Gerrish, Jennifer (Hrsg.) Julius Caesar. The Gallic War. Books 1-2

Books I-II of Julius Caesar's The Gallic War recount the campaigns of Caesar's first two years in Gaul (58-57 BC). These first years were crowned with great success for Caesar. He repelled the Helvetii who were attempting to cross Roman territory; he defeated the Germanic tribes who had crossed the Rhine under the leadership of the arrogant Ariovistus, who wanted to conquer all of Gaul in his name; and he suppressed an uprising of the Belgian tribes. Caesar describes these victories as hard-fought battles against fierce enemies; he uses speeches and dispatches to demonstrate Ariovistus' bold ambition, and he describes his near-defeat at the river Sabis in vivid detail. Nevertheless, at the end of his second year in the province, Caesar claimed that all of Gaul had been pacified and the Senate granted him a fifteen-day thanksgiving. This English translation faithfully reproduces the clarity and precision of Caesar's Latin while conveying the drama of Caesar's narrative in a voice that modern readers will find vivid and accessible. A detailed introduction introduces the reader to the historical and literary context of the Gallic War as well as the complicated political and literary career of Julius Caesar. The commentary covers topics of historical, literary and linguistic interest and supports readers of both the English and Latin texts.