four times before. [1] The Night before the Battel, a Spy being taken in the Camp, was brought to his Tent. And the Emperour having a mind to examine him, the Man told him; I am so very Cold that I can't speak, therefore if you would know any thing of me, you must first order me some Cloaths to my back, if you have any. The Emperour was not at all displeas'd with his Bluntness, but gave him what he ask'd for, and so let him go.
[2] And here we must not forget the Exploit of a private Soldier, who standing Centinel one Night on the bank of the Danube, and hearing the Voice of some of his fellow Soldiers, whom the Enemy had taken by surprize on the other side, he immediately swam the River in his Armour, disengag'd his Comerades, and brought them off with him into the Camp the same way.
The Year following there broke out a much more dangerous War than that which they had finish'd. The Marcomanni, [3] and the Quadi, a very warlike People raised a great Army, at which the Romans were extreamly dispirited, being in a very ill Condition to resist so powerful an Enemy, at a time when the Plague raged violently both in Town and Country, and swept away vast Multitudes into their Graves.
