19.* The Romans, having obtained the dominion of the world, sent legates
or deputies to the Britons to demand of them hostages and tribute, which
they received from all other countries and islands; but they, fierce,
disdainful, and haughty, treated the legation with contempt.
* Some MSS. add, I will now return to the point from which I
made this digression.
Then Julius Caesar, the first who had acquired absolute power at Rome,
highly incensed against the Britons, sailed with sixty vessels to the
mouth of the Thames, where they suffered shipwreck whilst he fought
against Dolobellus, (the proconsul of the British king, who was called
Belinus, and who was the son of Minocannus who governed all the islands
of the Tyrrhene Sea), and thus Julius Caesar returned home without
victory, having had his soldiers Slain, and his ships shattered.
20. But after three years he again appeared with a large army, and three
hundred ships, at the mouth of the Thames, where he renewed hostilities.
In this attempt many of his soldiers and horses were killed; for the
same consul had placed iron pikes in the shallow part of the river, and
this having been effected with so much skill and secrecy as to escape
the notice of the Roman soldiers, did them considerable injury; thus
Caesar was once more compelled to return without peace or victory.
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