HUNDREDS of years passed after Brutus conquered Albion and changed
its name to Britain, during which time many kings and queens reigned
over the island. Our great poet Shakespeare has written about
one of these kings who was called King Lear. Some day you must
read his story.
There were many good and wise rulers among these ancient British
kings. But it would take too long to tell of them, so we must
pass on to the time when another great warrior heard of the little
lonely island and came to conquer it.
The name of this great warrior was Julius Cæsar. He was
a Roman. At that time the Romans were a very powerful people.
They called themselves the masters of the world.
It is true they were very clever. They had taught themselves
how to fight, how to make swords and armor, and how to build fortresses,
better than any of the peoples who lived then. So it happened
that the Romans generally won the victory over all who fought
against them.
But they were a very greedy people and, as soon as they heard
of a new country, they wanted to conquer it and call it part of
the Roman Empire.
Julius Cæsar had been fighting in Gaul, or France as we
now call it. While there, he heard of the little island with white
cliffs over the sea. He was told that the people were very big
and brave and fierce. He also heard that it was a rich land full
of tin, lead, and other useful metals, and that the shores were
strewn with precious pearls. So he resolved to conquer this land
and add it to the Roman Empire.
Cæsar gathered together about eighty ships, twelve thousand
men, and a great many horses. These he thought would be enough
with which to conquer the wild men of Britain. One fine day he
set sail from France and soon came in sight of the island. The
Britons in some way or other had heard of his coming and had gathered
to meet him. As he drew near, Cæsar saw with surprise that
the whole shore was covered with men ready for battle. He also
saw that the place which he had chosen for landing was not good,
for there were high, steep cliffs upon which the Britons could
stand and shower darts upon his soldiers. So he turned his ships
and sailed along the coast until he came to a place where the
shore was flat.
The Roman ships were called galleys. They had sails, but were
also moved by oars. The rowers sat in long lines down each side
of the galley. Sometimes there were two or three tiers of them
sitting one above the other. These rowers were generally slaves
and worked in chains. They were often soldiers who had been taken
prisoner in war, or wicked men who were punished for their misdeeds
by being made to row in these galleys.
It was a dreadful life. The work was very hard, and in a storm
if the vessel was wrecked, as often happened, the poor galley
slaves were almost sure to be drowned, because their heavy chains
prevented them from swimming.
men with spears standing on cliff as fleet of ships approaches
'THE SHORE WAS COVERED WITH MEN READY FOR BATTLE.'
As the Roman galleys sailed along the coast, the British warriors
with their horses and war chariots followed on land.
The war chariots of the British were very terrible. They were
like light carts and held several men; one to drive the horses
and the others to fight. On either side, from the center of the
wheels, swords stuck out. As the wheels went round these swords
cut down, killed, or wounded every one who came within reach.
The Britons trained their horses so well, that they would rush
madly into battle or stand stock still in a moment. It was a fearful
sight to see these war chariots charge an enemy.
After sailing along the coast a little way, Cæsar found
a good place at which to land, and turned his vessels inshore.
But the great galleys required so much water in which to sail
that they could not come quite close to land.
Seeing this, Cæsar told his soldiers to jump into the water.
But the soldiers hesitated, for the Britons had rushed into the
water to meet them and the Romans did not like the idea of fighting
in the sea.
Although the Romans were very good soldiers, they were not such
good sailors as might have been expected. They did not love the
water as the Britons did.
These fierce "barbarians," as the Romans called the
Britons, urging their horses into the waves, greeted the enemy
with loud shouts. Every inch of the shore was known to them. They
knew exactly where it was shallow and where it was deep, so they
galloped through the water without fear.
Suddenly a brave Roman, when he saw how the soldiers hesitated,
seized a standard and leaped overboard crying, "Leap forth
now, soldiers, if you will not betray your ensign to the enemy,
for I surely will bear myself as is my duty."
The Romans did not have flags such as we have in our army. Their
standard was an eagle which was carried upon a pole. The eagle
was of gold, or gilded to look like gold. Wherever the eagle led,
there the soldiers followed, for it was the emblem of their honor,
and they fought for and guarded it as their most precious possession.
So now, when the Roman soldiers saw their standard in the midst
of the enemy, they followed with all haste. Their fear was great
lest it should be taken. It was counted as a terrible disgrace
to the Romans if they returned from battle without their standard.
Death was better than disgrace, so they leaped into the water
to meet the fierce Britons.
A fearful fight followed. The Romans could not keep their proper
order, neither could they find firm footing. Weighted down with
their heavy armor, they sank in the sand or slipped upon the rocks.
All the while the Britons showered darts upon them and struck
at them fiercely with their battle-axes and swords.
The Britons were very brave, but they had not learned the best
ways of fighting as the Romans had. So after a terrible struggle
the Romans reached the land. On shore they formed in close ranks
and charged the Britons.
The Britons in their turn charged the Romans with their war chariots.
The horses tore wildly along, neighing and champing their bits,
and trampling underfoot those who were not cut down with the swords
on the wheels. As they galloped, the fighting men in the cars
threw darts and arrows everywhere among the enemy. When they were
in the thickest of the fray the horses would suddenly stand still.
Then the soldiers, springing out of the chariot, would fight fiercely
for a few minutes with their battle-axes, killing every one within
reach. Again they would leap into the cart, the horses would start
forward and once more gallop wildly through the ranks of the enemy,
leaving a track of dead behind them wherever they passed. But
in spite of all their wild bravery the Britons were beaten at
last and fled before the Romans.
Thus Cæsar first landed upon the shores of Britain. But
so many of his soldiers were killed and wounded that he was glad
to make peace with these brave islanders.
He sailed away again in such of his ships as had not been destroyed.
For fierce storms had arisen a few days after his landing and
wrecked many of his vessels.
Cæsar did not gain much glory from this fight. Indeed,
when he went away, it seemed rather as if he were fleeing from
a foe than leaving a conquered land.
