---
title: "Gallic War — Book VI"
author: "Julius Caesar"
translator: "W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 24 of 44
url: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vi/24/
cite: "Julius Caesar, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, Gallic War — Book VI, section 24. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vi/24/"
---

# Gallic War — Book VI

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

## 24. Book VI — Chapter 24

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vi/24/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vi/24/#p-N

[¶0] And there was formerly a time when the Gauls excelled the Germans in prowess, and waged war on them offensively, and, on account of the great number of their people and the insufficiency of their land, sent colonies over the Rhine.

> Latin: Ac fuit antea tempus, cum Germanos Galli virtute superarent, ultro bella inferrent, propter hominum multitudinem agrique inopiam trans Rhenum colonias mitterent.

[¶1] Accordingly, the Volcae Tectosages, seized on those parts of Germany which are the most fruitful [and lie] around the Hercynian forest, (which, I perceive, was known by report to Eratosthenes and some other Greeks, and which they call Orcynia), and settled there.

> Latin: Itaque ea quae fertilissima Germaniae sunt loca circum Hercyniam silvam, quam Eratostheni et quibusdam Graecis fama notam esse video, quam illi Orcyniam appellant, Volcae Tectosages occupaverunt atque ibi consederunt;

[¶2] Which nation to this time retains its position in those settlements, and has a very high character for justice and military merit;

> Latin: quae gens ad hoc tempus his sedibus sese continet summamque habet iustitiae et bellicae laudis opinionem.

[¶3] now also they continue in the same scarcity, indigence, hardihood, as the Germans, and use the same food and dress; but their proximity to the Province and knowledge of commodities from countries beyond the sea supplies to the Gauls many things tending to luxury as well as civilization.

> Latin: Nunc quod in eadem inopia, egestate, patientia qua Germani permanent, eodem victu et cultu corporis utuntur; Gallis autem provinciarum propinquitas et transmarinarum rerum notitia multa ad copiam atque usus largitur,

[¶4] Accustomed by degrees to be overmatched and worsted in many engagements, they do not even compare themselves to the Germans in prowess.

> Latin: paulatim adsuefacti superari multisque victi proeliis ne se quidem ipsi cum illis virtute comparant.