Julius Caesar's Gallic War Commentaries
Public Domain translation of Caesar's Gallic WarPrimary Texts Index
"De Bello Gallico" & Other Commentaries: of Caius Julius Caesar
First Published in This Edition, 1915 Reprinted 1923, 1929
By Thomas De Quincey - The Commentaries of Caius Julius Caesar
Introduction | De Bello Gallico Book I
De Bello Gallico Book II
De Bello Gallico Book III
De Bello Gallico Book IV
De Bello Gallico Book V
De Bello Gallico VI
De Bello Gallico VII
De Bello Gallico VIII
De Bello Civili (Civil Wars): Book 1
DBC (Civil Wars): Book 2
DBC (Civil Wars): Book 3
(Alphabetical) Index
N.B. The numerals refer to the book, the figures to the chapter. G. stands for the Gallic War, C. for the Civil.
Bac[=e]nis, a forest of ancient Germany, which parted the Suevi from the Cherusci; by some supposed to be the Forests of Thuringia, by others the Black Forest; the Suevians encamp at the entrance of that wood, resolving there to await the approach of the Romans, G vi. 10
Bac[u]lus, P. Sextius, his remarkable bravery, G. vi. 38
Baet[i]ca, in the ancient geography, about a third part of Spain, containing Andalusia, and a part of Granada
Bagr[)a]das, a river of Africa, near Ut[i]ca, the Begrada; Curio arrives with his army at that river, C. ii. 38
Bale[=a]res Ins[u]lae, several islands in the Mediterranean Sea, formerly so called, of which Majorca and Minorca are the chief; the inhabitants famous for their dexterity in the use of the sling, G. ii. 7
Bat[)a]vi, the ancient inhabitants of the island of Batavia
Batavia, or Batavorum Insula, Holland, a part of which still retains the name of Betuwe; formed by the Meuse and the Wal, G. iv. 10
Belgae, the inhabitants of Gallia Belgica. The original Belgae were supposed to be of German extraction; but passing the Rhine, settled themselves in Gaul. The name Belgae belongs to the Cymric language, in which, under the form Belgiaid, the radical of which is Belg, it signifies warlike; they are the most warlike people of Gaul, G. i. 1; withstand the invasion of the Teutones and Cimbri, G. ii. 4; originally of German extraction, ibid.; Caesar obliges them to decamp and return to their several habitations, ibid. 11
Belgia, Belgium, or Gallia Belgica, the Low Countries, or Netherlands
Bellocassi, or Velocasses, a people of Gaul, inhabiting the country of Bayeux, in Normandy; they furnish three thousand men to the relief of Alesia, G. vii. 75
Bell[o]v[)a]ci, an ancient renowned people among the Belgae, inhabiting the country now called Beauvais in France; they furnish a hundred thousand men to the general confederacy of Belgium, G. ii. 4; join in the general defection under Vercingetorix, G. vii. 59; again take up arms against Caesar, viii. 7; but are compelled to submit and sue for pardon
Bergea, a city of Macedonia, now called Veria
Berones, see Retones
Bessi, a people of Thrace, Bessarabia; they make part of Pompey's army, C. iii. 4
Bethuria, a region of Hispania Lusitanica, Estremadura
Bibracte, a town of Burgundy, now called Autun, the capital of the Aedui; Caesar, distressed for want of corn, marches thither to obtain a supply, G. i. 23
Bibrax, a town of Rheims, Braine, or Bresne; attacked with great fury by the confederate Belgians, G. ii. 6
Bibr[o]ci, a people of Britain; according to Camden, the hundred of Bray, in Berkshire; they send ambassadors to Caesar to sue for peace, G. v. 21
Bib[u]lus burns thirty of Caesar's ships, C. iii. 8; his hatred of Caesar, ibid. 8, 16; his cruelty towards the prisoners that fell into his hands, ibid. 14; his death, ibid. 18; death of his two sons, ibid. 110
Bigerriones, a people of Gaul, inhabiting the country now called Bigorre, in Gascony; they surrender and give hostages to Crassus, G. iii. 27
Bithynia, a country of Asia Minor, adjoining to Troas, over against Thrace, Becsangial
Bit[:u]r[i]ges, a people of Guienne, in France, of the country of Berry; they join with the Arverni in the general defection under Vercingetorix, G. vii. 5
Boeotia, a country in Greece; separated from Attica by Mount Citheron. It had formerly several other names and was famous for its capital, Thebes; it is now called Stramulipa
Boii, an ancient people of Germany who, passing the Rhine, settled in Gaul, the Bourbonnois; they join with the Helvetians in their expedition against Gaul, G. i. 5; attack the Romans in flank, ibid. 25; Caesar allows them to settle among the Aeduans, ibid. 28
Bor[=a]ni, an ancient people of Germany, supposed by some to be the same as the Burii
Bosphor[=a]ni, a people bordering upon the Euxine Sea, the Tartars
Bosph[o]rus, two straits of the sea so called, one Bosphorus Thracius, now the Straits of Constantinople; the other Bosphorus Climerius, now the Straits of Caffa
Brannov[=i]ces, the people of Morienne, in France
Brannovii furnished their contingent to the relief of Alesia, C. vii. 75
Bratuspant[i]um, a city of Gaul, belonging to the Bellov[)a]ci, Beauvais; it submits, and obtains pardon from Caesar, G. ii. 13
Bridge built by Caesar over the Rhine described, G. iv. 7
Br[i]tannia, Caesar's expedition thither, G. iv. 20; description of the coast, 23; the Romans land in spite of the vigorous opposition of the islanders, 26; the Britons send ambassadors to Caesar to desire a peace, which they obtain on delivery of hostages, 27; they break the peace on hearing that Caesar's fleet was destroyed by a storm, and set upon the Roman foragers, 30; their manner of fighting in chariots; they fall upon the Roman camp, but are repulsed, and petition again for peace, which Caesar grants them, 33-35; Caesar passes over into their island a second time, v. 8; drives them from the woods where they had taken refuge, 9; describes their manners and way of living, 12; defeats them in several encounters, 15-21; grants them a peace, on their giving hostages, and agreeing to pay a yearly tribute, 22
Brundusium, a city of Italy, Brindisi. By the Greeks it was called [Greek: Brentesion], which in the Messapian language signified a stag's head, from the resemblance which its different harbours and creeks bore to that object; Pompey retires thither with his forces, C. i. 24; Caesar lays siege to it, 26; Pompey escapes from it by sea, upon which it immediately surrenders to Caesar, 28; Libo blocks up the port with a fleet, C. iii. 24; but by the valour of Antony is obliged to retire, ibid.
Brutii, a people of Italy, the Calabrians. They were said to be runaway slaves and shepherds of the Lucanians, who, after concealing themselves for a time, became at last numerous enough to attack their masters, and succeeded at length in gaining their independence. Their very name is said to indicate that they were revolted slaves: [Greek: Brettious gar kalousi apostatas], says Strabo, speaking of the Lucanians
Br[=u]tus, appointed to command the fleet in the war against the people of Vannes, G. iii. 11; engages and defeats at sea the Venetians, 14; and also the people of Marseilles, C. i. 58; engages them a second time with the same good fortune, ii. 3
Bullis, a town in Macedonia, unknown; it sends ambassadors to Caesar with an offer of submission, C. iii. 12
Buthr[=o]tum, a city of Epirus, Butrinto, or Botronto
Byzantium, an ancient city of Thrace, called at different times Ligos, Nova Roma, and now Constantinople
