---
title: "Gallic War — Book VII"
author: "Julius Caesar"
translator: "W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 37 of 90
url: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vii/37/
cite: "Julius Caesar, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, Gallic War — Book VII, section 37. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vii/37/"
---

# Gallic War — Book VII

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

## 37. Book VII — Chapter 37

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vii/37/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-vii/37/#p-N

[¶0] While these affairs were going on at Gergovia, Convictolanis, the Aeduan, to whom we have observed the magistracy was adjudged by Caesar, being bribed by the Arverni, holds a conference with certain young men, the chief of whom were Litavicus and his brothers, who were born of a most noble family.

> Latin: Dum haec ad Gergoviam geruntur, Convictolitavis Aeduus, cui magistratum adiudicatum a Caesare demonstravimus, sollicitatus ab Arvernis pecunia cum quibusdam adulescentibus colloquitur; quorum erat princeps Litaviccus atque eius fratres, amplissima familia nati adulescentes.

[¶1] He shares the bribe with them, and exhorts them to "remember that they were free and born for empire;

> Latin: Cum his praemium communicat hortaturque, ut se liberos et imperio natos meminerint.

[¶2] that the state of the Aedui was the only one which retarded the most certain victory of the Gauls; that the rest were held in check by its authority; and, if it was brought over, the Romans would not have room to stand on in Gaul;

> Latin: Vnam esse Aeduorum civitatem, quae certissimam Galliae victoriam detineat; eius auctoritate reliquas contineri; qua traducta locum consistendi Romanis in Gallia non fore.

[¶3] that he had received some kindness from Caesar, only so far, however, as gaining a most just cause by his decision; but that he assigned more weight to the general freedom;

> Latin: Esse nonnullo se Caesaris beneficio adfectum, sic tamen, ut iustissimam apud eum causam obtinuerit; sed plus communi libertati tribuere.

[¶4] for, why should the Aedui go to Caesar to decide concerning their rights and laws, rather than the Romans come to the Aedui?" The young men being easily won over by the speech of the magistrate and the bribe, when they declared that they would even be leaders in the plot, a plan for accomplishing it was considered, because they were confident their state could not be induced to undertake the war on slight grounds.

> Latin: Cur enim potius Aedui de suo iure et de legibus ad Caesarem disceptatorem, quam Romani ad Aeduos veniant? Celeriter adulescentibus et oratione magistratus et praemio deductis, cum se vel principes eius consili fore profiterentur, ratio perficiendi quaerebatur, quod civitatem temere ad suscipiendum bellum adduci posse non confidebant.

[¶5] It was resolved that Litavicus should have the command of the ten thousand, which were being sent to Caesar for the war, and should have charge of them on their march, and that his brothers should go before him to Caesar. They arrange the other measures, and the manner in which they should have them done.

> Latin: Placuit ut Litaviccus decem illis milibus, quae Caesari ad bellum mitterentur, praeficeretur atque ea ducenda curaret, fratresque eius ad Caesarem praecurrerent. Reliqua qua ratione agi placeat constituunt.