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Unit 2

2.2 Caesar, Gallic War, Book 6, Chapters 13–20

13 min read•june 18, 2024

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How to use this Study Guide:

Use this study guide as a refresher after instruction from your professional Latin instructor/teacher. As it is AP Latin, you will be expected to learn the grammar in class except for questions which we will go over again. The main purpose of this study guide is to provide 80% literal, 20% interpretative translations and to break down the text, context, and grammar. What interpretative means is that it is not the literal Latin translation but that it has been restructured in some way to better fit the modern English vernacular.

Chapters 13-16, Book 6, Comentarii de Bello Gallico

Original Passage

[13] 1 In omni Gallia eorum hominum, qui aliquo sunt numero atque honore, genera sunt duo. Nam plebes paene servorum habetur loco, quae nihil audet per se, nullo adhibetur consilio. 2 Plerique, cum aut aere alieno aut magnitudine tributorum aut iniuria potentiorum premuntur, sese in servitutem dicant nobilibus: in hos eadem omnia sunt iura, quae dominis in servos. 3 Sed de his duobus generibus alterum est druidum, alterum equitum. 4 Illi rebus divinis intersunt, sacrificia publica ac privata procurant, religiones interpretantur: ad hos magnus adulescentium numerus disciplinae causa concurrit, magnoque hi sunt apud eos honore. 5 Nam fere de omnibus controversiis publicis privatisque constituunt, et, 6 si quod est admissum facinus, si caedes facta, si de hereditate, de finibus controversia est, idem decernunt, praemia poenasque constituunt; si qui aut privatus aut populus eorum decreto non stetit, sacrificiis interdicunt. Haec poena apud eos est gravissima. 7 Quibus ita est interdictum, hi numero impiorum ac sceleratorum habentur, his omnes decedunt, aditum sermonemque defugiunt, ne quid ex contagione incommodi accipiant, neque his petentibus ius redditur neque honos ullus communicatur. 8 His autem omnibus druidibus praeest unus, qui summam inter eos habet auctoritatem. 9 Hoc mortuo aut si qui ex reliquis excellit dignitate succedit, aut, si sunt plures pares, suffragio druidum, nonnumquam etiam armis de principatu contendunt. 10 Hi certo anni tempore in finibus Carnutum, quae regio totius Galliae media habetur, considunt in loco consecrato. Huc omnes undique, qui controversias habent, conveniunt eorumque decretis iudiciisque parent. 11 Disciplina in Britannia reperta atque inde in Galliam translata esse existimatur, 12 et nunc, qui diligentius eam rem cognoscere volunt, plerumque illo discendi causa proficiscuntur.

[14] 1 Druides a bello abesse consuerunt neque tributa una cum reliquis pendunt; militiae vacationem omniumque rerum habent immunitatem. 2 Tantis excitati praemiis et sua sponte multi in disciplinam conveniunt et a parentibus propinquisque mittuntur. 3 Magnum ibi numerum versuum ediscere dicuntur. Itaque annos nonnulli vicenos in disciplina permanent. 4 Neque fas esse existimant ea litteris mandare, cum in reliquis fere rebus, publicis privatisque rationibus Graecis litteris utantur. Id mihi duabus de causis instituisse videntur, quod neque in vulgum disciplinam efferri velint neque eos, qui discunt, litteris confisos minus memoriae studere: quod fere plerisque accidit, ut praesidio litterarum diligentiam in perdiscendo ac memoriam remittant. 5 In primis hoc volunt persuadere, non interire animas, sed ab aliis post mortem transire ad alios, atque hoc maxime ad virtutem excitari putant metu mortis neglecto. 6 Multa praeterea de sideribus atque eorum motu, de mundi ac terrarum magnitudine, de rerum natura, de deorum immortalium vi ac potestate disputant et iuventuti tradunt.

[15] 1 Alterum genus est equitum. Hi, cum est usus atque aliquod bellum incidit (quod fere ante Caesaris adventum quotannis accidere solebat, uti aut ipsi iniurias inferrent aut illatas propulsarent), omnes in bello versantur, 2 atque eorum ut quisque est genere copiisque amplissimus, ita plurimos circum se ambactos clientesque habet. Hanc unam gratiam potentiamque noverunt.

[16] 1 Natio est omnis Gallorum admodum dedita religionibus, 2 atque ob eam causam, qui sunt adfecti gravioribus morbis quique in proeliis periculisque versantur, aut pro victimis homines immolant aut se immolaturos vovent administrisque ad ea sacrificia druidibus utuntur, quod, pro vita hominis nisi hominis vita reddatur, 3 non posse deorum immortalium numen placari arbitrantur, publiceque eiusdem generis habent instituta sacrificia. Alii immani magnitudine simulacra habent, 4 quorum contexta viminibus membra vivis hominibus complent; quibus succensis circumventi flamma exanimantur homines. 5 Supplicia eorum qui in furto aut in latrocinio aut aliqua noxia sint comprehensi gratiora dis immortalibus esse arbitrantur; sed, cum eius generis copia defecit, etiam ad innocentium supplicia descendunt.

Questions about the Latin

1. What is the subject of the sentence "Nam plebes paene servorum habetur loco" in chapter 13?

2. In chapter 14, what is the tense of the verb "ediscere" in the sentence "Magnum ibi numerum versuum ediscere dicuntur"?

3. In chapter 15, what is the case of the noun "bellum" in the sentence "cum est usus atque aliquod bellum incidit"?

4. What is the mood of the verb "solebat" in the sentence "uti aut ipsi iniurias inferrent aut illatas propulsarent, quod fere ante Caesaris adventum quotannis accidere solebat" in chapter 15?

5. In chapter 16, what is the object of the verb "tradunt" in the sentence "disputant et iuventuti tradunt"?

Answers about the Latin

1. "plebes" is the subject of the sentence.

2. The tense of the verb "ediscere" is present infinitive.

3. The case of the noun "bellum" is in the nominative case.

4. The mood of the verb "solebat" is imperfect indicative.

5. The object of the verb "tradunt" is "iuventuti".

Translation

Chapter 13

Throughout all Gaul there are two orders of those men who are of

any rank and dignity: for the commonality is held almost in the condition

of slaves, and dares to undertake nothing of itself, and is admitted to

no deliberation. The greater part, when they are pressed either by debt,

or the large amount of their tributes, or the oppression of the more powerful,

give themselves up in vassalage to the nobles, who possess over them the

same rights without exception as masters over their slaves. But of these

two orders, one is that of the Druids, the other that of the knights. The

former are engaged in things sacred, conduct the public and the private

sacrifices, and interpret all matters of religion. To these a large number

of the young men resort for the purpose of instruction, and they [the Druids]

are in great honor among them. For they determine respecting almost all

controversies, public and private; and if any crime has been perpetrated,

if murder has been committed, if there be any dispute about an inheritance,

if any about boundaries, these same persons decide it; they decree rewards

and punishments; if any one, either in a private or public capacity, has

not submitted to their decision, they interdict him from the sacrifices.

This among them is the most heavy punishment. Those who have been thus

interdicted are esteemed in the number of the impious and the criminal:

all shun them, and avoid their society and conversation, lest they receive

some evil from their contact; nor is justice administered to them when

seeking it, nor is any dignity bestowed on them. Over all these Druids

one presides, who possesses supreme authority among them. Upon his death,

if any individual among the rest is pre-eminent in dignity, he succeeds;

but, if there are many equal, the election is made by the suffrages of

the Druids; sometimes they even contend for the presidency with arms. These

assemble at a fixed period of the year in a consecrated place in the territories

of the Carnutes, which is reckoned the central region of the whole of Gaul.

Hither all, who have disputes, assemble from every part, and submit to

their decrees and determinations. This institution is supposed to have

been devised in Britain, and to have been brought over from it into Gaul;

and now those who desire to gain a more accurate knowledge of that system

generally proceed thither for the purpose of studying

it.

Chapter 14

The Druids do not go to war, nor pay tribute together with the

rest; they have an exemption from military service and a dispensation in

all matters. Induced by such great advantages, many embrace this profession

of their own accord, and [many] are sent to it by their parents and relations.

They are said there to learn by heart a great number of verses; accordingly

some remain in the course of training twenty years. Nor do they regard

it lawful to commit these to writing, though in almost all other matters,

in their public and private transactions, they use Greek characters. That

practice they seem to me to have adopted for two reasons; because they

neither desire their doctrines to be divulged among the mass of the people,

nor those who learn, to devote themselves the less to the efforts of memory,

relying on writing; since it generally occurs to most men, that, in their

dependence on writing, they relax their diligence in learning thoroughly,

and their employment of the memory. They wish to inculcate this as one

of their leading tenets, that souls do not become extinct, but pass after

death from one body to another, and they think that men by this tenet are

in a great degree excited to valor, the fear of death being disregarded.

They likewise discuss and impart to the youth many things respecting the

stars and their motion, respecting the extent of the world and of our earth,

respecting the nature of things, respecting the power and the majesty of

the immortal gods.

Chapter 15

The other order is that of the knights. These, when there is occasion

and any war occurs (which before Caesar's arrival was for the most part

wont to happen every year, as either they on their part were inflecting

injuries or repelling those which others inflected on them), are all engaged

in war. And those of them most distinguished by birth and resources, have

the greatest number of vassals and dependents about them. They acknowledge

this sort of influence and power only.

Chapter 16

The nation of all the Gauls is extremely devoted to superstitious

rites; and on that account they who are troubled with unusually severe

diseases, and they who are engaged in battles and dangers, either sacrifice

men as victims, or vow that they will sacrifice them, and employ the Druids

as the performers of those sacrifices; because they think that unless the

life of a man be offered for the life of a man, the mind of the immortal

gods can not be rendered propitious, and they have sacrifices of that kind

ordained for national purposes. Others have figures of vast size, the limbs

of which formed of osiers they fill with living men, which being set on

fire, the men perish enveloped in the flames. They consider that the oblation

of such as have been taken in theft, or in robbery, or any other offense,

is more acceptable to the immortal gods; but when a supply of that class

is wanting, they have recourse to the oblation of even the

innocent.

Translation sourced from http://classics.mit.edu/Caesar/gallic.6.6.html

Chapters 17-20, Book 6, Comentarii de Bello Gallico

Original Passage

[17] 1 Deum maxime Mercurium colunt. Huius sunt plurima simulacra: hunc omnium inventorem artium ferunt, hunc viarum atque itinerum ducem, hunc ad quaestus pecuniae mercaturasque habere vim maximam arbitrantur. Post hunc Apollinem et Martem et Iovem et Minervam. 2 De his eandem fere, quam reliquae gentes, habent opinionem: Apollinem morbos depellere, Minervam operum atque artificiorum initia tradere, Iovem imperium caelestium tenere, Martem bella regere. 3 Huic, cum proelio dimicare constituerunt, ea quae bello ceperint plerumque devovent: cum superaverunt, animalia capta immolant reliquasque res in unum locum conferunt. 4 Multis in civitatibus harum rerum exstructos tumulos locis consecratis conspicari licet; 5 neque saepe accidit, ut neglecta quispiam religione aut capta apud se occultare aut posita tollere auderet, gravissimumque ei rei supplicium cum cruciatu constitutum est.

[18] 1 Galli se omnes ab Dite patre prognatos praedicant idque ab druidibus proditum dicunt. 2 Ob eam causam spatia omnis temporis non numero dierum sed noctium finiunt; dies natales et mensum et annorum initia sic observant ut noctem dies subsequatur. 3 In reliquis vitae institutis hoc fere ab reliquis differunt, quod suos liberos, nisi cum adoleverunt, ut munus militiae sustinere possint, palam ad se adire non patiuntur filiumque puerili aetate in publico in conspectu patris adsistere turpe ducunt.

[19] 1 Viri, quantas pecunias ab uxoribus dotis nomine acceperunt, tantas ex suis bonis aestimatione facta cum dotibus communicant. 2 Huius omnis pecuniae coniunctim ratio habetur fructusque servantur: uter eorum vita superarit, ad eum pars utriusque cum fructibus superiorum temporum pervenit. 3 Viri in uxores, sicuti in liberos, vitae necisque habent potestatem; et cum paterfamiliae illustriore loco natus decessit, eius propinqui conveniunt et, de morte si res in suspicionem venit, de uxoribus in servilem modum quaestionem habent et, si compertum est, igni atque omnibus tormentis excruciatas interficiunt. 4 Funera sunt pro cultu Gallorum magnifica et sumptuosa; omniaque quae vivis cordi fuisse arbitrantur in ignem inferunt, etiam animalia, ac paulo supra hanc memoriam servi et clientes, quos ab eis dilectos esse constabat, iustis funeribus confectis una cremabantur.

[20] 1 Quae civitates commodius suam rem publicam administrare existimantur, habent legibus sanctum, si quis quid de re publica a finitimis rumore aut fama acceperit, uti ad magistratum deferat neve cum quo alio communicet, 2 quod saepe homines temerarios atque imperitos falsis rumoribus terreri et ad facinus impelli et de summis rebus consilium capere cognitum est. 3 Magistratus quae visa sunt occultant quaeque esse ex usu iudicaverunt multitudini produnt. De re publica nisi per concilium loqui non conceditur.

Questions about the Latin

1. In the sentence "Deum maxime Mercurium colunt" in chapter 17, what is the case of the noun "Mercurium"?

2. In chapter 18, what is the tense of the verb "praedicant" in the sentence "Galli se omnes ab Dite patre prognatos praedicant"?

3. In chapter 19, what is the case of the noun "uxoribus" in the sentence "Viri, quantas pecunias ab uxoribus dotis nomine acceperunt"?

4. What is the mood of the verb "venit" in the sentence "de morte si res in suspicionem venit" in chapter 19?

5. In chapter 20, what is the subject of the sentence "Magistratus quae visa sunt occultant quaeque esse ex usu iudicaverunt multitudini produnt"?

Answers about the Latin

1. The case of the noun "Mercurium" is accusative.

2. The tense of the verb "praedicant" is present indicative.

3. The case of the noun "uxoribus" is ablative.

4. The mood of the verb "venit" is subjunctive.

5. "Magistratus" is the subject of the sentence.

Translation

Chapter 17

They worship as their divinity, Mercury in particular, and have

many images of him, and regard him as the inventor of all arts, they consider

him the guide of their journeys and marches, and believe him to have great

influence over the acquisition of gain and mercantile transactions. Next

to him they worship Apollo, and Mars, and Jupiter, and Minerva; respecting

these deities they have for the most part the same belief as other nations:

that Apollo averts diseases, that Minerva imparts the invention of manufactures,

that Jupiter possesses the sovereignty of the heavenly powers; that Mars

presides over wars. To him, when they have determined to engage in battle,

they commonly vow those things which they shall take in war. When they

have conquered, they sacrifice whatever captured animals may have survived

the conflict, and collect the other things into one place. In many states

you may see piles of these things heaped up in their consecrated spots;

nor does it often happen that any one, disregarding the sanctity of the

case, dares either to secrete in his house things captured, or take away

those deposited; and the most severe punishment, with torture, has been

established for such a deed.

Chapter 18

All the Gauls assert that they are descended from the god Dis,

and say that this tradition has been handed down by the Druids. For that

reason they compute the divisions of every season, not by the number of

days, but of nights; they keep birthdays and the beginnings of months and

years in such an order that the day follows the night. Among the other

usages of their life, they differ in this from almost all other nations,

that they do not permit their children to approach them openly until they

are grown up so as to be able to bear the service of war; and they regard

it as indecorous for a son of boyish age to stand in public in the presence

of his father.

Chapter 19

Whatever sums of money the husbands have received in the name of

dowry from their wives, making an estimate of it, they add the same amount

out of their own estates. An account is kept of all this money conjointly,

and the profits are laid by: whichever of them shall have survived [the

other], to that one the portion of both reverts together with the profits

of the previous time. Husbands have power of life and death over their

wives as well as over their children: and when the father of a family,

born in a more than commonly distinguished rank, has died, his relations

assemble, and, if the circumstances of his death are suspicious, hold an

investigation upon the wives in the manner adopted toward slaves; and,

if proof be obtained, put them to severe torture, and kill them. Their

funerals, considering the state of civilization among the Gauls, are magnificent

and costly; and they cast into the fire all things, including living creatures,

which they suppose to have been dear to them when alive; and, a little

before this period, slaves and dependents, who were ascertained to have

been beloved by them, were, after the regular funeral rites were completed,

burnt together with them.

Chapter 20

Those states which are considered to conduct their commonwealth

more judiciously, have it ordained by their laws, that, if any person shall

have heard by rumor and report from his neighbors any thing concerning

the commonwealth, he shall convey it to the magistrate, and not impart

it to any other; because it has been discovered that inconsiderate and

inexperienced men were often alarmed by false reports, and driven to some

rash act, or else took hasty measures in affairs of the highest importance.

The magistrates conceal those things which require to be kept unknown;

and they disclose to the people whatever they determine to be expedient.

It is not lawful to speak of the commonwealth, except in

council.

Translation sourced from http://classics.mit.edu/Caesar/gallic.6.6.html

Wrapping these Lines Up

Remember that despite these lines being a dry read, they describe the thought processes of one of the greatest men in terms of power and influence in Roman history. Keep that in mind as you are moving forward. Congratulations on finishing unit 2!

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