---
title: "Gallic War — Book VII"
author: "Julius Caesar"
translator: "W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 1 of 90
url: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vii/1/
cite: "Julius Caesar, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, Gallic War — Book VII, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vii/1/"
---

# Gallic War — Book VII

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

## 1. Book VII — Chapter 1

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vii/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vii/1/#p-N

[¶0] Gaul being tranquil, Caesar, as he had determined, sets out for Italy to hold the provincial assizes. There he receives intelligence of the death of Clodius; and, being informed of the decree of the senate, [to the effect] that all the youth of Italy should take the military oath, he determined to hold a levy throughout the entire province.

> Latin: Quieta Gallia Caesar, ut constituerat, in Italiam ad conventus agendos proficiscitur. Ibi cognoscit de Clodii caede [de] senatusque consulto certior factus, ut omnes iuniores Italiae coniurarent, delectum tota provincia habere instituit.

[¶1] Report of these events is rapidly borne into Transalpine Gaul. The Gauls themselves add to the report, and invent what the case seemed to require, [namely] that Caesar was detained by commotions in the city, and could not, amid so violent dissensions, come to his army.

> Latin: Eae res in Galliam Transalpinam celeriter perferuntur. Addunt ipsi et adfingunt rumoribus Galli, quod res poscere videbatur, retineri urbano motu Caesarem neque in tantis dissensionibus ad exercitum venire posse.

[¶2] Animated by this opportunity, they who already, previously to this occurrence, were indignant that they were reduced beneath the dominion of Rome, begin to organize their plans for war more openly and daringly.

> Latin: Hac impulsi occasione, qui iam ante se populi Romani imperio subiectos dolerent liberius atque audacius de bello consilia inire incipiunt.

[¶3] The leading men of Gaul, having convened councils among themselves in the woods, and retired places, complain of the death of Acco:

> Latin: Indictis inter se principes Galliae conciliis silvestribus ac remotis locis queruntur de Acconis morte;

[¶4] they point out that this fate may fall in turn on themselves: they bewail the unhappy fate of Gaul; and by every sort of promises and rewards, they earnestly solicit some to begin the war, and assert the freedom of Gaul at the hazard of their lives.

> Latin: posse hunc casum ad ipsos recidere demonstrant: miserantur communem Galliae fortunam: omnibus pollicitationibus ac praemiis deposcunt qui belli initium faciant et sui capitis periculo Galliam in libertatem vindicent.

[¶5] They say that special care should be paid to this, that Caesar should be cut off from his army before their secret plans should be divulged.

> Latin: In primis rationem esse habendam dicunt, priusquam eorum clandestina consilia efferantur, ut Caesar ab exercitu intercludatur. Id esse facile,

[¶6] That this was easy, because neither would the legions, in the absence of their general, dare to leave their winter quarters, nor could the general reach his army without a guard:

> Latin: quod neque legiones audeant absente imperatore ex hibernis egredi, neque imperator sine praesidio ad legiones pervenire possit;

[¶7] finally, that it was better to be slain in battle, than not to recover their ancient glory in war, and that freedom which they had received from their forefathers.

> Latin: postremo in acie praestare interfici quam non veterem belli gloriam libertatemque quam a maioribus acceperint recuperare.