Asterix goes out to hunt for dinner and meets a Roman patrol. He soundly (and easily) defeats them. They report back to their camp (Compendium) in shambles. Crismus Bonus, Centurion and head of the Roman garrison there, becomes very keen to discover the secret of the Gauls' superhuman strength, sends a spy disguised as a Gaul into the village. The Roman's identity is revealed when he loses his false moustache, but not before he discovers the existence of the magic potion brewed by the Druid Getafix and actually manages to taste some. With that potion, Crismus Bonus believes that he could overthrow Julius Caesar, and become Emperor himself. So he and his second-in-command Marcus Ginandtonicus have Getafix captured in order to get the recipe.