BOOK XVI. II. 5-III. 8 



seemed to be puqDosely driven by the waves against 

 the bows of the ships at anchor for the night, which 

 thus were unavoidably compclled to engage in a 

 naval battle with trees. 



In the same northern region is the vast expanse 

 of the Hercynian oak forest/^ untouched by the ages 

 and coeval with the world, which surpasses all marvels 

 by its almost immortal destiny. To omit other facts 

 that would lack credence, it is well known that 

 the colhsion of the roots encountering each other 

 raises up hillocks of earth, or, where the ground 

 has not kept up to them, their arches in their 

 struggle with one another rise as high as the 

 branches, and curve over in the shape of open 

 gateways, so as to aiford a passage to squadrons 

 of cavalry. 



They are practically all of the acorn-bearing Wreathsof 

 class of oak, which is ever held in honour at Rome, ^me!^^ 

 III. because from it are obtained the Civic Wreaths, 

 that glorious emblem of miUtary valour, but now for 

 a long time past also an emblem of the emperors' 

 clemency,* ever since, owing to the impiety of the 

 civil wars, not to kill a fellow-citizen had come to be 

 deemed meritorious. Below these rank mural 

 crowns and rampart-crowns and also golden crowns,'^ 

 although surpassing them in cost, and below them 

 Ukewise are beaked crowns, albeit down to the 

 present supremely famous in the case of two persons, 

 Marcus Varro who was given this honour by Pompey C7 b.o. 

 the Great as a result of the wars against the pirates, 

 and Hkewise Marcus Agrippa who was awarded it sc b.c. 

 by Augustus after the Sicilian wars, which were also 

 waged against pirates. Previously the forum was The Rostra. 

 graced by the rams of ships fastened in front of the 



391 



