THE INVASION OF GAUL (56 page)

“
I’ll take that as a no.”

He turned to Caesar, Velius and Florus.

“
Who’d like to join us?”

Caesar shook his head.

“
I’m afraid I have far too much to do, but thank you for the offer, gentlemen. I need you to stay relatively compos mentis, however. Depending on what Ariovistus does in the next few hours, we need to be ready. I assume both your commands are standing to, along with the other legions?”

Balbus nodded.

“
The entire army’s on a war footing sir. We can be ready to move into battle at a quarter of an hour’s notice.”

“
Good. I want a meeting in my headquarters at dusk, regardless. You had best find Priscus and tell him. I’ll send word to the other legates.”

Balbus turned to Florus and Velius.

“
You two coming?”

Florus looked up and shook his head.

“
Love to sir, but I’m not leaving the legate at the moment. Perhaps later when he falls asleep.”

Velius’ face split with a wide grin.

“
Why not? I think I have some wine myself somewhere. Where are we going?”

Balbus and Longinus looked at each other and Balbus turned back to him.

“
Longinus and you are supplying the wine, so I’ll supply the tent. My quarters in around ten minutes. Just give me time to put away the maps and the kit and requisition some more chairs from the quartermaster.”

As Balbus jogged off at a speed that impressed the others, considering the legate’s advanced years, Longinus turned and grinned at Velius.

“
Well I’ve got nothing to do for ten minutes. Shall we go back in and torment Marcus for a while?”

“
Tempting, but I’ve got to go via our billets and warn the primus pilus about Caesar’s meeting later. He never said whether he wanted
me
at the meeting. D’you think he does?”

Longinus smiled.

“
No idea. I suggest you go anyway and then if he doesn’t want you, you can always leave again. Better to be present when unexpected that absent when expected, yes?”

“
Aye.”

The two of them crossed into the area of the camp set aside for the Tenth and a number of the men saluted and greeted the two as they made their way to the praetorium. Priscus stood on a patch of bare earth with three of the Tenth’s centurions and optios. As the men watched, the primus pilus drew a tactical plan of battle lines in the dirt and motioned where the individual cohorts and centuries would move with his vine staff. The two officers couldn’t hear what he was saying as they approached, but he lashed out with the staff and caught one of the men a ringing blow below the ear before pointing back to the earth. Longinus raised an eyebrow and looked at Velius.

“
That’s Arius, our most junior optio. I don’t think Priscus likes him much; thinks he’s thick. He might just be right.”

Longinus frowned.

“
He’s
going
to be thick if he keeps getting clouted round the ears. I might have to have a quiet word with your primus pilus sometime soon. Or maybe with Fronto.”

Velius shook his head.

“
I wouldn’t worry over much about it, sir. Priscus knows what he’s doing. Young optios get hit on occasions. It’s part of the training and promotion process. When I started out in the Tenth the primus pilus was an evil old bastard who treated me like something he trod in. In fact, he did tread in me occasionally. Tremendous old sod, though. It breeds tough men.”

Longinus smiled at the grizzled centurion. It occurred to him that everyone who met Velius seemed to complain about him vehemently for a while and then began to appreciate the man. If he’d had that kind of officer in the Ninth, he might have been tempted to make a go of his legionary command. Still, he was happy with command of the horse. He reined himself in from his wandering thoughts as the two of them reached the primus pilus.

Priscus turned and saluted at Longinus.

“
Morning sir. Touring the camp?”

“
Just dropping by with a message, Priscus. Caesar’s called a meeting at dusk and you’re going to have to attend.”

Priscus frowned and shifted to Velius.

“
Why, how’s the legate?”

Velius grinned.

“
Confused. And very prone to suggestion. If you want anything at the moment, I’d go and get him to sign it over. He’d probably sign away his year’s pay if you asked him.”

Priscus laughed.

“
I could do with a few things. Might go and see him in a bit. Still, I guess that means that I’m in sole command for now. Seems to be happening quite a lot at the moment. Where are you two off to then?”

Longinus waved the jug of wine.

“
Going to Balbus’ tent to test the quality of this. Coming?”

Priscus wavered for a moment, then shook his head.

“
Can’t really, sir. Too much to do without Fronto here.”

Velius winced.

“
Need me here?”

“
No, I’ll manage. Just don’t get plastered. I’ll certainly need you later.”

Velius nodded as they turned and made their way toward the area allocated to the Eighth. Balbus’ tent would be in the praetorium. As they approached the periphery, the guards assigned to patrol the edge moved forward to challenge them. The javelins were levelled and then one of them said something to the other and they were lifted again.

“
Pass, friends.”

Longinus cocked an eyebrow at Velius.

“
What do you suppose that was about?”

The centurion grinned.

“
I’ve noticed that a lot of the Eighth’s officers avoid eye contact with me. I think I might have frightened them a little when we defended the wall at Geneva.”

A voice behind them pulled them up short.

“
Longinus!”

They turned to see Crassus marching at high speed toward the Eighth’s camp. As he approached the perimeter, the guards stepped forward and levelled their weapons.

“
Halt! Who goes there?”

“
Get out of my way you idiots unless you want to be beaten to death.”

The two men dithered for a moment and, Longinus noticed, both looked at Velius who gave a barely perceptible nod.

“
Pass, friend.”

The javelins were put back up.

Crassus walked straight up to Longinus, apparently ignoring Velius altogether.

“
Longinus, I want to talk about the cavalry.”

Longinus glanced sidelong at Velius and then sighed.

“
What about the cavalry.”

“
I’ve been thinking about it and I think you need to reorganise.”

“
What?”

Crassus grounded his staff and leaned forward on it, emphasising his words with a waving finger.

“
You’re going to be up against around six thousand cavalry when we meet the Germans. I know they’re only barbarians, but that’s far more than we’ve ever fought in one group.”

Longinus growled.

“
I’m aware of the odds, Crassus.”

“
Are you also aware of the danger of having your auxiliary cavalry so separate from the regulars?”

“
Crassus, I’m tired and I’m bored and you’re annoying me. Get to the point.”

Crassus’ face was slowly gaining in colour.

“
Nearly all of your auxiliary alae are controlled by Gauls. They’ve got more in common with the Germans than with us. What makes you think they won’t just turn round and join Ariovistus? You should split your regulars among the Auxilia to keep them in line. Use your prefects and decurions to lead them.”

Longinus sighed again.

“
Crassus, the Auxilia fight much better under their own leaders than under ours. They feel more loyalty and the Gauls understand their troops’ fighting techniques better.
And
they hate the Germans probably more than we do. You may be a big man in Rome, and you may even be a competent legionary commander, but you’re not a horseman and you don’t understand the cavalry. Kindly stop sticking your nose in where it’s not wanted and go put it back up the General’s backside, where you habitually keep it.”

As Crassus’ mouth opened and closed, trying to find words through his rage, Longinus turned his back on the man and walked off. Velius trotted to catch up and, once they were out of earshot, turned to Longinus, grinning.

“
I’m fair impressed. It’s not often a man comes out with a more outrageous line than me, but I like that. Don’t you think he’s a dangerous man to cross, though?”

Longinus shook his head.

“
The man’s an arsehole and he wants my job, you mark my words. I’ll talk to Caesar later. I’m not having that man running any of my cavalry. Let’s go find Balbus. I
really
need that drink now.”

* * * * *

The morning dawned bright and pale, a heavy dew still resting on the grass and the leather tents. The legions were now on permanent standby. Five days ago, Ariovistus had marched his army in a wide arc past the Roman camp and settled on the other side, effectively blocking the supply route to the Sequani and the Aedui. For the last five days, Caesar had brought the entire army out in force onto the field between the two camps. The men were marshalled and ready for battle; even eager. The last four days the army had waited, taunting the Germans, trying everything they could to draw Ariovistus out of his camp and onto a field of battle, but the German leader had not yet moved from his camp.

At the rear of the lines of men, Fronto sat on horseback next to Caesar and Longinus. His head was sore, but he was in full command of his faculties again.

“
Can we not just go in and take him in the camp sir?”

Caesar shook his head.

“
We can’t take them effectively in their own camp and I won’t risk the casualties we’d receive doing it that way. We need to draw them into the field.”

Fronto sighed.

“
They won’t
be
drawn. We’ve done this for days. I reckon we’ve got maybe a week left before the supply situation becomes dangerous, then we’ll
have
to take them in their camp. Supply wagons aren’t even
trying
to get to us now.”

Longinus tapped his temple and smiled. Leaning forward in his saddle he gestured to Fronto and Caesar.

“
I think I might be able to draw the cavalry out. They’re not coming out as long as the legions are here. We’ve established several times now to what lengths Ariovistus is willing to go to avoid an engagement with the legions. If you pull the legions back to camp I might be able to get the German cavalry to commit.”

Caesar looked unsure.

“
There are supposedly six thousand of them and they’ll almost certainly bring some infantry support out with them. How many horse have
we
got?”

“
Some nine or ten thousand at the moment. To be honest, I haven’t had a chance to take an accurate census since we left Bibracte. Extra units were still drifting in from various tribes when we left Vesontio.”

A frown.

“
Do you think it’s wise, Longinus? You outnumber them, but not if they bring out enough support. Are you willing to take the risk? I don’t want to find myself in a few days fighting the entire German army with no cavalry support.”

Longinus smiled.

“
Fronto?”

“
Mm?”

“
How long d’you think it would take to get two legions out of the camp and to our current position?”

“
If we were prepared, ten minutes at the most.”

“
Right. If we need any kind of cover, we’ll sound the retreat and start to pull back towards the camp. You can come out from behind us and give us the support we need to escape the field, yes?”

Fronto nodded.

“
Fine by me. Balbus and I’ll have our men on standby. One sound from that horn and we’ll be out to protect you.”

Longinus looked at Caesar and shrugged.

“
Well sir?”

“
I still don’t like it, but if you think it will gain us in any way, do as you see fit.”

Longinus grinned and rode off to the cavalry, massed at one end of the Roman lines. Fronto nodded at Caesar and then approached the staff cornicen.

“
Sound the recall. Get everyone back to camp.”

As the cornicen began to play, Fronto rode along the lines looking for Priscus and Balbus. Spotting them relatively close together, where the Tenth stood alongside the Eighth in the line, he called out to them.

Fronto explained the contingency plan to the others as the legions backed in perfect unison from the field. Longinus, however, reached the cavalry as they were starting to pull back. Looking around he spotted Varus and Ingenuus and waved them over.

“
Right, lads. We’ve got permission to draw the bastards out and give them a beating. The legions are heading back to camp, but the Eight and the Tenth will be on standby to help if we need them. I need you to relay all the orders to the native contingents and to the regular officers. We’re going to split into three wings. Varus, you take the right. Ingenuus: the left. I’ll lead the central unit. We should have around six alae each, and probably more Auxilia besides.”