---
title: "Gallic War — Book III"
author: "Julius Caesar"
translator: "W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 5 of 29
url: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-iii/5/
cite: "Julius Caesar, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, Gallic War — Book III, section 5. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-iii/5/"
---

# Gallic War — Book III

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

## 5. Book III — Chapter 5

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-iii/5/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-iii/5/#p-N

[¶0] When they had now been fighting for more than six hours, without cessation, and not only strength, but even weapons were failing our men, and the enemy were pressing on more rigorously, and had begun to demolish the rampart and to fill up the trench, while our men were becoming exhausted, and the matter was now brought to the last extremity, P. Sextius Baculus, a centurion of the first rank, whom we have related to have been disabled by severe wounds in the engagement with the Nervii, and also C. Volusenus, a tribune of the soldiers, a man of great skill and valor, hasten to Galba, and assure him that the only hope of safety lay in making a sally, and trying the last resource.

> Latin: Cum iam amplius horis sex continenter pugnaretur, ac non solum vires sed etiam tela nostros deficerent, atque hostes acrius instarent languidioribusque nostris vallum scindere et fossas complere coepissent, resque esset iam ad extremum perducta casum, P. Sextius Baculus, primi pili centurio, quem Nervico proelio compluribus confectum vulneribus diximus, et item C. Volusenus, tribunus militum, vir et consilii magni et virtutis, ad Galbam accurrunt atque unam esse spem salutis docent, si eruptione facta extremum auxilium experirentur.

[¶1] Whereupon assembling the centurions, he quickly gives orders to the soldiers to discontinue the fight a short time, and only collect the weapons flung [at them], and recruit themselves after their fatigue, and afterward, upon the signal being given, sally forth from the camp, and place in their valor all their hope of safety.

> Latin: Itaque convocatis centurionibus celeriter milites certiores facit, paulisper intermitterent proelium ac tantum modo tela missa exciperent seque ex labore reficerent, post dato signo ex castris erumperent, atque omnem spem salutis in virtute ponerent.