III, De Gestis Caesaris
C. Julius Caesar the dictator began, as is the case for almost all
men , with difficulty , then proceeded in a splendid way , ended precipitously.
2 teenager was not rich , though noble lineage ,
if it is true , as I find that since the same origin of Rome and
before the foundation of the city the name of the people Giulia was well
known . 3 The difficulties of his family joined the untimely death
of his father, who died when he was sixteen. 4 Recall that a
time and by others and also it was doubted by my name
father , 5 and it was believed that , like the sun, the stars , so the reputation of the
son had obscured the name of the father . 6 However, I found by reading ,
and I say to those who do not know, that his father was Lucius Julius
Caesar. 7 But back to his son, also joined the quartan fever ,
inertia annoying and a prolonged malaise , and more dangerous
any fever hatred of the dictator Sulla, 8 which won the war
civil , though a man of so much cruelty and plenty of power , numbered
Already , however, among his opponents Caesar, and talking about him warned
often with these words is that the noble Pompey : 9 "Take care
this guy with the robe knotted evil. " 10 Caesar fact, although
was accurate in clothing of the body, however, he knotted the
loosely as a way of making improper for that age 11
and from here is born the saying of Cicero , who, when asked
after the Civil War because it was so wrong in choosing
preferring to Pompey to Caesar , he replied: 12 " mistaken ways of knotting
". 13 Caesar, oppressed by all these problems together, changed
almost always caches, 14 and often got rid of those who
hunted with money, he future lord of kings and kingdoms, and lived 15
long under these conditions , until Marco Emilio and Aurelio Cotta,
noble men and his relatives , but also very good friends of Sulla , and
together with the Vestal Virgins , whose authority was then very high , not asked
forgiveness for him with many prayers effective . 16 And here is worthy of
memory at the end of the sentence that Silla, after he had very long opposed and no prayer was effective , won uttered , or later to divine inspiration or just to human intuition : 17 " Vincetela
you too - he said - and keep this gift harmful for you and for all
the nobles . 18 But I now declare that this man , whom you so insistently
you want to save , will one day be the ruin of the party of the nobles , who
you have defended with me ; 18 Caesar in fact there are many Marii
". 19 These details may be too meticulous about this character
perhaps be useful to those who spend a difficult youth ,
because , learning that a man of singular greatness has been hampered
from such impediments young age , do not despair of power
rise to the highest levels.
20 Still a teenager , he served in the military and in Greece and Asia
in Cilicia , sometimes with good reputation at other times without any notoriety.
21 When he learned of the death of Sulla, attracted by the
hope placed in the political upheavals , he returned to Rome, 22 but,
Once suffocated beyond the expectations of the political movements , just to
something accused of extortion Cornelius Dolabella , a former consul who
had already achieved the triumph . 23 By this process he acquired great
reputation in the art of eloquence , but also a lot of hatred . 24 To overcome
this hostility with the distance, after which the defendant was acquitted
and the situation evolved in every aspect in the opposite direction to its
wishes, decided to go to the island of Rhodes to live in peace and
devote the same time to literary studies at the school of Apollonius
Milone , then the celebrated master of eloquence , 25 under which it is said
I've also studied Cicero, the Roman prince of eloquence . 26
While sailing towards Rhodes was captured by pirates ; 27 postponed
Back then all the friends and servants , with the exception of three, because the
procure the money for the ransom, and remained for about forty days
with the pirates , not without great pain and anger . 28 And when
they asked him , being now born out of togetherness
some confidence , what he would do if they were in his
power , he replied , with the air of one who jokes that he would
crucifixes, and confirmed with an oath within themselves so that
would happen. 29 When, returning from Rome 's friends and servants
and paid fifty talents as ransom , he was set free,
immediately procured a fleet , reached the pirates and made them prisoners.
30 But to them already then gave a proof of his future
mildness and clemency . 31 In fact, having a fixed plan to punish the guilty and to keep the oath , he devised an expedient for accomplish with a lighter sentence the one and the other thing . 32 And thus made them
before strangling and then once lifeless hang on the cross. 33
Not , however, he stood with his hands in his hand instead of the activity
Politics: 34 since Mithridates was raging in Asia , passed on the continent
and collections of auxiliary troops , drove away from Asia , the prefect of the king
and maintained except in the province .
At the end of these operations returned to Rome and had as its first
commissioned the military tribune , during which he worked with great
commitment to restore the power of the tribunes weakened by Sulla .
2 Later he obtained fate as superintendent in the Hither Spain , and seeing
for the case in Cadiz in the temple of Hercules a statue of Alexander
Macedon burst into tears at the thought that Alexander ,
age that he had now, had extended the fame of his name until the
ends of the earth , while on the contrary he had not committed any
enterprise worthy of glory. 3 Churches , therefore, to leave the Senate , wishing
to be there for a matter where he might find fame more
big . 4 Returning to Rome, he was immediately troubled by a horrible dream : 5
it seemed to him as he slept with his mother to join . 6 It is this
Unfortunately, one of the misfortunes of men : 7 which, while it is true that
them, as Cicero says and writes Ennio about Homer,
see things in his sleep which are very often used to think or
talk about when they are awake , it is very true , however, is the fact that
men are wont show up horrible visions during sleep and murky
and unrelated to the soul who dreams , so much so that they have the impression
to perform actions in sleep awake never would have thought
to do and for which they would have preferred to die rather than perform them .
8 The vision was related to the magicians , and they, as holders of persons
cunning and devious art , given the nature and the nature of man ,
said with an explanation suited to them that the dream alluded to
extraordinary feats and world domination because she certainly
that he had possessed was nothing more than the common mother earth . 9
So, as it is said , urged him to conceive hopes ambiziosissime .
10 I report these facts because I find it so written by others , not
because I believe that a true man of such great spirit and so
great intelligence has been incited by an idle dream or a vision
night or even untruthful stories of charlatans to conceive
high hopes for the realization of which who does not see how much luck as talent , how many military arts and much fatigue , as short and well would take more than a dream ? 11 Next
was designated building , and in this period fell into great suspicion. not 12
once but many times it is believed that he conspired with men
outstanding to subvert the entire team of the State; 13 but now or in the
Following repentance or fear , now for the death of the conspirators
plan had no effect . 14 In its charge of construction performed many wonderful
works for the beautification of the city, and of all these he alone ,
excluding the connection , if they took credit with the people ; 15 and hoping
that he would not be denied at all , tried to get the province
Egypt with extraordinary task , since the Alexandrians
had deposed their king. 16 But impeditone by the nobles ,
in order to avenge them as he could, he restored to their defiance
the trophies of Marius, new man : that the trophies for victories over Jugurtha
and the Cimbri and the Teutons , who had been felled by pride
Silla his enemy. 17 And again, when he did play against the process
the killers , including in the category of killers , though they were excluded in
under the law Cornelia , who had received money by the Treasury
for denouncing Roman citizens during the proscription of
Silla. 18 Although it did for hatred of opponents, however, acted rightly ,
in my opinion, in regard to himself. 19 In fact, the human law
can not destroy the law of nature .
20 Having lost hope of getting Egypt , he sought to achieve the
maximum papacy , not without a great profusion of gifts, so 21
even then the ambition had invaded the city of Rome , formerly the pontificates
you could buy with the money : a lesser evil because they belonged to
gods ! 22 On this occasion, they do not have enough of its own resources,
contracted an enormous debt ; 23 then on reflection to himself ,
as he went down in the morning in the Campo in toga candida, to the mother who
gave him a kiss he said : 24 "I will return home if not by the pope ."
25 And he returned to the pope, after passing two illustrious competitors,
distinguished by age and dignity. 26 He was then appointed magistrate .
27 At that time had broken the conspiracy of Catiline , and accomplices
the crimes were kept in prison, while all of the 28 Senate
was ready to declare the death penalty against them , he only dared
argued that it was not convenient that they were sentenced to death,
but that may be distributed among the municipalities and kept in state
stop , after they had been confiscated their goods . 29 And perhaps it would be
managed to persuade the senators had created so much terror in all and a lot of concern about the future hatred that would have weighed on them, if they killed those citizens against the law Porcia , which
Decimus Silanus , consul -designate, was not ashamed to adjust its
opinion and bend it with a statement in a milder way . 30
Finally, one after another , among them also the brother of Cicero console ,
conquered by the eloquence of speech supported his opinion, 31
and those most wicked people could have avoided , thanks to the help
the word of one person , the penalty of death sacrosanct, if
Marcus Cato , a man of great authority , had not rectified the
minds geared toward the worst. 32 remain in both speeches
Crispus Sallust , historian of this period. 33 However, he did not give up
to what he had undertaken , until the Roman knights places
arms in defense of the senate not threatened with drawn swords
death, 34 so that the closest fled for fear of punishment
all and few escaped the danger of death by protecting it with
their arms and covering him with the folds of the robe . Troubled by 35
This fact not only desisted initiative undertaken , but omitted
for some time to show up in the same curia . 36 And yet there
the rest had to sit in for a long time , without jump in the storms
the tribune . 37 And so he offered not only as a supporter Cecilio
Metellus , then tribune of the people , who sought to subvert with
the introduction of new laws is the college of tribunes both the State , but
became the instigator , going everywhere on the hunt for political upheavals ,
until the orders of the senate were not removed either by
public . 38 But neither so desist from staying in
charge and dall'amministrare justice, until you realized that they were
ready armed men who forced him to obey the senate .
39 So, certainly dismissed the lictors , put it aside and decided to
sit at rest for the moment, considering the time and manner
the situation. 40 And as many in the days following vied
to present to him and offer him help and willingness to support against
removal from office, he was modesty was distrust, and refused
calmed with a speech balanced their insistence too uncompounded .
41 This behavior turned out much more pleasing to everyone how
most of all was far from expectation . 42 The result was that the senate
gave his thanks to the mouth of famous people , invited him to
come in the curia and after having lauded with the highest praise restored his
toltagli charge previously.
43 Not long after a suspect ran into even more serious. 44
He was accused before the magistrate by Lucius Vettius Nonius Nigro to be
was one of the accomplices of Catiline , slander great quant'altra ever ; 45
in the Senate and was denounced by the Fifth Curio , who seemed destined to enjoy much more credit because he was the one to reveal Be the first to conspiracy and that was why he deserved that were
decreed premiums with public money : 46 he claimed to have
learned from Catiline , while others claimed that he was ready to show
a statement of Caesar written in his own hand . 47 Caesar , believing
not have to endure in any way such a serious slander
and so sharp barbs of envy , he turned to Cicero as a witness
of his innocence and show that he had exposed to him, then the console,
some details of the same conspiracy of which we speak ; 48 refuted
so his opponents , he obtained that Curio was deprived of awards
decretatigli and that Vettius was taken to the security and plundered the furnishings
of the house and then , struck by a heavy fine , it was almost
torn to pieces by the crowd at the rally in front of the Rostra and thrown into prison.
49 With equal tenacity took revenge as well as superintendent because of Nonius
allowed that he was accused before him a magistrate , the magistrate grade
higher.
50 He went still praetor in Spain, and such was the poverty of this man
distinguished that his departure would have been prevented by creditors ,
if they had been quieted by recourse to the guarantors. 51 Accomplished then
his tenure in that region and pacified the province , quickly and without
wait for the successor returned to ask whether the consulate that the triumph ;
52 but they can not legally get them both together , put
aside for the moment the triumph , preferred , wanting to continue to
policy , the consulate . 53 In the rallies , however, found no consular colleague
he wanted, for the opposition party of the nobles , and was
elected consul with Marcus Bibulus . Built in 54 followed by a discussion
on a proposal for agrarian law , Caesar drove with the weapons away from the
hole Bibulus who disagreed , and 55 because they dared to complain
in the Senate , but without someone to get up to propose a punishment
or at least to bring his witness of the illegal act , the incusse
such a fear that what he preferred to do anything rather
that the consul ; 56 and all the time the consulate remained hidden in
home for fear , and if he had to make some decisions he took it
for edicts, while Caesar administered by the State alone , without
minimally someone oppose ; 57 then if someone had the opposite
was forced to give up not only terrified by threats but with
facts. 58 One of them , Marcus Cato , a man of much wisdom and virtue,
attempted to challenge his behavior ; 59 but he did take away
by the Curia at the hands of lictors and put in jail. 60 While there is
went , accompanied him around the Senate , and it seemed that the
one person only they were all imprisoned . 61 There are those who
Senators say that they have changed the dress as if it were a public mourning . 62 And this really so great veneration and affection was rewarded , if I'm not mistaken , the outrage of the prison , so that
Cato seems to have been preferable to be taken to prison for
be drawn out immediately , if it is true that the great solidarity of the Senate
shock and Caesar himself , as he says Valerio , " bent the obstinacy
of that worthy of the gods . " 63 Caesar, then , at the beginning of the Consulate
he realized that feelings of hostility were working against him and that the
Senate had been decreed to the consuls provinces and no weight
glory , 64 and considering that this was directed only against its
and giving person , as was in fact, the thing will be damaged ,
not because it was clearly touched his colleague , on
by the desire for revenge is studied to win with any condescension
sympathy for Pompey, 65 which had it with the Senate because , after the defeat of Mithridates , it had behaved
so too warm in the funeral grant.
66 And so the relationship was more solid , tried to mend the friendship of Marcus Crassus and
Pompey, interrottasi for inveterate hatred following the consulate
they had run together with great suspicion, and made sure
with a skillful and ingenious stratagem that all three constitute a
thing in the State , believing that no one would be turned against
any decision they had taken . 67 And the hope was not in vain .
68 In order to consolidate the friendship with the relationship he gave in marriage to Pompey
their daughter Julia , 69 and then tried to accumulate for himself
support from all sides , he contracted marriage with Calpurnia , the daughter of
Lucius Piso , who would succeed him in the consulate ; 70 with the support
of the votes of the son and the father chose in preference , among all the
provinces , Gaul and Illyricum , as a means of inexhaustible resources and
copious source of triumphs : 71 is not that the Senate gave him the Gaul
Transalpine willingly , but he took it for fear that , if she denied him ,
would have given him the people, and so the gift that it did not want
do would have been done by others.
72 And as the hostility not quieted down , having been
accused by their opponents soon after the start for the province is
that worked , absent for reasons of state , could not be submitted
in judicial proceedings , 73 and he began to make friends with everyone in mind
those who were going to cover public office, and not
no more help from then on , rather than prevent it , with all its
forces , except those who had promised to defend him during the
his absence , 74 and did not hesitate to give the matter a lot to the oath and a written statement of his own hand . 75 Hearing then say that Domitius , a candidate for the office of consul , who
magistrate had wanted osteggiarlo the previous year , he used to boast
that what by the magistrate had failed to do he would have done from the console
and would have removed the army , he devised a means to prevent the arrival
this man at the consulate , and facts come in the name of the new
Pompey and Crassus friends with him for an interview in Lucca , drove them
to ask the consulate for the following year so that Domitius in
presence of influential competitors so did not do . Wanting to 76
then do so in the future that the hatred of the opponents could not
nothing against him , he got even with the help of so influential supporters ,
the military command that he be extended by the Senate for a
five-year period , 77 but this was the cause of great upheavals and Gaul
and in Italy and around the world. 78 However, since they were second
his desires , feeling safer now not held in any account
opponents and new laws promulgated in his discretion undertaken every
kind of war , of any danger and gravity, making those businesses
of which from now on will begin to treat . As I prepare to write the exploits of Julius Caesar in
Gallie , I thought I should first describe the position
geographical Gaul , where companies have been accomplished ; topic 2
that has been treated by some authors so confused that
same description has misled the reader's mind from the knowledge
of the facts. 3 This argument should be much easier for me
since almost all the territories of those distant regions, I have them
paths now to spend your free time and only for the desire to
see and know now because of work commitments , even though 4
the change of the names in these lands , as in almost all others,
adversely , and the writer and the reader many new difficulties . 5 But to me
how can I manage it . 6 Entire Gaul therefore , in the first place that
extended to a large area of land occupies a large part of Europe, is
divided into two parts . 7 And the names that have been given by the Romans appears
clear from the fact that they called the part that is closer to
Rome Cisalpine because they too were on the side of the Alps ;
the other hand, the most distant , Transalpine , 8 , and this distinction was observed
also in the name of the Spains , so that for this reason
Hither came closer than that , the further away instead .
9 From that easily and without a doubt the intelligent reader will understand that the authors of these names were those who were holders of power . 10 And that which was once the Gaul or
Hither and had as its boundaries from one side to the west , and south
the Apennines , across the Alps to the north and east of the Gulf of
Adriatic sea and the little river Rubicon, which comes from the Apennines
and pour in the same Adriatic Sea not far from Rimini - a region
distinguished by numerous big cities and famous for many rivers and
lakes - is divided in two by the Po river Eridanus regal which the Greeks call :
11 this expanse of land , I say, is no longer Gaul, but part of Italy.
12 With regard to Gaul o Further , geographers and
historians have divided in various ways , but the question , because it is already quite
dark with them and would require to be clarified speech
too long, the omit. 13 I might mention that on which all
I agree and I think that 's true: 14 the whole territory of Gaul
extended in length from the Italian Alps to the ocean British
and Pyrenees Mountains , which separate the Gauls by the Spaniards , and in width
between the rivers Rhine and the Rhone and the two seas , that is, the ocean and the Tyrrhenian Sea,
in which these rivers flow , to a perimeter , as Suetonius says
Quiet, about three thousand two hundred miles. 15 Among all these
parts and regions stands out with its own name only
Gallia Belgica . 16 Although the authors have different opinions
on its territory, it can be said that, that the Gauls lived belgici
to the left bank of the Rhine, where it is closest to the ocean ; 17
In fact, those who live on the right side were not Gauls but Germans.
18 Therefore, the region of the Belgians began from the ocean, between the north
west and separates the island of Britain from the continent , and
stretched between the north and the east side of the river bed ; 19
Today these lands are situated Flanders , the Brabanza and Annonia and many
other regions, and is the glory of all the neighboring regions, the noble
Colonia Agrippina and famous , founded later by Marcus Agrippa ,
that even today retains the name of its founder. 20 And of these
Belgians had read that , and now we know directly , in excess of
all the inhabitants of Gaul in physical force, use of weapons and
every aspect of the art of war. 21 All this , however, population
he ended up little by little , nor prevented the Rhine , under the name and
Germany language , so that they do not know his name Galli and , if
hear him say , s'indignerebbero . 22 For the Belgians were very close to
Helvetians , who enjoyed roughly the same fame and their value in
war. 23 The highest mountain in the west of Jura separates their territory from Sequani ; 24 the Rhine river then , when it is still close to the source ,
separates this territory to the north by the Germans , 25 but also
Helvetians , as we have said of the Belgians, with the passage of time are
passed under the name of Germany. 26 And so Germany
claimed for itself large parts of Gaul , such as Italy
has claimed for itself the entire Gaul . 27 From the east the barrier
Alpine separates the Helvetii from Itali with mountains that rise up to
sky and glaciers . 28 At midday, the Lake Geneva and the Rhone ,
that crosses the lake , marked the boundary between them and the Allobrogi . 29
length of this territory , as stated by Julius Celsus, was two hundred and forty
miles , the width of one hundred and eighty ; 30 and however for
amount of the population and the desire to fight seemed
them to be delimited and locked in prisons very cramped. From 31
the above description, if I'm not mistaken , it is clear that in their territory
in the southern part were those who now call
Burgundians from " villages " ; 32 north then was that stretch of
land along the Rhine where there are now the cities of Argentina , Basel and
Constance. 33 On this side of the Rhone Allobrogi the occupied part
left side of the river ; 34 at the tract of land which they occupy , as
says the quoted Julius Celsus, the far corner and bordering the
Helvetii was once occupied by the town of Genava , 35 now occupies
the small town of Geneva overlooking Lake Geneva and the Rhone , 36 the
which comes here from the lake richer than water as he had entered it .
37 There is now a bridge is not great and there was already before the time
Julius Caesar ; 38 This part of the wall of the city and ends in
territory of the Helvetii : 39 very nature had not yet placed
no barrier between populations at that time hostile to each other if
not that of a small river. 40 But I shall come back later , and now I am looking for
to proceed quickly with the description begun. 41 I therefore Sequani
were closer to the western and further away from the Rhine; 42
I do not know if they have derived its name from the river of their land or
Instead they were to give it to the river. 43 On their right were the
Belgians , behind the Helvetii , left the province of Lyon , belonging
Moreover, the Helvetians , and also that Arelatese and Narbonne , 44 front
then the western ocean and the Garonne River , on whose right
