and is thus better fitted than many far older than he to instruct
you how best to stand their onset, and I prophesy that under him no
small honour and glory will fall to the tribe, and that they will
bear a signal share in avenging our gods and winning our freedom.
Come hither, Beric;" and the Druid, laying a hand upon the lad's
head, raised the other to heaven and implored the gods to bestow
wisdom and strength upon him, and to raise in him a mighty champion
of his country and faith. Then he uttered a terrible malediction upon
any who should disobey Beric's orders, or question his authority,
who should show faint heart in the day of battle, or hold his life
of any account in the cause of his country.

"Now," he concluded, "retire to your homes. We must give no cause
or pretext for Roman aggression until the signal is given. You
will not be idle. Your young chief will teach you somewhat of the
discipline that has rendered the Roman soldiers so formidable, so
that you may know how to set yourselves in the day of battle, how
to oppose rank to rank, to draw off in good order, or to press
forward to victory. The issue is ever in the hands of the gods,
but we should do all we can to deserve it. It is good to learn even
from our enemies. They have studied war for ages, and if they have
conquered brave peoples, it has not been by superior valour, but
because they have studied war, while others have trusted solely to
their native valour. Therefore deem not instruction useless, or
despise methods simply because you do not understand them. None
could be braver than those who fought under Caractacus, yet they
were conquered, not by the valour, but by the discipline of the
Romans. It was the will of the gods that your young chief should
dwell for four years a hostage among the Romans, and doubtless
they willed it should be so in order that he might be fitted to be