C. Iulius Caesar, De Bello Gallico 6.19

The ethnography moves from religion to household law and death rites. The subject is the joint property arrangement between husband and wife, the husband's legal power over his household, the procedure followed when a Gallic noble dies, and the character of Gallic funerals.

 

Tier 1

vir Gallus pecūniam suam numerat. uxor quoque pecūniam ad virum portat. tum vir tantam pecūniam ex suā pecūniā dat. haec pecūnia est commūnis.

 

sī vir prior mortuus est, uxor omnem pecūniam accipit. sī uxor prior mortua est, vir omnem pecūniam accipit.

 

vir Gallus magnam potestātem habet: uxōrem et fīliōs interficere potest. ubi pater familiae nōbilis mortuus est, propīnquī eius conveniunt. sī dē morte dubitant, uxōrēs interrogant et tormentīs ūtuntur. sī uxor virum interfēcit, propīnquī eam ignī interficiunt.

 

fūnera Gallōrum sunt magna et cāra. omnēs rēs quās vir amābat in ignem pōnunt. animālia quoque in ignem pōnunt. ōlim etiam servōs et amīcōs cārōs cremābant; sed nunc hoc nōn iam faciunt.

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