C. Iulius Caesar, De Bello Gallico 4.30

The storm has left the Roman camp without ships, cavalry, or grain, and the British chiefs who came in to Caesar after the battle are meeting among themselves. The passage covers that council and what they think about the Roman position.

 

Tier 1

prīncipēs Britanniae post proelium ad Caesarem vēnerant. nunc inter sē cōnsilium habuērunt.

 

Rōmānī equitēs nōn habēbant. nāvēs nōn habēbant. frūmentum quoque nōn habēbant. Britannī hoc intellēxērunt. castra quoque Rōmāna parva erant. itaque Britannī vīdērunt: paucī erant mīlitēs Rōmānī. castra enim parva erant quod Caesar legiōnēs portāverat sed rēs gravēs nōn portāverat.

 

tum Britannī rūrsus coniūrāvērunt. hoc cōnsilium cēpērunt: Rōmānīs frūmentum et cibum nōn dabimus. bellum longum erit. bellum in hiemem trahēmus. sīc enim crēdēbant: Rōmānōs superābimus, aut Rōmānī domum redīre nōn poterunt. tum nēmō posteā in Britanniam veniet. nēmō posteā Britannīs bellum īnferet.

 

itaque Britannī nōn simul ex castrīs discēdēbant, sed paucī. suōs quoque virōs ex agrīs dūcēbant, ita ut Rōmānī nōn vidērent.

The Pericles Group Foundation
The Pericles Group Foundation
501(c)(3) Nonprofit

The content here is free — and we'd like to keep it that way.

This site is a public-good resource for Latin students and teachers everywhere. There are no paywalls, no ads, and no logins required.

If the materials have been useful to you, please consider making a donation to support its continued development.

♡ Donate