Ergo quia spatium deliberandi aut exiguum dabatur aut nullum, hinc impatientia militis perterrente, inde horrenda circumsonantibus Alamannis, id consilium ratio celeritatis admisit, ut arctoam montium partem, quam clementer diximus esse proclivem, Sebastianus occuparet cum suis, fugientes Germanos, si fors ita tulisset, levi negotio confossurus: quo ita (ut placuit) maturato, Gratianoque apud signa Iovianorum retro detento, cuius aetas erat etiam tum proeliorum impatiens et laborum, Valentinianus ut dux cunctator et tutus, centurias et manipulos capite intecto collustrans, nullo potentium in conscientiam arcani adhibito, remota multitudine stipatorum, speculatum radices aggerum avolavit cum paucis, quorum industriam norat et fidem, praedicans (ut erat sui arrogans aestimator) inveniri posse aliam viam, ducentem ad arduos clivos, praeter eam quam inspexere procursatores.
Therefore, because little or no time for deliberation was given, since on one side the impatience of our soldiers was alarming, and on the other the Alamanni were yelling dreadfully all round, need for quick action made this plan advisable: that Sebastianus with his men should seize the northern part of the mountains, which (as we have said) had a gentle slope, in order that, if fortune should so decree, they might with little trouble strike down the Germans as they fled. The plan thus agreed upon was hastily carried out, and Gratianus, whose youth was even then unequal to battles and toil, was kept back with the legion of the Joviani, while Valentinian, as a deliberate and cautious leader, with uncovered head surveyed the centuries and maniples; and without taking anyone of the higher officers into his confidence he dismissed his throng of attendants, and with a few companions, known to him for their energy and fidelity, hastened off to inspect the foot of the hills, declaring (for he had a lofty opinion of his own judgment) that another way besides that which the scouts had seen could be found leading to the steep heights.
final_alignments\Ammianus_Marcellinus_Book27.json