---
title: "Gallic War — Book VI"
author: "Julius Caesar"
translator: "W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 11 of 44
url: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vi/11/
cite: "Julius Caesar, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, Gallic War — Book VI, section 11. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vi/11/"
---

# Gallic War — Book VI

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

## 11. Book VI — Chapter 11

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vi/11/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vi/11/#p-N

[¶0] Since we have come to the place, it does not appear to be foreign to our subject to lay before the reader an account of the manners of Gaul and Germany, and wherein these nations differ from each other.

> Latin: Quoniam ad hunc locum perventum est, non alienum esse videtur de Galliae Germaniaeque moribus et quo differant hae nationes inter sese proponere.

[¶1] In Gaul there are factions not only in all the states, and in all the cantons and their divisions, but almost in each family, and of these factions those are the leaders who are considered according to their judgment to possess the greatest influence, upon whose will and determination the management of all affairs and measures depends.

> Latin: In Gallia non solum in omnibus civitatibus atque in omnibus pagis partibusque, sed paene etiam in singulis domibus factiones sunt, earumque factionum principes sunt qui summam auctoritatem eorum iudicio habere existimantur, quorum ad arbitrium iudiciumque summa omnium rerum consiliorumque redeat.

[¶2] And that seems to have been instituted in ancient times with this view, that no one of the common people should be in want of support against one more powerful; for, none [of those leaders] suffers his party to be oppressed and defrauded, and if he do otherwise, he has no influence among his party.

> Latin: Itaque eius rei causa antiquitus institutum videtur, ne quis ex plebe contra potentiorem auxili egeret: suos enim quisque opprimi et circumveniri non patitur, neque, aliter si faciat, ullam inter suos habet auctoritatem.

[¶3] This same policy exists throughout the whole of Gaul; for all the states are divided into two factions.

> Latin: Haec eadem ratio est in summa totius Galliae: namque omnes civitates in partes divisae sunt duas.