Res Gestae

For it was planned and carefully arranged beforehand that the Alamanni, who were raging beyond their customary manner and ranging more afield, should be driven into straits as if with a pair of pliers[*](The forceps or forfex was a military formation with diverging wings for meeting and baffling a cuneus; cf. Vegetius, iii. 19, nam ex lectissimis militibus in V litteram ordo componitum, et illum cuneum excipit atque utraque parts concludit. The open part of the V of course faced the enemy. Here forceps is perhaps used in its literal sense.) by twin forces of our soldiers, and cut to pieces.