---
title: "Gallic War — Book I"
author: "Julius Caesar"
translator: "W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 48 of 54
url: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-i/48/
cite: "Julius Caesar, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, Gallic War — Book I, section 48. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-i/48/"
---

# Gallic War — Book I

*Julius Caesar, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn*

## 48. Book I — Chapter 48

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-i/48/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-i/48/#p-N

[¶0] The same day he moved his camp forward and pitched under a hill six miles from Caesar's camp.

> Latin: Eodem die castra promovit et milibus passuum VI a Caesaris castris sub monte consedit.

[¶1] The day following he led his forces past Caesar's camp, and encamped two miles beyond him; with this design that he might cut off Caesar from the corn and provisions, which might be conveyed to him from the Sequani and the Aedui.

> Latin: Postridie eius diei praeter castra Caesaris suas copias traduxit et milibus passuum duobus ultra eum castra fecit eo consilio uti frumento commeatuque qui ex Sequanis et Haeduis supportaretur Caesarem intercluderet.

[¶2] For five successive days from that day, Caesar drew out his forces before the camp, and put them in battle order, that, if Ariovistus should be willing to engage in battle, an opportunity might not be wanting to him.

> Latin: Ex eo die dies continuos V Caesar pro castris suas copias produxit et aciem instructam habuit, ut, si vellet Ariovistus proelio contendere, ei potestas non deesset.

[¶3] Ariovistus all this time kept his army in camp: but engaged daily in cavalry skirmishes. The method of battle in which the Germans had practiced themselves was this.

> Latin: Ariovistus his omnibus diebus exercitum castris continuit, equestri proelio cotidie contendit. Genus hoc erat pugnae, quo se Germani exercuerant:

[¶4] There were 6,000 horse, and as many very active and courageous foot, one of whom each of the horse selected out of the whole army for his own protection.

> Latin: equitum milia erant VI, totidem numero pedites velocissimi ac fortissimi, quos ex omni copia singuli singulos suae salutis causa delegerant:

[¶5] By these [foot] they were constantly accompanied in their engagements; to these the horse retired; these on any emergency rushed forward; if any one, upon receiving a very severe wound, had fallen from his horse, they stood around him:

> Latin: cum his in proeliis versabantur, ad eos se equites recipiebant; hi, si quid erat durius, concurrebant, si qui graviore vulnere accepto equo deciderat, circumsistebant;

[¶6] if it was necessary to advance further than usual, or to retreat more rapidly, so great, from practice, was their swiftness, that, supported by the manes of the horses, they could keep pace with their speed.

> Latin: si quo erat longius prodeundum aut celerius recipiendum, tanta erat horum exercitatione celeritas ut iubis sublevati equorum cursum adaequarent.