De Bello Gallico Book 5 (1–15)

[1] 

1. L. Domitio Ap. Claudio consulibus, discedens ab hibernis Caesar in Italiam, ut quotannis facere consuerat, legatis imperat quos legionibus praefecerat uti quam plurimas possent hieme naves aedificandas veteresque reficiendas curarent. 

1. With Lucius Domitius and Appius Claudius as consuls, Caesar, departing from winter quarters for Italy, as he was accustomed to do every year, ordered the legates whom he had placed in command of the legions to ensure that as many ships as possible could be built and old ones repaired during the winter. 

2. Earum modum formamque demonstrat. Ad celeritatem onerandi subductionesque paulo facit humiliores quam quibus in nostro mari uti consuevimus, atque id eo magis, quod propter crebras commutationes aestuum minus magnos ibi fluctus fieri cognoverat; ad onera, ad multitudinem iumentorum transportandam paulo latiores quam quibus in reliquis utimur maribus. 

2. He showed them the size and shape of these. For speed of loading and beaching, he made them a little lower than those we are accustomed to use in our sea, and this all the more because he had learned that, due to the frequent changes in tides, smaller waves occurred there; for carrying cargo, for transporting a multitude of pack animals, a little wider than those we use in other seas. 

3. Has omnes actuarias imperat fieri, quam ad rem multum humilitas adiuvat. 

3. He ordered all of these to be made as warships, for which purpose their lowness greatly helped. 

4. Ea quae sunt usui ad armandas naves ex Hispania apportari iubet. 

4. He ordered what was useful for arming the ships to be brought from Spain. 

5. Ipse conventibus Galliae citerioris peractis in Illyricum proficiscitur, quod a Pirustis finitimam partem provinciae incursionibus vastari audiebat. 

5. Having concluded the assemblies of Cisalpine Gaul, he himself set out for Illyricum, because he heard that the neighboring part of the province was being devastated by incursions from the Pirustae. 

6. Eo cum venisset, civitatibus milites imperat certumque in locum convenire iubet. 

6. When he had arrived there, he ordered soldiers from the states and commanded them to assemble in a certain place. 

7. Qua re nuntiata Pirustae legatos ad eum mittunt qui doceant nihil earum rerum publico factum consilio, seseque paratos esse demonstrant omnibus rationibus de iniuriis satisfacere. 

7. When this was announced, the Pirustae sent envoys to him to explain that none of these things had been done by public decision, and they demonstrated that they were prepared to make satisfaction for the wrongs in every way. 

8. Accepta oratione eorum Caesar obsides imperat eosque ad certam diem adduci iubet; nisi ita fecerint, sese bello civitatem persecuturum demonstrat. 

8. Having received their speech, Caesar demanded hostages and ordered them to be brought by a certain day; he declared that if they did not do so, he would prosecute the state with war. 

9. Eis ad diem adductis, ut imperaverat, arbitros inter civitates dat qui litem aestiment poenamque constituant. 

9. When these had been brought by the day, as he had ordered, he appointed arbitrators between the states to assess the dispute and determine the penalty. 

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[2] 

1. His confectis rebus conventibusque peractis, in citeriorem Galliam revertitur atque inde ad exercitum proficiscitur. 

1. With these matters concluded and the assemblies finished, he returned to Cisalpine Gaul and from there set out for the army. 

2. Eo cum venisset, circuitis omnibus hibernis, singulari militum studio in summa omnium rerum inopia circiter sescentas eius generis cuius supra demonstravimus naves et longas XXVIII invenit instructas neque multum abesse ab eo quin paucis diebus deduci possint. 

2. When he had arrived there, having toured all the winter quarters, he found, through the extraordinary zeal of the soldiers, despite a great scarcity of all resources, about six hundred ships of the kind we described above, and twenty-eight warships, equipped and not far from being able to be launched in a few days. 

3. Collaudatis militibus atque eis qui negotio praefuerant, quid fieri velit ostendit atque omnes ad portum Itium convenire iubet, quo ex portu commodissimum in Britanniam traiectum esse cognoverat, circiter milium passuum XXX transmissum a continenti: huic rei quod satis esse visum est militum reliquit. 

3. Having highly praised the soldiers and those who had been in charge of the work, he showed what he wanted done and ordered everyone to assemble at the Port of Itius, from which port he had learned that the most convenient crossing to Britain was, about thirty thousand paces from the continent; for this purpose, he left as many soldiers as seemed sufficient. 

4. Ipse cum legionibus expeditis IIII et equitibus DCCC in fines Treverorum proficiscitur, quod hi neque ad concilia veniebant neque imperio parebant Germanosque Transrhenanos sollicitare dicebantur. 

4. He himself, with four light-armed legions and 800 cavalry, set out for the territory of the Treveri, because they were neither coming to the councils nor obeying his command, and were said to be inciting the Germans across the Rhine.

[3] 

1. Haec civitas longe plurimum totius Galliae equitatu valet magnasque habet copias peditum Rhenumque, ut supra demonstravimus, tangit. 

1. This state is by far the strongest in all Gaul in cavalry, and has large forces of infantry, and touches the Rhine, as we demonstrated above. 

2. In ea civitate duo de principatu inter se contendebant, Indutiomarus et Cingetorix; 

2. In that state, two men were contending for supremacy among themselves, Indutiomarus and Cingetorix; 

3. e quibus alter, simul atque de Caesaris legionumque adventu cognitum est, ad eum venit, se suosque omnes in officio futuros neque ab amicitia populi Romani defecturos confirmavit quaeque in Treveris gererentur ostendit. 

3. of whom one, as soon as he learned of the arrival of Caesar and his legions, came to him, confirmed that he and all his people would remain loyal and would not defect from the friendship of the Roman people, and explained what was happening among the Treveri. 

4. At Indutiomarus equitatum peditatumque cogere, eisque qui per aetatem in armis esse non poterant in silvam Arduennam abditis, quae ingenti magnitudine per medios fines Treverorum a flumine Rheno ad initium Remorum pertinet, bellum parare instituit. 

4. But Indutiomarus began to gather cavalry and infantry, and, having hidden those who by reason of age could not be in arms in the Arduenna forest, which extends with immense size through the middle of the Treveri's territory from the Rhine river to the borders of the Remi, he began to prepare for war. 

5. Sed posteaquam nonnulli principes ex ea civitate et familiaritate Cingetorigis adducti et adventu nostri exercitus perterriti ad Caesarem venerunt et de suis privatim rebus ab eo petere coeperunt, quoniam civitati consulere non possent, veritus ne ab omnibus desereretur Indutiomarus legatos ad Caesarem mittit: 

5. But after some chiefs from that state, influenced both by their familiarity with Cingetorix and terrified by the arrival of our army, came to Caesar and began to seek from him concerning their private affairs, since they could not consult for the state, Indutiomarus, fearing that he would be deserted by everyone, sent envoys to Caesar: 

6. sese idcirco ab suis discedere atque ad eum venire noluisse, quo facilius civitatem in officio contineret, ne omnis nobilitatis discessu plebs propter imprudentiam laberetur: 

6. that he had been unwilling to leave his people and come to him for this reason, that he might more easily keep the state in allegiance, lest the common people, through imprudence, should go astray because of the departure of all the nobility; 

7. itaque esse civitatem in sua potestate, seseque, si Caesar permitteret, ad eum in castra venturum, suas civitatisque fortunas eius fidei permissurum. 

7. and therefore, the state was in his power, and he himself, if Caesar permitted, would come to him in the camp, and would entrust his own fortunes and those of the state to Caesar's good faith. 

 [4] 

1. Caesar, etsi intellegebat qua de causa ea dicerentur quaeque eum res ab instituto consilio deterreret, tamen, ne aestatem in Treveris consumere cogeretur omnibus ad Britannicum bellum rebus comparatis, Indutiomarum ad se cum CC obsidibus venire iussit. 

1. Caesar, although he understood why these things were being said and what was deterring him from his intended plan, nevertheless, so that he would not be forced to spend the summer among the Treveri with all preparations for the British war complete, ordered Indutiomarus to come to him with 200 hostages. 

2. His adductis, in eis filio propinquisque eius omnibus, quos nominatim evocaverat, consolatus Indutiomarum hortatusque est uti in officio maneret; 

2. When these had been brought, including his son and all his relatives whom he had specifically summoned, he consoled Indutiomarus and urged him to remain loyal; 

3. nihilo tamen setius principibus Treverorum ad se convocatis hos singillatim Cingetorigi conciliavit, quod cum merito eius a se fieri intellegebat, tum magni interesse arbitrabatur eius auctoritatem inter suos quam plurimum valere, cuius tam egregiam in se voluntatem perspexisset. 

3. nevertheless, he also summoned the chiefs of the Treveri to himself and individually reconciled them to Cingetorix, because while he understood this was being done by him deservedly, he also judged it to be of great importance that Cingetorix's authority among his people be as strong as possible, since he had observed such outstanding good will from him towards himself. 

4. Id tulit factum graviter Indutiomarus, suam gratiam inter suos minui, et, qui iam ante inimico in nos animo fuisset, multo gravius hoc dolore exarsit. 

4. Indutiomarus took this act very badly, as his influence among his people was diminished, and he, who had already before been hostile towards us, flared up with much greater anger because of this pain.

[5] 

1. His rebus constitutis Caesar ad portum Itium cum legionibus pervenit. 

1. With these matters settled, Caesar arrived at the Port of Itius with his legions. 

2. Ibi cognoscit LX naves, quae in Meldis factae erant, tempestate reiectas cursum tenere non potuisse atque eodem unde erant profectae revertisse; reliquas paratas ad navigandum atque omnibus rebus instructas invenit. 

2. There he learned that sixty ships, which had been built among the Meldi, had been driven back by a storm and unable to hold their course, and had returned to the same place from which they had set out; the rest he found ready for sailing and equipped with all necessary things. 

3. Eodem equitatus totius Galliae convenit, numero milium quattuor, principesque ex omnibus civitatibus; 

3. To the same place came the cavalry of all Gaul, numbering four thousand, and the chiefs from all the states; 

4. ex quibus perpaucos, quorum in se fidem perspexerat, relinquere in Gallia, reliquos obsidum loco secum ducere decreverat, quod, cum ipse abesset, motum Galliae verebatur. 

4. of these, he had decided to leave a very few in Gaul, whose loyalty to himself he had confirmed, and to take the rest with him in place of hostages, because he feared an uprising in Gaul when he was absent. 

 [6] 

1. Erat una cum ceteris Dumnorix Aeduus, de quo ante ab nobis dictum est. Hunc secum habere in primis constituerat, quod eum cupidum rerum novarum, cupidum imperi, magni animi, magnae inter Gallos auctoritatis cognoverat. 

1. Among the others was Dumnorix the Aeduan, about whom we spoke earlier. Caesar had decided to keep him with him especially, because he knew him to be eager for revolution, eager for power, of great spirit, and of great authority among the Gauls. 

2. Accedebat huc quod in concilio Aeduorum Dumnorix dixerat sibi a Caesare regnum civitatis deferri; quod dictum Aedui graviter ferebant, neque recusandi aut deprecandi causa legatos ad Caesarem mittere audebant. 

2. Added to this was the fact that in a council of the Aeduans, Dumnorix had said that the kingship of the state was being offered to him by Caesar; the Aeduans took this statement badly, and did not dare to send envoys to Caesar to object or plead. 

3. Id factum ex suis hospitibus Caesar cognoverat. Ille omnibus primo precibus petere contendit ut in Gallia relinqueretur, partim quod insuetus navigandi mare timeret, partim quod religionibus impediri sese diceret. 

3. Caesar had learned of this act from his own associates. Dumnorix at first struggled with all his prayers to be left in Gaul, partly because, unaccustomed to sailing, he feared the sea, partly because he said he was hindered by religious scruples. 

4. Posteaquam id obstinate sibi negari vidit, omni spe impetrandi adempta principes Galliae sollicitare, sevocare singulos hortarique coepit uti in continenti remanerent: 

4. After he saw that this was stubbornly denied to him, with all hope of obtaining it removed, he began to incite the chiefs of Gaul, to call individuals aside, and to urge them to remain on the continent: 

5. metu territare: non sine causa fieri, ut Gallia omni nobilitate spoliaretur; id esse consilium Caesaris, ut quos in conspectu Galliae interficere vereretur, hos omnes in Britanniam traductos necaret; 

5. He tried to terrify them with fear: that it was not without reason that Gaul was being stripped of all its nobility; that it was Caesar's plan to kill all those whom he feared to put to death in the sight of Gaul, by transporting them to Britain. 

6. fidem reliquis interponere, iusiurandum poscere, ut quod esse ex usu Galliae intellexissent communi consilio administrarent. Haec a compluribus ad Caesarem deferebantur. 

6. He offered his word to the others, and demanded an oath, that they would administer by common counsel what they understood to be to the advantage of Gaul. These things were reported to Caesar by several people.

[7] 

1. Qua re cognita Caesar, quod tantum civitati Aeduae dignitatis tribuebat, coercendum atque deterrendum quibuscumque rebus posset Dumnorigem statuebat; 

1. Having learned of this, Caesar, because he attributed so much prestige to the Aeduan state, decided that Dumnorix must be restrained and deterred by whatever means possible; 

2. quod longius eius amentiam progredi videbat, prospiciendum, ne quid sibi ac rei publicae nocere posset. 

2. because he saw his madness progressing too far, he had to ensure that he could not harm himself or the republic. 

3. Itaque dies circiter XXV in eo loco commoratus, quod Corus ventus navigationem impediebat, qui magnam partem omnis temporis in his locis flare consuevit, dabat operam ut in officio Dumnorigem contineret, nihilo tamen setius omnia eius consilia cognosceret: 

3. Therefore, having remained in that place for about twenty-five days, because the northwest wind, which usually blows a large part of the time in these regions, was hindering navigation, he made efforts to keep Dumnorix loyal, yet nonetheless learned all his plans: 

4. tandem idoneam nactus tempestatem milites equitesque conscendere in naves iubet. 

4. at last, having found suitable weather, he ordered the soldiers and cavalry to embark on the ships. 

5. At omnium impeditis animis Dumnorix cum equitibus Aeduorum a castris insciente Caesare domum discedere coepit. 

5. But with everyone's minds focused on departure, Dumnorix, with the Aeduan cavalry, began to leave the camp for home without Caesar's knowledge. 

6. Qua re nuntiata Caesar intermissa profectione atque omnibus rebus postpositis magnam partem equitatus ad eum insequendum mittit retrahique imperat; 

6. When this was reported, Caesar, interrupting the departure and setting aside all other matters, sent a large part of the cavalry to pursue him and ordered him to be brought back; 

7. si vim faciat neque pareat, interfici iubet, nihil hunc se absente pro sano facturum arbitratus, qui praesentis imperium neglexisset. 

7. if he used force and did not obey, he ordered him to be killed, believing that one who had disregarded his command in his presence would do nothing sensible in his absence. 

8. Ille enim revocatus resistere ac se manu defendere suorumque fidem implorare coepit, saepe clamitans liberum se liberaeque esse civitatis. 

8. For he, when recalled, began to resist and defend himself by force, and to implore the loyalty of his own men, often shouting that he was a free man of a free state. 

9. Illi, ut erat imperatum, circumsistunt hominem atque interficiunt: at equites Aedui ad Caesarem omnes revertuntur. 

9. They, as ordered, surrounded the man and killed him: but all the Aeduan cavalry returned to Caesar. 

 [8] 

1. His rebus gestis, Labieno in continente cum tribus legionibus et equitum milibus duobus relicto ut portus tueretur et rem frumentariam provideret quaeque in Gallia gererentur cognosceret consiliumque pro tempore et pro re caperet, 

1. With these matters accomplished, Labienus was left on the continent with three legions and two thousand cavalry to protect the ports, provide for the grain supply, learn what was happening in Gaul, and take counsel according to the time and circumstances, 

2. ipse cum quinque legionibus et pari numero equitum, quem in continenti reliquerat, ad solis occasum naves solvit et leni Africo provectus media circiter nocte vento intermisso cursum non tenuit, et longius delatus aestu orta luce sub sinistra Britanniam relictam conspexit. 

2. Caesar himself, with five legions and an equal number of cavalry, which he had left on the continent, set sail at sunset and, carried by a gentle south-west wind, did not hold his course when the wind died down around midnight, and having drifted further by the current, at dawn he saw Britain left behind on his left. 

3. Tum rursus aestus commutationem secutus remis contendit ut eam partem insulae caperet, qua optimum esse egressum superiore aestate cognoverat. 

3. Then, again following the change of tide, he strove with oars to reach that part of the island where he had learned the best landing place was in the previous summer. 

4. Qua in re admodum fuit militum virtus laudanda, qui vectoriis gravibusque navigiis non intermisso remigandi labore longarum navium cursum adaequarunt. 

4. In this effort, the bravery of the soldiers was very much to be praised, who, in transport and heavy ships, by an uninterrupted effort of rowing, equaled the speed of the warships. 

5. Accessum est ad Britanniam omnibus navibus meridiano fere tempore, neque in eo loco hostis est visus; 

5. They reached Britain with all ships around midday, and no enemy was seen in that place; 

6. sed, ut postea Caesar ex captivis cognovit, cum magnae manus eo convenissent, multitudine navium perterritae, quae cum annotinis privatisque quas sui quisque commodi fecerat amplius octingentae uno erant visae tempore, a litore discesserant ac se in superiora loca abdiderant. 

6. but, as Caesar later learned from captives, although large forces had assembled there, terrified by the multitude of ships—more than eight hundred, including those from the previous year and private vessels each had built for their own convenience, had been seen at one time—they had departed from the shore and hidden themselves in higher ground.

[9] 

1. Caesar exposito exercitu et loco castris idoneo capto, ubi ex captivis cognovit quo in loco hostium copiae consedissent, cohortibus decem ad mare relictis et equitibus trecentis, qui praesidio navibus essent, de tertia vigilia ad hostes contendit, eo minus veritus navibus, quod in litore molli atque aperto deligatas ad ancoram relinquebat, 

1. Caesar, having disembarked his army and chosen a suitable place for a camp, when he learned from captives in what place the enemy forces had settled, leaving ten cohorts and three hundred cavalry by the sea to guard the ships, set out towards the enemy in the third watch, fearing less for the ships because he was leaving them tied at anchor on a soft and open shore, 

2. et praesidio navibus Q. Atrium praefecit. Ipse noctu progressus milia passuum circiter XII hostium copias conspicatus est. 

2. and he placed Quintus Atrius in command of the ships' guard. He himself, having advanced about twelve miles during the night, caught sight of the enemy forces. 

3. Illi equitatu atque essedis ad flumen progressi ex loco superiore nostros prohibere et proelium committere coeperunt. 

3. They, having advanced with cavalry and chariots to the river, began to prevent our men from a higher position and to engage in battle. 

4. Repulsi ab equitatu se in silvas abdiderunt, locum nacti egregie et natura et opere munitum, quem domestici belli, ut videbantur, causa iam ante praeparaverant: 

4. Repulsed by our cavalry, they hid themselves in the woods, having found a place excellently fortified both by nature and by art, which, as it seemed, they had already prepared beforehand for the sake of domestic war: 

5. nam crebris arboribus succisis omnes introitus erant praeclusi. 

5. for by frequently felled trees, all entrances were blocked. 

6. Ipsi ex silvis rari propugnabant nostrosque intra munitiones ingredi prohibebant. 

6. They themselves, scattered, fought from the woods and prevented our men from entering within their fortifications. 

7. At milites legionis septimae, testudine facta et aggere ad munitiones adiecto, locum ceperunt eosque ex silvis expulerunt paucis vulneribus acceptis. 

7. But the soldiers of the seventh legion, having formed a tortoise formation and added a rampart to the fortifications, took the place and drove them out of the woods, having sustained few wounds. 

8. Sed eos fugientes longius Caesar prosequi vetuit, et quod loci naturam ignorabat, et quod magna parte diei consumpta munitioni castrorum tempus relinqui volebat. 

8. But Caesar forbade pursuing them further as they fled, both because he was ignorant of the nature of the place, and because a large part of the day having been consumed, he wanted time to be left for the fortification of the camp. 

 [10] 

1. Postridie eius diei mane tripertito milites equitesque in expeditionem misit, ut eos qui fugerant persequerentur. 

1. On the morning of the next day, he sent soldiers and cavalry in three divisions on an expedition, to pursue those who had fled. 

2. His aliquantum itineris progressis, cum iam extremi essent in prospectu, equites a Quinto Atrio ad Caesarem venerunt, qui nuntiarent superiore nocte maxima coorta tempestate prope omnes naves adflictas atque in litore eiectas esse, quod neque ancorae funesque subsisterent, neque nautae gubernatoresque vim tempestatis pati possent; 

2. When these had advanced a considerable distance, and when the last of them were already in sight, cavalry from Quintus Atrius came to Caesar, to report that in the previous night, a very great storm having arisen, nearly all the ships had been damaged and cast ashore, because neither anchors nor ropes could hold, nor could the sailors and pilots withstand the force of the storm; 

3. itaque ex eo concursu navium magnum esse incommodum acceptum. 

3. and so, great damage had been incurred from that collision of ships.

[11] 

1. His rebus cognitis Caesar legiones equitatumque revocari atque in itinere resistere iubet, ipse ad naves revertitur; 

1. Having learned of these things, Caesar ordered the legions and cavalry to be recalled and to halt on their march; he himself returned to the ships; 

2. eadem fere quae ex nuntiis litterisque cognoverat coram perspicit, sic ut amissis circiter XL navibus reliquae tamen refici posse magno negotio viderentur. 

2. he observed nearly the same things firsthand as he had learned from messengers and letters, so that with about forty ships lost, the rest nevertheless seemed capable of being repaired with great difficulty. 

3. Itaque ex legionibus fabros deligit et ex continenti alios arcessi iubet; 

3. Therefore, he selected craftsmen from the legions and ordered others to be summoned from the continent; 

4. Labieno scribit, ut quam plurimas posset eis legionibus, quae sunt apud eum, naves instituat. 

4. he wrote to Labienus to build as many ships as possible with the legions he had with him. 

5. Ipse, etsi res erat multae operae ac laboris, tamen commodissimum esse statuit omnes naves subduci et cum castris una munitione coniungi. 

5. He himself, although the task involved much effort and labor, nevertheless decided that it was most convenient to haul all the ships ashore and connect them with the camp by a single fortification. 

6. In his rebus circiter dies X consumit ne nocturnis quidem temporibus ad laborem militum intermissis. 

6. In these matters he spent about ten days, not even interrupting the soldiers' labor during the night. 

7. Subductis navibus castrisque egregie munitis easdem copias, quas ante, praesidio navibus reliquit: ipse eodem unde redierat proficiscitur. 

7. With the ships beached and the camp excellently fortified, he left the same forces as before to guard the ships: he himself set out for the same place from which he had returned. 

8. Eo cum venisset, maiores iam undique in eum locum copiae Britannorum convenerant summa imperi bellique administrandi communi consilio permissa Cassivellauno, cuius fines a maritimis civitatibus flumen dividit, quod appellatur Tamesis, a mari circiter milia passuum LXXX. 

8. When he had arrived there, larger forces of Britons had already assembled from all sides in that place, the supreme command of the war and its conduct having been entrusted by common counsel to Cassivellaunus, whose territory a river divides from the maritime states, which is called the Thames, about eighty miles from the sea. 

9. Huic superiore tempore cum reliquis civitatibus continentia bella intercesserant; sed nostro adventu permoti Britanni hunc toti bello imperioque praefecerant. 

9. To him, in the previous period, continuous wars had occurred with the other states; but, moved by our arrival, the Britons had placed him in command of the entire war and its conduct. 

 [12] 

1. Britanniae pars interior ab eis incolitur quos natos in insula ipsi memoria proditum dicunt, 

1. The interior part of Britain is inhabited by those whom they themselves say are recorded by tradition as born on the island, 

2. maritima ab eis, qui praedae ac belli inferendi causa ex Belgio transierunt (qui omnes fere eis nominibus civitatum appellantur, quibus orti ex civitatibus eo pervenerunt) et bello illato ibi permanserunt atque agros colere coeperunt. 

2. the coastal part by those who crossed from Belgic Gaul for the purpose of plunder and waging war (who are almost all called by the names of the states from which they originated and came there) and, having waged war, remained there and began to cultivate the fields. 

3. Hominum est infinita multitudo creberrimaque aedificia fere Gallicis consimilia, pecorum magnus numerus. 

3. The population is immense and the buildings are very numerous, almost similar to those in Gaul, and there is a great number of cattle. 

4. Utuntur aut aere aut nummo aureo aut taleis ferreis ad certum pondus examinatis pro nummo. 

4. They use either bronze or gold coinage, or iron bars of a certain weight as money. 

5. Nascitur ibi plumbum album in mediterraneis regionibus, in maritimis ferrum, sed eius exigua est copia; aere utuntur importato. Materia cuiusque generis ut in Gallia est, praeter fagum atque abietem. 

5. White lead is produced there in the inland regions, iron in the maritime areas, but its quantity is small; they use imported bronze. Timber of every kind is there, as in Gaul, except for beech and fir. 

6. Leporem et gallinam et anserem gustare fas non putant; haec tamen alunt animi voluptatisque causa. Loca sunt temperatiora quam in Gallia, remissioribus frigoribus. 

6. They do not consider it lawful to taste hare, hen, or goose; these, however, they keep for pleasure and amusement. The places are more temperate than in Gaul, with milder cold.

[13] 

1. Insula natura triquetra, cuius unum latus est contra Galliam. Huius lateris alter angulus, qui est ad Cantium, quo fere omnes ex Gallia naves appelluntur, ad orientem solem, inferior ad meridiem spectat. Hoc pertinet circiter mila passuum quingenta. 

1. The island is triangular in shape, one side of which is opposite Gaul. One corner of this side, which is towards Cantium, where almost all ships from Gaul put in, faces the rising sun, the lower part faces south. This extends for about five hundred miles. 

2. Alterum vergit ad Hispaniam atque occidentem solem; qua ex parte est Hibernia, dimidio minor, ut aestimatur, quam Britannia, sed pari spatio transmissus atque ex Gallia est in Britanniam. 

2. The second side faces Spain and the setting sun; on this side is Ireland, estimated to be half the size of Britain, but with an equal crossing distance as from Gaul to Britain. 

3. In hoc medio cursu est insula, quae appellatur Mona: complures praeterea minores subiectae insulae existimantur, de quibus insulis nonnulli scripserunt dies continuos triginta sub bruma esse noctem. 

3. In the middle of this crossing is an island called Mona: besides this, several smaller islands are thought to lie nearby, concerning which islands some have written that for thirty continuous days during the winter solstice there is night. 

4. Nos nihil de eo percontationibus reperiebamus, nisi certis ex aqua mensuris breviores esse quam in continenti noctes videbamus. 

4. We found nothing concerning this by inquiry, except that by accurate measurements from water clocks, we saw that the nights were shorter than on the continent. 

5. Huius est longitudo lateris, ut fert illorum opinio, septingentorum milium. 

5. The length of this side, as their opinion holds, is seven hundred miles. 

6. Tertium est contra septentriones; cui parti nulla est obiecta terra, sed eius angulus lateris maxime ad Germaniam spectat. Hoc milia passuum octingenta in longitudinem esse existimatur. 

6. The third side is towards the north; to this part no land is opposite, but its corner particularly faces Germany. This is estimated to be eight hundred miles in length. 

7. Ita omnis insula est in circuitu vicies centum milium passuum. 

7. Thus the entire island is two thousand miles in circumference. 

 [14] 

1. Ex his omnibus longe sunt humanissimi qui Cantium incolunt, quae regio est maritima omnis, neque multum a Gallica differunt consuetudine. 

1. Of all these, by far the most civilized are those who inhabit Kent, which region is entirely coastal, and they do not differ much from Gallic custom. 

2. Interiores plerique frumenta non serunt, sed lacte et carne vivunt pellibusque sunt vestiti. Omnes vero se Britanni vitro inficiunt, quod caeruleum efficit colorem, atque hoc horridiores sunt in pugna aspectu; 

2. Most of the inland inhabitants do not sow grain, but live on milk and meat and are clothed in skins. All the Britons indeed stain themselves with woad, which produces a blue color, and by this they are more terrifying in appearance in battle; 

3. capilloque sunt promisso atque omni parte corporis rasa praeter caput et labrum superius. 

3. and they wear long hair and have every part of their body shaved except for the head and the upper lip.  

4. Uxores habent deni duodenique inter se communes et maxime fratres cum fratribus parentesque cum liberis; sed qui sunt ex his nati, eorum habentur liberi, quo primum virgo quaeque deducta est. 

4. They have wives, ten or twelve of them in common among themselves, and especially brothers with brothers and parents with their children; but the children born from these are considered to be the children of the man to whom each virgin was first brought. 

 [15] 

1. Equites hostium essedariique acriter proelio cum equitatu nostro in itinere conflixerunt, tamen ut nostri omnibus partibus superiores fuerint atque eos in silvas collesque compulerint; 

1. The enemy's cavalry and charioteers engaged fiercely in battle with our cavalry on the march, yet so that our men were superior in all parts and drove them into the woods and hills; 

2. sed compluribus interfectis cupidius insecuti nonnullos ex suis amiserunt. 

2. but having killed several, by pursuing too eagerly, they lost some of their own. 

3. At illi intermisso spatio imprudentibus nostris atque occupatis in munitione castrorum subito se ex statione pro castris collocati, 

3. But they, after an interval, while our men were unsuspecting and occupied in the fortification of the camp, suddenly rushed forth from the guard station placed in front of the camp, 

4. acriter pugnaverunt, duabusque missis subsidio cohortibus a Caesare atque eis primis legionum duarum, cum hae perexiguo intermisso loci spatio inter se constitissent, novo genere pugnae perterritis nostris per medios audacissime perruperunt seque inde incolumes receperunt. 

4. fought fiercely, and although two cohorts had been sent by Caesar as reinforcements, and these were the first of two legions, when they had taken up positions at a very small interval from each other, our men being terrified by the new kind of fighting, they most boldly broke through the middle and withdrew themselves from there unharmed. 

5. Eo die Quintus Laberius Durus, tribunus militum, interficitur. Illi pluribus submissis cohortibus repelluntur. 

5. On that day, Quintus Laberius Durus, a military tribune, was killed. They were repelled by the sending of more cohorts.