Caesar then came forward, threw off his mantle, and said to them, "Friends! you have nothing to fear.

You are carrying Caesar." The men were, of course, inspirited anew by this disclosure, but all was in vain.

The obstacles to the passage proved insurmountable, and the galley, to avoid certain destruction, was compelled to return.
[Sidenote: Caesar lands the remainder of his army.] The army, however, on the Italian side, hearing of Caesar's attempt to return to them, fruitless though it was, and stimulated by the renewed urgency of the orders which he now sent to them, made arrangements at last for an embarkation, and, after encountering great dangers on the way, succeeded in landing in safety.

Caesar, thus strengthened, began to plan more decided operations for the coming spring.
[Sidenote: Attempts at negotiation.] [Sidenote: Conferences.] [Sidenote: End in violence and disorder.] There were some attempts at negotiation.

The armies were so exasperated against each other on account of the privations and hardships which each compelled the other to suffer, that they felt too strong a mutual distrust to attempt any regular communication by commissioners or ambassadors appointed for the purpose.