58 BC
The Aedui were a very powerful tribe of Gaul, recognized for their immense military strength and for their political influence on other tribes, plus they were very close to Rome who had declared that 'the Aedui were friends of the Romans' and as such none he had to dare to attack them or threaten their independence. Divitiacus was an important druid famous for his magical powers, in the Age of Gods the magicians were considered similar to deities by many plebeians; this druid whose name translated into "the Avenger" showed up in the camp of Gaius Julius Caesar, with extreme humility he placed himself at her feet while she was planning together with one of her legatus named Titus Labienus. When she saw Divitiacus she asked:
"A druid in my camp? Why did the guards let you through?"
"My name is Divitiacus, I'm the vergobret of the Aedui and I'm here to ask the Romans for help. My people ... my people, are in danger. The king of the Germans, Ariovistus, has conquered the Arverni and Sequani and is now aiming to expand his domain; first he will attack us and then take all of Gaul."
"Ariovistus? Get up, Druid, explain to me what's happening."
"In the past the tribes of Arverni and Sequani asked Ariovistus' military help to defeat our glorious army. I regret to say that we lost but Ariovistus decided to subdue the people he had helped, he killed their commanders, he took control of their plantations and their armies. I invoke our friendship, the friendship between Aedui and Romans, to fight the Germans of Ariovistus. "
"You work magic," said Titus Labienus, "can't you work some miracle to fight that barbarian king? We can't waste troops fighting a war against a foreign king who doesn't have a problem with Rome."
"I do magic, yes, but I don't have that weapon" Divitiacus replied, pointing to Caesar's Crocea Mors.
"Barbarian, be careful how you speak. Caesar's weapon is in the service of Rome not of-"
"I accept," Caesar said without hesitation.
Titus Labienus, surprised, exclaimed:
"You don't have to, Caesar! He's just a druid!"
Caesar, raising her hand, silenced Labienus and then, turning to Divitiacus, said:
"I'll help you but on one condition: I will not use the sword. This sword, whose fame dates back to the time of Romulus, will not be used by me. I do not use divine weapons to win, I use my intelligence and my strength. "
Divitiacus accepted the conditions of Caesar. He had no other choice. From that moment, Caesar began to send ambassadors to Ariovistus with the aim of reaching a truce and at the same time protecting the Aedui; but Ariovistus didn't want to hear reasons, he wanted to get more power, and in the end the two decided to meet face to face.
In a neutral area, in front of the eyes of all the soldiers, Caesar and Ariovistus arrived on horseback escorted by their guards. They both got off their steeds to look each other straight in the eye. Ariovistus seeing Caesar immediately mocked her:
"A woman? Is this what Rome is sending me? A woman? Your writing seemed feminine to me but I didn't think I was dealing with a real woman who commands armies. Our women don't command, our men are the only ones to hold the power, I hold the power. I am Ariovistus, king of the Germans, of the Sequani and of the Arverni, soon I'll be the ruler of the Aedui and one day also of the rest of Gaul. I claim to be respected as a ruler not to be insulted by you Romans. Sending me a woman is like making fun of me. I demand a true warrior." He turned and pointing to Labienus said: "I demand someone like him! His gaze is like that of a predator, he's worthy of being killed by me!"
Caesar, angered by the king's impudence, replied:
"I'm a woman, it's true, but do not be fooled by my appearance. Divitiacus, the most powerful Druid of the Aedui, has come to ask for my help to fight against your army. What I intend to do is protect his people with the help of my legions. Labienus? He's a good warrior, but it's not him that you need to worry about. I'm your enemy. "
"Rome helps the Aedui? The last time my people attacked them the Senate of Rome ignored the Aedui's requests. You pretend to be their allies but you've already abandoned them once, you're not their protectors and you're no different from us , you want to conquer them too, it's just that you are waiting for the right opportunity to do so. I know. But I'm not as timid as you Romans. I act, I don't wait. So go back to your Senate and tell those old men that I, Ariovistus, have no intention of retiring for fear of your 'friendship' with the Aedui. "
"You accuse my people of being selfish and yet your people are more selfish than mine. You submit, you don't bring civilization. Wherever you go there is only destruction and hunger. You're only Barbarians."
"Be careful how you speak, Roman. You despise my people, you despise my culture, but I won't be foolish enough to face Rome. You've already defeated the Germans in the past, I know, so I will not try to challenge you but if you want we can find a deal that benefits both of you. Romans and Germans share the same ambitions, after all."
"What are you proposing?"
"Let's divide up the territories of the Aedui. The Germans and the Romans can be allies and subdue the whole of Gaul together."
Caesar glanced at Titus Labienus, he was behind her and from his expression it was clear that he had no intention of making an agreement with the king of the Germans. The girl looked at the king and with a grin she asserted:
"I have a better idea ..." Caesar turned his back on Ariovistus.
The Germanic king, confused, asked:
"What would this idea be?"
She turned away showing that voracious and malignant look of hers:
"Arm all your soldiers, Ariovistus, since I will massacre you."
It was something that had never happened before. Rome didn't attack a people without a casus belli, a reason for war, but Caesar didn't need such a thing. It was clear that she was not interested in protecting the Aedui, she was just looking for an excuse to start her march in Gaul and with the king of the Germans she had just found her.
In Alsace, Caesar deployed thirty thousand legionaries and faced the immense army of Ariovistus which numbered one hundred and twenty thousand soldiers. The battle was terrible but Caesar, thanks to his innovative tactics, was able to defeat Ariovistus' army in a few moves. The enemies lost eighty thousand soldiers and retreated, the Romans only lost six thousand men.
Ariovistus fled to avoid being killed but Caesar decided not to follow him, for her it was not worth it.
Walking among the corpses of his enemies he looked at the faces of those dead Germans, they had been excellent men, valiant, excellent opponents but he felt no sadness in front of that expanse of lifeless bodies.
Titus Labienus, who was with Caesar, asked curiously:
"You're an aristocrat, why are you here? The Roman aristocrats do not like to fight together with the legion, they hate to eat with us and live as we live. Why don't you have these problems?"
"Because I need you. I need your strength to be someone really important. In Rome what matters is power and I will create my personal power."
"How?"
"I feel like I am carrying a huge burden on my shoulders. I feel the owner of my destiny and I need someone faithful who will never betray me: the people are corruptible and the aristocrats are blinded by money and luxury. The army it's my only hope to change the state of things."
"I understand ... so this war is the means to that very end, right?"
"Exactly. I will stop at nothing to get what I want."
The Aedui were a very powerful tribe of Gaul, recognized for their immense military strength and for their political influence on other tribes, plus they were very close to Rome who had declared that 'the Aedui were friends of the Romans' and as such none he had to dare to attack them or threaten their independence. Divitiacus was an important druid famous for his magical powers, in the Age of Gods the magicians were considered similar to deities by many plebeians; this druid whose name translated into "the Avenger" showed up in the camp of Gaius Julius Caesar, with extreme humility he placed himself at her feet while she was planning together with one of her legatus named Titus Labienus. When she saw Divitiacus she asked:
"A druid in my camp? Why did the guards let you through?"
"My name is Divitiacus, I'm the vergobret of the Aedui and I'm here to ask the Romans for help. My people ... my people, are in danger. The king of the Germans, Ariovistus, has conquered the Arverni and Sequani and is now aiming to expand his domain; first he will attack us and then take all of Gaul."
"Ariovistus? Get up, Druid, explain to me what's happening."
"In the past the tribes of Arverni and Sequani asked Ariovistus' military help to defeat our glorious army. I regret to say that we lost but Ariovistus decided to subdue the people he had helped, he killed their commanders, he took control of their plantations and their armies. I invoke our friendship, the friendship between Aedui and Romans, to fight the Germans of Ariovistus. "
"You work magic," said Titus Labienus, "can't you work some miracle to fight that barbarian king? We can't waste troops fighting a war against a foreign king who doesn't have a problem with Rome."
"I do magic, yes, but I don't have that weapon" Divitiacus replied, pointing to Caesar's Crocea Mors.
"Barbarian, be careful how you speak. Caesar's weapon is in the service of Rome not of-"
"I accept," Caesar said without hesitation.
Titus Labienus, surprised, exclaimed:
"You don't have to, Caesar! He's just a druid!"
Caesar, raising her hand, silenced Labienus and then, turning to Divitiacus, said:
"I'll help you but on one condition: I will not use the sword. This sword, whose fame dates back to the time of Romulus, will not be used by me. I do not use divine weapons to win, I use my intelligence and my strength. "
Divitiacus accepted the conditions of Caesar. He had no other choice. From that moment, Caesar began to send ambassadors to Ariovistus with the aim of reaching a truce and at the same time protecting the Aedui; but Ariovistus didn't want to hear reasons, he wanted to get more power, and in the end the two decided to meet face to face.
In a neutral area, in front of the eyes of all the soldiers, Caesar and Ariovistus arrived on horseback escorted by their guards. They both got off their steeds to look each other straight in the eye. Ariovistus seeing Caesar immediately mocked her:
"A woman? Is this what Rome is sending me? A woman? Your writing seemed feminine to me but I didn't think I was dealing with a real woman who commands armies. Our women don't command, our men are the only ones to hold the power, I hold the power. I am Ariovistus, king of the Germans, of the Sequani and of the Arverni, soon I'll be the ruler of the Aedui and one day also of the rest of Gaul. I claim to be respected as a ruler not to be insulted by you Romans. Sending me a woman is like making fun of me. I demand a true warrior." He turned and pointing to Labienus said: "I demand someone like him! His gaze is like that of a predator, he's worthy of being killed by me!"
Caesar, angered by the king's impudence, replied:
"I'm a woman, it's true, but do not be fooled by my appearance. Divitiacus, the most powerful Druid of the Aedui, has come to ask for my help to fight against your army. What I intend to do is protect his people with the help of my legions. Labienus? He's a good warrior, but it's not him that you need to worry about. I'm your enemy. "
"Rome helps the Aedui? The last time my people attacked them the Senate of Rome ignored the Aedui's requests. You pretend to be their allies but you've already abandoned them once, you're not their protectors and you're no different from us , you want to conquer them too, it's just that you are waiting for the right opportunity to do so. I know. But I'm not as timid as you Romans. I act, I don't wait. So go back to your Senate and tell those old men that I, Ariovistus, have no intention of retiring for fear of your 'friendship' with the Aedui. "
"You accuse my people of being selfish and yet your people are more selfish than mine. You submit, you don't bring civilization. Wherever you go there is only destruction and hunger. You're only Barbarians."
"Be careful how you speak, Roman. You despise my people, you despise my culture, but I won't be foolish enough to face Rome. You've already defeated the Germans in the past, I know, so I will not try to challenge you but if you want we can find a deal that benefits both of you. Romans and Germans share the same ambitions, after all."
"What are you proposing?"
"Let's divide up the territories of the Aedui. The Germans and the Romans can be allies and subdue the whole of Gaul together."
Caesar glanced at Titus Labienus, he was behind her and from his expression it was clear that he had no intention of making an agreement with the king of the Germans. The girl looked at the king and with a grin she asserted:
"I have a better idea ..." Caesar turned his back on Ariovistus.
The Germanic king, confused, asked:
"What would this idea be?"
She turned away showing that voracious and malignant look of hers:
"Arm all your soldiers, Ariovistus, since I will massacre you."
It was something that had never happened before. Rome didn't attack a people without a casus belli, a reason for war, but Caesar didn't need such a thing. It was clear that she was not interested in protecting the Aedui, she was just looking for an excuse to start her march in Gaul and with the king of the Germans she had just found her.
In Alsace, Caesar deployed thirty thousand legionaries and faced the immense army of Ariovistus which numbered one hundred and twenty thousand soldiers. The battle was terrible but Caesar, thanks to his innovative tactics, was able to defeat Ariovistus' army in a few moves. The enemies lost eighty thousand soldiers and retreated, the Romans only lost six thousand men.
Ariovistus fled to avoid being killed but Caesar decided not to follow him, for her it was not worth it.
Walking among the corpses of his enemies he looked at the faces of those dead Germans, they had been excellent men, valiant, excellent opponents but he felt no sadness in front of that expanse of lifeless bodies.
Titus Labienus, who was with Caesar, asked curiously:
"You're an aristocrat, why are you here? The Roman aristocrats do not like to fight together with the legion, they hate to eat with us and live as we live. Why don't you have these problems?"
"Because I need you. I need your strength to be someone really important. In Rome what matters is power and I will create my personal power."
"How?"
"I feel like I am carrying a huge burden on my shoulders. I feel the owner of my destiny and I need someone faithful who will never betray me: the people are corruptible and the aristocrats are blinded by money and luxury. The army it's my only hope to change the state of things."
"I understand ... so this war is the means to that very end, right?"
"Exactly. I will stop at nothing to get what I want."
