---
title: "Gallic War — Book IV"
author: "Julius Caesar"
translator: "W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 13 of 38
url: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-iv/13/
cite: "Julius Caesar, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, Gallic War — Book IV, section 13. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-iv/13/"
---

# Gallic War — Book IV

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

## 13. Book IV — Chapter 13

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-iv/13/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-iv/13/#p-N

[¶0] After this engagement, Caesar considered that neither ought embassadors to be received to audience, nor conditions be accepted by him from those who, after having sued for peace by way of stratagem and treachery, had made war without provocation.

> Latin: Hoc facto proelio Caesar neque iam sibi legatos audiendos neque condiciones accipiendas arbitrabatur ab iis qui per dolum atque insidias petita pace ultro bellum intulissent;

[¶1] And to wait until the enemy's forces were augmented and their cavalry had returned, he concluded, would be the greatest madness;

> Latin: expectare vero dum hostium copiae augerentur equitatus reverteretur summae dementiae esse iudicabat,

[¶2] and knowing the fickleness of the Gauls, he felt how much influence the enemy had already acquired among them by this one skirmish. He [therefore] deemed that no time for concerting measures ought to be afforded them.

> Latin: et cognita Gallorum infirmitate quantum iam apud eos hostes uno proelio auctoritatis essent consecuti sentiebat; quibus ad consilia capienda nihil spatii dandum existimabat.

[¶3] After having resolved on those things and communicated his plans to his lieutenants and quaestor in order that he might not suffer any opportunity for engaging to escape him, a very seasonable event occurred, namely, that on the morning of the next day, a large body of Germans, consisting of their princes and old men, came to the camp to him to practice the same treachery and dissimulation;

> Latin: His constitutis rebus et consilio cum legatis et quaestore communicato, ne quem diem pugnae praetermitteret, oportunissima res accidit, quod postridie eius diei mane eadem et perfidia et simulatione usi Germani frequentes, omnibus principibus maioribusque natu adhibitis, ad eum in castra venerunt,

[¶4] but, as they asserted, for the purpose of acquitting themselves for having engaged in a skirmish the day before, contrary to what had been agreed and to what indeed, they themselves had requested; and also if they could by any means obtain a truce by deceiving him.

> Latin: simul, ut dicebatur, sui purgandi causa, quod contra atque esset dictum et ipsi petissent, proelium pridie commisissent, simul ut, si quid possent, de indutiis fallendo impetrarent.

[¶5] Caesar, rejoicing that they had fallen into his power, ordered them to be detained. He then drew all his forces out of the camp, and commanded the cavalry, because he thought they were intimidated by the late skirmish, to follow in the rear.

> Latin: Quos sibi Caesar oblatos gavisus illos retineri iussit; ipse omnes copias castris eduxit equitatumque, quod recenti proelio perterritum esse existimabat, agmen subsequi iussit.