, by means of engines, sunk these into the river, and fixt
them at the bottom, and then driven them in with rammers, not quite
perpendicularly, like a stake, but bending forward and sloping, so as
to incline in the direction of the current of the river; he also
placed two [other piles] opposite to these, at the distance of forty
feet lower down, fastened together in the same manner, but directed
against the force and current of the river. Both these, moreover, were
kept firmly apart by beams two feet thick (the space which the binding
of the piles occupied), laid in at their extremities between two
braces on each side; and in consequence of these being in different
directions and fastened on sides the one opposite to the other, so
great was the strength of the work, and such the arrangement of the
materials, that in proportion as the greater body of water dashed
against the bridge, so much the closer were its parts held fastened
together. These beams were bound together by timber laid over them in
the direction of the length of the bridge, and were [then] covered
with laths and hurdles; and, in addition to this, piles were driven
into the water obliquely, at the lower side of the bridge, and these
serving as buttresses, and being connected with every portion of the
work, sustained the force of the stream; and there were others also
above the bridge, at a moderate distance, that if trunks of trees or
vessels were floated down the river by the barbarians for the purpose
of destroying the work, the violence of such things might be
diminished by these defenses, and might not injure the bridge.
Within ten days after the timber began to be collected, the whole work
was completed, and the whole army led over. Caesar, leaving a strong
guard at each end of the bridge, hastens into the territories of the
Sigambri. In the mean time, ambassadors from several nations come to
him, whom, on their suing for peace and alliance, he answers in a
courteous manner, and orders hostages to be brought to him. But the
Sigambri, at the very time the bridge was begun to be built, made
preparations for a flight (by the advice of such of the Tenchtheri and
Usipetes as they had among them), and quitted their territories and
conveyed away all their possessions, and concealed themselves in
deserts and woods.
Caesar, having remained in their territories a few days, and burned all
their villages and houses, and cut down their corn, proceeded into the
territories of the Ubii; and having promised them his assistance, if
they were ever harassed by the Suevi,[35] he learned from them these
particulars: that the Suevi, after they had by means of their scouts
found that the bridge was being built, had called a council, according
to their custom, and sent orders to all parts of their state to
remove from the towns and convey their children, wives, and all their
possessions into the woods, and that all who could bear arms should
assemble in one place; that the place thus chosen was nearly the
center of those regions which the Suevi possest; that in this spot
they had resolved to await the arrival of the Romans, and give them
battle there. When Caesar discovered this, having already accomplished
all these things on account of which he had resolved to lead his army
over--namely, to strike fear into the Germans, take vengeance on the
Sigambri, and free the Ubii from the invasion of the Suevi, having
spent altogether eighteen days beyond the Rhine, and thinking he had
advanced far enough to serve both honor and interest--he returned into
Gaul, and cut down the bridge.