---
title: "Gallic War — Book II"
author: "Julius Caesar"
translator: "W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 30 of 35
url: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-ii/30/
cite: "Julius Caesar, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, Gallic War — Book II, section 30. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-ii/30/"
---

# Gallic War — Book II

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

## 30. Book II — Chapter 30

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-ii/30/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-ii/30/#p-N

[¶0] And on the first arrival of our army they made frequent sallies from the town, and contended with our men in trifling skirmishes;

> Latin: Ac primo adventu exercitus nostri crebras ex oppido excursiones faciebant parvulisque proeliis cum nostris contendebant;

[¶1] afterward, when hemmed in by a rampart of twelve feet [in height], and fifteen miles in circuit, they kept themselves within the town.

> Latin: postea vallo pedum XII in circuitu XV milium crebrisque castellis circummuniti oppido sese continebant.

[¶2] When, vineae having been brought up and a mound raised, they observed that a tower also was being built at a distance, they at first began to mock the Romans from their wall, and to taunt them with the following speeches. "For what purpose was so vast a machine constructed at so great a distance?

> Latin: Ubi vineis actis aggere extructo turrim procul constitui viderunt, primum inridere ex muro atque increpitare vocibus, quod tanta machinatio a tanto spatio institueretur:

[¶3] With what hands," or "with what strength did they, especially [as they were] men of such very small stature" (for our shortness of stature, in comparison to the great size of their bodies, is generally a subject of much contempt to the men of Gaul) "trust to place against their walls a tower of such great weight."

> Latin: quibusnam manibus aut quibus viribus praesertim homines tantulae staturae (nam plerumque omnibus Gallis prae magnitudine corporum quorum brevitas nostra contemptui est) tanti oneris turrim in muro sese posse conlocare confiderent?