THE COMMENTARIES OF C. JULIUS CÆSAR ON HIS WAR IN GAUL. BOOK I. THE ARGUMENT. I. Description of Gaul and its divisions.-II.-IV. The ambitious designs of the Helvetii under Orgetŏrix, and the suspicious death of the latter. — V., VI. The Helvetii still proceed to carry out their designs.-VIII-XI. Cæsar's opposition and measures.-XII. The battle at the river Arar. XIII. The Helvetii send ambassadors to sue for pence.-XIV. Cæsar's politic answer.-XV. Another engagement with the Helvetii.-XVI. Cæsar's reproof of the Edui for not sending him the promised supplies.XVII-XIX. The disclosures of Liscus respecting Dumnŏrix. - XX. Divitiăcus, his brother, pleads for Dumnŏrix. -XXI.-XXVI. Various events in the war between Cæsar and the Helvetii.-XXVII. The Helvetii, being worsted, offer a surrender, but some clandestinely return home. — XXVIII., XXIX. The numbers of the several Helvetian forces before and after the war.-XXX. Certain parts of Gaul congratulate Cæsar and request a council.-XXXI. Complaints are there made against Ariovistus.— -XXXII.XXXVI. Cæsar's message to Ariovistus and the bold answer of the latter.-XXXVII.-XXXIX. A panic in the Roman camp. -XL. Cæsar's speech on that occasion. — XLI. Its effects. XLII.-XLVI. Conference between Cæsar and Ariovistus. XLVII-LII. Which terminates in war.-LIII. The overthrow of the Germans and their flight from Gaul.-LIV. Cæsar, having sent his army into winter quarters amongst the Sequani, proceeds to perform the civil duties of his proconsular office. СНАР. І. - All Gaul is divided into three parts, one of which the Belgæ inhabit, the Aquitani another, those who in their own language are called Celts, in ours Gauls, the third. All these differ from each other in language, customs, and laws. The river Garonne separates the Gauls from the Aquitani; the Marne and the Seine separate them from the Belgæ. Of all these, the Belgæ are the bravest, because they are farthest from the civilization and refinement of [our] Province, and merchants least frequently resort to them, and import those things which tend to effeminate the mind; and they are the nearest to the Germans, who dwell beyond the Rhine, with whom they are continually waging war; for which reason the Helvetii also surpass the rest of the Gauls in valor, as they contend with the Germans in almost daily battles, when they either repel them from their own territories, or themselves wage war on their frontiers. One part of these, which it has been said that the Gauls occupy, takes its beginning at the river Rhone: it is bounded by the river Garonne, the ocean, and the territories of the Belga: it borders, too, on the side of the Sequăni and the Helvetii, upon the river Rhine, and stretches towards the north. The Belgæ rise from the extreme frontier of Gaul, extend to the lower part of the river Rhine; and look towards the north and the rising sun. Aquitania extends from the river Garonne to the Pyrenean mountains and to that part of the ocean which is near Spain: it looks between the setting of the sun and the north star. CHAP. II. - Among the,Helvetii, OrgetŎrix was by far the most distinguished and wealthy. He, when Marcus Messàla and Marcus Piso were consuls, incited by lust of sovereignty, formed a conspiracy among the nobility, and persuaded the people to go forth from their territories with all their possessions, [saying] that it would be very easy, since they excelled all in valor, to acquire the supremacy of the whole of Gaul. To this he the more easily persuaded them, because the Helvetii are confined on every side by the nature of their situation : on one side by the Rhine, a very broad and deep river, which separates the Helvetian territory from the Germans; on a second side by the Jura, a very high mountain, which is [situated] between the Sequani and the Helvetii; on a third by the Lake of Geneva, and by the river Rhone, which separates our Province from the Helvetii. From these circumstances it resulted, that they could range less widely, and could less easily make war upon their neighbors; for which reason meu fond of war [as they were] were affected with great regret. They thought, that considering the extent of their population, and their renown for warfare and bravery, they had but narrow limits, although they extended in length 240, and in breadth 180 [Roman] miles. CHAP. III.-Induced by these considerations, and influenced by the authority of Orgetorix, they determined to provide such things as were necessary for their expedition; to buy up as great a number as possible of beasts of burden and wagons; to make their sowings as large as possible, so that on their march plenty of coru might be in store; and to estab |