13 



CAESAR, CAIUS JULIUS. 



CLESAR, CAIUS JULIUS. 



of the distracted republic occupied by a general with unlimited power 

 the uncontrolled master of a territory which, in extent and import- 

 ance, is equal to a mighty kingdom a man of superior understanding, 

 desperate resolves, aud, if circumstances rendered it necessary, of 

 fearful cruelty a man who, under the show of democratical opinions, 

 behaved like a despot, governed a province at his pleasure, and 

 established an absolute control over his soldiers by leading them to 

 victory, bloodshed, and pillage." 



The Gallic provinces at this time subject to Rome were: Gallia 

 citerior, or Cisalpine Gaul (North Italy); and Gallia ulterior, or the 

 southern part of Transalpine Gaul, also called emphatically ' Pro- 

 vincia ' (whence the modern Provence), whose capital was Narbo, now 

 Narbonne. The Provincia extended from the Mediterranean to the 

 Gehenna Mountain?, and included the modern provinces of East 

 Languedoc, Provence, and Dauphine". On the north it joined the 

 Allobroges, then lately subjected to Rome. When Caesar, in his 

 'Commentaries,' speaks of Gaul, which he divides into Aquitania, 

 Celtica, and Eelgica, he means the Gaul which was then independent, 

 and which he conquered, exclusive of the Provincia already subject 

 to Rome. 



In March B.C. 58, while Caesar was still at Rome, news came that 

 the Helvetians, united with several German tribes, were leaving their 

 country with tlieir wives and children in order to settle in Southern 

 Gaul, aud were directing their march upon Geneva to cross the Rhone 

 at that place. Caesar hastened to Geneva, cut the bridge, and raised 

 a wall or entrenchment between the Rh6ne and the Jura in order to 

 close the passage against the Helvetians. The Helvetians asked pcr- 

 n to pass through the Roman province on their way to the 

 country of the Santones (Saintonge), as they said, and on Caesar's 

 refusal they resolved to cross tho Jura higher up into the country of 

 the Sequani (Frauche Comt(5), with whom they entered into negocia- 

 tions to that effect. Caesar, foreseeing danger to the Roman province 

 if the Helvetians succeeded in settling themselves in Gaul, resolved to 

 prevent them at all risks. He left his lieutenant Labienus at Geneva, 

 with the only legion he had in the province, and hastened back to 

 Cisalpine Gaul, where he raited two fresh legions, and summoned 

 three more which had wintered near Aquileia. With these five legions 

 (about 30,000 men) he took the most direct road to Gallia ulterior, 

 crossing the Alps by Ocelum (Exilles, between Susa and Briancon), 

 and marched through the province to the country of the Segusiaui, 

 the nearest independent Gaulish people, who lived near the confluence 

 of the Rhone and the Arar (the Sadne). The Helvetians meantime 

 having crossed the country of the Sequani had reached the Arar, 

 which divided the Sequani from the -E.lui, a considerable nation of 

 Celtic Gaul, who extended from the Arar to the Ligeris, and who 

 were friendly with Rome. The .Edui applied to Caesar for assistance. 

 He watched the motions of the Helvetians, and having learut that 

 three-fourths of their number had crossed tho Arar, he marched at 

 midnight with three legions, and fell upon those who still remained 

 on the east bank with the baggage, and killed or dispersed them. 

 These were the Tigurini who, about fifty years before, having joined 

 the Cimbri, had defeated and killed the Roman consul L. Cagsius. 

 Caesar crossed the Arar in pursuit of the Helvetian main body. After 

 a useless conference between Caesar and old Divico the Helvetian 

 leader, the Helvetians continued to advance into the country of the 

 JEdui, and Caspar after them. Caesar's cavalry, 4000 strong, composed 

 of Gaulish horsemen raised in the Provincia and among the JEdui, 

 had the worst in an engagement against 500 Helvetian horsemen. 

 Ca-.-ar discovered that there was a party hostile to Rome among the 

 JEAm, at the head of which was Dumnorix, a young man of great 

 wealth, influence, and ambition, who secretly favoured the Helvetians, 

 although he actually commanded a body of the auxiliary cavalry 

 under Caesar. At the same time the provisions which the .K<lui had 

 promised to supply to the Roman army were not forthcoming. Caesar 

 Bent for Divitiacus, the brother of Dumnorix, a Druid, who was 

 friendly to Rome, and told him all he knew about his brother's 

 double dealing. Divitiacus acknowledged his brother's fault, and 

 obtained his pardon. We find afterwards ('De Bello Gallico,' v. 7), 

 that Dumnorix continued in his heart hostile to the Romans, and at 

 the time of Caesar's first expedition into Britain refused to embark 

 with his auxiliaries, left Caesar's camp, was followed, overtaken, and 

 put to death. 



The movements of the Helvetians through the country of the vl'.dni 

 must have been very slow and circuitous, for we find that Ctesar, 

 after following them for a fortnight, was about 18 miles from Bibracte 

 (Atitun), which in not above 80 miles from the most distant point of 

 the Arar where they could have crossed. Caesar, who had now only 

 two days' provisions left, gave up the pursuit, and took the road to 

 Bibracte, the principal town of the ^EduL The Helvetians mistaking 

 this movement for a retreat, turned round and followed the Romans. 

 Caesar halted on a hill, formed his four old legions in three lines half- 

 way up the hill, and placed in their rear higher up the two new 

 legions, as well as the auxiliaries. The baggage he assembled and 

 entrenched on the summit of the bill. The Helvetians, whom Caesar 

 on this occasion calls Gauls, for they were in fact a Celtic race, having 

 left all their baggage, waggons, and families in one spot, closed their 

 ranks and formed their phalanx, repulsed Caesar's cavalry, and 

 advanced to attack his first line. Numbers were vastly in their 



favour. Caesar, having dismounted, sent away his own and all the other 

 horses, to preclude all hope of flight, and having harangued his men, 

 gave the signal for battle. The legionaries, from their elevated position, 

 threw their javelins with great force upon the advancing Helvetians, 

 and having disordered their phalanx, rushed sword in hand upon 

 them. Owing to the close order of the Helvetian ranks it happened 

 that, in many instances, the Roman javelins transfixed two shields at 

 once, so that the bearers being unable to extricate one from the other, 

 were obliged to throw their shields away and fight unprotected. At 

 last, covered with wounds, the Helvetians retired towards a mountain 

 a mile distant. The Romans followed them, but werewttacked in 

 flank by the Boii and Tulingi, 15,000 strong, who formed the Helvetian 

 rear-guard. Caesar ordered his third line to face about and repel these 

 new enemies, while the other two were engaged against the Helvetian 

 main body who had halted and returned to the charge. This double 

 fight lasted from noon to sunset, during which time none of the 

 Helvetians were seen to turn their backs. They withdrew at last, one 

 part to the mountain and the rest to their baggage, where they con- 

 tinued to fight desperately behind their carts during the night, till 

 they were nearly all killed. The other part, to the number of 130,000 

 individuals, moved off during the night, and marching in a north 

 direction arrived in the country of the Liugoues (Langres) : the 

 Romans were unable to follow them, being detained three days on the 

 field of battle in attending. to their wounded and burying their dead. 



In the Helvetian camp were found written tablets containing the 

 muster of the different tribes which composed the emigration, to the 

 number of 368,000 individuals, of whom 92,000 wera fighting men. 

 Csesar says the tablets were written in Greek characters : it has beeu 

 supposed by some that they were Etruscan letters somewhat re- 

 sembling the old Greek, and perhaps introduced into Helvetia by the 

 Rhaeti or Rasena, an Etruscan people. 



After three days, Caesar marched in pursuit of the Helvetians, who 

 threw themselves on his mercy. Caesar demanded their arms, hostages, 

 and the surrender of the slaves and other fugitives who had taken 

 refuge among them; and they were ordered to return home, and 

 cultivate their lands. The Boii alone, distinguished for their bravery, 

 were allowed to remain among the Edui at the request of the latter. 

 A part of one of the Helvetian tribes, pagus Verbigenus, 6000 in 

 number, having marched off in the midst of the confusion and dark- 

 ness of the night, and taken the way towards the Rhine and Germany, 

 were pursued by Caesar's order, brought back and " treated as enemies," ' 

 which then meant that they were either put to death or sold as slaves. 

 The Helvetians, who returned home, were mustered by Caesar, and 

 found to be 110,000 individuals, men, women, aud children. 



Caesar says that his principal object in sending the Helvetians back 

 was to prevent the Germans beyond the Rhine from occupying their 

 country and becoming formidable neighbours to the Roman provinces. 

 The report of Caesar's victory spread rapidly through all Celtic Gaul, 

 the various tribes of which began to look up to him as their arbiter in 

 their internal differences. The ^Edui complained to him that Ario- 

 vistus, a powerful kiug of tho Germans, being invited by the Sequani 

 and the Arverni, between whom and the JJdui there was an old 

 rivalry, had crossed the Rhine some time before with 15,000 men, who 

 had afterwards increased to 120,000, had defeated the jEdui and their 

 allies in a great battle, had occupied several provinces of Gaul, exacted 

 hostages of them, and was in fact oppressing the country. The Gauls 

 described the Germans as an athletic, fierce, and formidable people. 

 Caesar, who, during his consulship in the previous year, had induced 

 the senate to acknowledge Ariovistus as a king and friend of Rome, 

 now sent to him requesting an interview, which the German declined. 

 Caesar then required him by message to desist from bringing over 

 the Rhine fresh bodies of Germans, and from molesting the ^Edu 

 and their allies, who were neighbours to the Roman Province, and to 

 restore their hostages. Ariovistus replied that as he had never dic- 

 tated to the Romans what use they should make of their victories, he 

 would not be dictated to by them; and that the JSdui were his 

 tributaries by force of arms. 



Caesar, learning that other Germans', and particularly the Suevi, a 

 powerful nation, were approaching the Rhine to join Ariovistus, deter- 

 mined on attacking him. He occupied Vesontio (Besangon), a strong 

 town of the Sequani, before Ariovistus could seize it. The fearful 

 reports of the Gauls about the Germans spread alarm in Caesar's camp, 

 especially among the young officers, military tribunes, prefects, and 

 others, accustomed to the luxuries of Rome, and who had followed 

 Caesar out of personal friendship (I. 39). Skulking in their teuta, they 

 lamented their fate, and were busy making their last wills. The panic 

 spread to the veterans, and Caesar was told that it would be impossible 

 to advance farther ; that the roads were impracticable ; that no provi- 

 sions could be collected, and, in short, that the soldiers would not 

 follow him if he raised his camp. Having assembled the officers, he 

 told them that it was not their business to discuss the measures and 

 orders of their general, ridiculed their fears of the Germans, since the 

 Cimbri and Teutones, the moat formidable of that race, had been 

 defeated by the Roman arms, and signified to them that he would 

 raise the camp next morning, and if they refused to follow him, would 

 march forth with the tenth legion alone. This was Caesar's favourite 

 regiment. This harangue had its full effect, and Caesar marched from 

 Vesontio to meet Ariovistus. After a fruitless interview between the 



