Mighty England Author:William Elliot Griffis Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II THE ROMANS IN BRITAIN Into this far-off island, at the edge of the western world, as it seemed to the Romans, Julius Csesar came in B. c. 55 wit... more »h two legions, or fourteen thousand soldiers. These were carried across the Channel in a fleet of long boats built on the Belgic coast opposite, and rowed by men chained to the oar, prisoners of war. Csesar had conquered Gaul and the Belgic tribes. He looked upon his task very much as generals of the United States Army considered the clearing of Arizona and Idaho of savage red men, in order to open wild land to civilization. With the arrival of the Romans begins the first half of English history. Briton and Roman It must have been a grand and terrible sight for the Britons, as the sun shone on the high prows of the strange ships, and the majestic sweep of their flashing oars. If these ships were triremes, they had three banks, and were each propelled by over one hundred rowers. The men from Italy, who gathered on the decks under their golden eagles, relied on discipline as well as courage. They had also the prestige of previous success. They felt as civilized men always do—justified in attacking barbarism. The Britonsdepended on their muscle, valor, and power of superior numbers and mass, though in fighting they acted only as individuals. They hoped to hinder the Romans from landing, and to crush their enemies before they could form on the shore and penetrate the country. These natives, with long moustaches, even rushed into the water and with loud taunts and cries defied the invaders to battle. At first Caesar's soldiers seemed to quail. Then the standard-bearer of the Sixth Legion leaped into the waves and called on his comrades to follow him. The charge of the legionaries even in the water was irresistible, while ...« less