Beric the Briton : a Story of the Roman Invasion eBook

“In that respect we shall be far better off than they would.  We shall really have no difficulty about food.  It would need twenty legions to form a cordon along the slopes of these hills on both sides, and we can, while opposing the Romans, always detach parties to make forays down into the plain and drive off sheep, goats, and cattle.  Besides, among the lower forests there are herds of swine pasturing, which will be available for our use.  The question of food will be of no trouble to us, but on the other hand, it will be a vast trouble to the Romans.  Every foot that they advance from their magazines at Cosenza their difficulties will increase.  They must make roads as they go, and their convoys will always be exposed to our attacks.  Very large bodies of men must otherwise be employed in escorting them.  They may form depots at the foot of the hills as they advance, but even then their difficulties will be prodigious.

“I should propose to fight them as we fought them in the swamps of my native land—­to harass them night and day, to wear them out with false alarms, to oppose them in the defiles, to hurl down the rocks on them from precipices, to cut off their convoys, and fall upon their camps at night, until they lose all confidence in themselves, and dare only move hither and thither in a solid body.  Not until they have destroyed the whole of the forests between Cosenza and Rhegium, and made roads everywhere across the mountains, ought they be able to overcome us.  It will be time enough to think of retiring then.  By descending the western slopes a long night march would take us north of Cosenza, and we could then take to the hills again; or we could descend upon the coast near Rhegium at night, seize a fishing village, embark in its boats and cross the strait, and before morning be among the mountains of Sicily, which are so vast and far stretching that operations which, though possible, are difficult here, could not probably be carried on against us.”

Beric’s words were received with enthusiastic approval.  Before all had felt dispirited, and though ready to fight to the last, had deemed that the resistance could be but short and their fate certain.  Now they saw before them a veritable war, in which they could hope to defend themselves successfully, and if beaten here escape to renew it elsewhere, and which promised them an abundant opportunity for encountering the Romans.  This was what they most longed for.  Not one there but hated Rome with a bitter hatred, as the author of unnumbered woes to their tribes, their families and themselves.  Death had no terrors whatever to these men, so that they could die fighting with Romans.  Rising to their feet they returned with exulting shouts to their comrades.

CHAPTER XX:  MOUNTAIN WARFARE

The gladiators sprang to their feet as their leaders returned to them, and eagerly questioned them as to the news that had so reanimated them.  But they only replied, “Beric will tell you,” and Beric was obliged to mount a rock near the spot where they had been feasting, and to repeat to the whole of the assembly his plan for the campaign against the Romans.  Loud shouts greeted his speech, the Gauls and Britons clashing their swords against their shields as was their custom, and the others signified their approval each after the manner of his country.