---
title: "Gallic War — Book VIII"
author: "Aulus Hirtius"
translator: "W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 44 of 56
url: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-viii/44/
cite: "Aulus Hirtius, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, Gallic War — Book VIII, section 44. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-viii/44/"
---

# Gallic War — Book VIII

*Aulus Hirtius, tr. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn*

## 44. Book VIII — Chapter 43 · Aulus Hirtius

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-viii/44/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/caesar-gallic-war-book-viii/44/#p-N

[¶0] Caesar, observing that several of his men were wounded, ordered the cohorts to ascend the mountain on all sides, and, under pretense of assailing the walls, to raise a shout:

> Latin: Caesar cum complures suos vulnerari videret, ex omnibus oppidi partibus cohortes montem ascendere et simulatione moenium occupandorum clamorem undique iubet tollere.

[¶1] at which the besieged being frightened, and not knowing what was going on in other places, call off their armed troops from attacking our works, and dispose them on the walls.

> Latin: Quo facto perterriti oppidani, cum quid ageretur in locis reliquis essent suspensi, revocant ab impugnandis operibus armatos murisque disponunt.

[¶2] Thus our men without hazarding a battle, gained time partly to extinguish the works which had caught fire, and partly to cut off the communication.

> Latin: Ita nostri fine proeli facto celeriter opera flamma comprehensa partim restinguunt, partim interscindunt.

[¶3] As the townsmen still continued to make an obstinate resistance, and even, after losing the greatest part of their forces by drought, persevered in their resolution: at last the veins of the spring were cut across by our mines, and turned from their course.

> Latin: Cum pertinaciter resisterent oppidani, magna etiam parte amissa siti suorum in sententia permanerent, ad postremum cuniculis venae fontis intercisae sunt atque aversae.

[¶4] By this their constant spring was suddenly dried up, which reduced them to such despair that they imagined that it was not done by the art of man, but the will of the gods; forced, therefore, by necessity, they at length submitted.

> Latin: Quo facto repente perennis exaruit fons tantamque attulit oppidanis salutis desperationem, ut id non hominum consilio, sed deorum voluntate factum putarent. Itaque se necessitate coacti tradiderunt.