5

308 NOTES.
secuti, aut altiores inter undas adnantes equis transmisere. Sta.
bat pro littore dieersa acies densa amis, virisque intercursantibus
fceminis, in modumfuriarum, vesleferali, crinibus dejectisfaces
prcfferebant, Druidaqiie circum, prcces diras sublatis ad calum
manibusfundentes, novitate aspectus perculere militem ui, quasi
heerentibus membris, immobile corpus vulneribus praberent.
Dein cohortationibus ducis, et se ipsi stimulantes, ne muliebre et
fanaticum agmen pavescerent, inferunt signa, sttrnunt que obvi.
ot, et igni suo involvunt. PreEsidium posthac impositum victis^
excisique luci scevis superstitionibus sacri. Nam cruore captivo
cdolere aras, et hominum fibris consulere Deosfas habebant.—
Annal. lib. 14. cap. 5. i. e. " Therefore he prepares to attack
the island Mona (Anglesy), powerful in inhabitants, and a receptacle
of deserters. He builds flat-bottomed ships, suited to
the shallow and uncertain channel. The infantry following the
cavalry, passed over that part which was fordable, but where the
water was too deep, laid hold of the horses, and by their aid
swam over. A motley army stood on the shore, thick with
arms, and women running up and down among the men, with
mournful garments, and loose hair, in tlie manner of furies, carried
torches before them. The Druids also, with their hands
lifted up towards heaven, and pouring out their direful prayers,
J80 terrified the soldiers with the novelty of the sight, that, as if
.they had been deprived of the use of their limbs, they suffered
themselves to be wounded without resistance. But being exhorted
by their general, and mutually encouraging each other
npt to be terrified by a womanish and fanatic rabble, they ad
Tance the standards, defeat their opponents, and involve them
in their own fires. A guard was placed on the conquered, and
the groves, sacred to cruel superstitions, were cut down ; for
they held it lawful to sacrifice captives on their altars, and t»
consult the gods by human entrails."
Tacitus does not here mention (he temples of the Druids, but
he particularly mentions the groves, altars, and human sacrifices.
The truth is, some authors nitution one appendage, and others
another, of the Druidic worship. Cicsar, lib. 0. cap, 17, t»kes