theirweightwassoinconsiderable，thattheyweretransportedonwagonsfromonerivertoanother；andthepirateswhohadenteredthemouthoftheSeine，oroftheRhine，mightdescend，withtherapidstreamoftheRhone，intotheMediterranean。UnderthereignofValentinian，themaritimeprovincesofGaulwereafflictedbytheSaxons:amilitarycountwasstationedforthedefenceofthesea—coast，orArmoricanlimit；andthatofficer，whofoundhisstrength，orhisabilities，unequaltothetask，imploredtheassistanceofSeverus，master—generaloftheinfantry。TheSaxons，surroundedandoutnumbered，wereforcedtorelinquishtheirspoil，andtoyieldaselectbandoftheirtallandrobustyouthtoserveintheImperialarmies。Theystipulatedonlyasafeandhonorableretreat；andtheconditionwasreadilygrantedbytheRomangeneral，whomeditatedanactofperfidy，^106imprudentasitwasinhuman，whileaSaxonremainedalive，andinarms，torevengethefateoftheircountrymen。Theprematureeagernessoftheinfantry，whoweresecretlypostedinadeepvalley，betrayedtheambuscade；andtheywouldperhapshavefallenthevictimsoftheirowntreachery，ifalargebodyofcuirassiers，alarmedbythenoiseofthecombat，hadnothastilyadvancedtoextricatetheircompanions，andtooverwhelmtheundauntedvaloroftheSaxons。Someoftheprisonersweresavedfromtheedgeofthesword，toshedtheirbloodintheamphitheatre；andtheoratorSymmachuscomplains，thattwenty—nineofthosedesperatesavages，bystranglingthemselveswiththeirownhands，haddisappointedtheamusementofthepublic。YetthepoliteandphilosophiccitizensofRomewereimpressedwiththedeepesthorror，whentheywereinformed，thattheSaxonsconsecratedtothegodsthetitheoftheirhumanspoil；andthattheyascertainedbylottheobjectsofthebarbaroussacrifice。^107
[Footnote101:Atthenorthernextremityofthepeninsula，theCimbricpromontoryofPliny，iv。27，PtolemyfixestheremnantoftheCimbri。HefillstheintervalbetweentheSaxonsandtheCimbriwithsixobscuretribes，whowereunited，asearlyasthesixthcentury，underthenationalappellationofDanes。SeeCluver。German。Antiq。l。iii。c。21，22，23。]
[Footnote102:M。D\'AnvilleEstablissementdesEtatsdel\'Europe，&c。，p。19—26hasmarkedtheextensivelimitsoftheSaxonyofCharlemagne。]
[Footnote103:ThefleetofDrusushadfailedintheirattempttopass，oreventoapproach，theSound，styled，fromanobviousresemblance，thecolumnsofHercules，andthenavalenterprisewasneverresumed，Tacit。deMoribusGerman。c。34。TheknowledgewhichtheRomansacquiredofthenavalpowersoftheBaltic，c。44，45wasobtainedbytheirlandjourneysinsearchofamber。]
[Footnote104:QuinetAremoricuspiratamSaxonatractusSperabat；cuipellesalumsulcareBritannumLudus；etassutoglaucummarefinderelemboSidon。inPanegyr。Avit。369。