Unfortunately, the beginning of book i was lost, which would have contained more on the political origins of the civil war. Caesar marched on rome and pompey fled rome to central italy. The main narrative is 37 pages and covers operations between caesars crossing of the rubicon river and the battle of munda. When caesars dispatch had been handed to the consuls, the tribunes, with difficulty and after much wrangling, gained their permission for it to be read in the senate, but they could not obtain consent for a motion to be brought before the senate on the subject of the dispatch. Even without the authority of suetonius, the diction itself would be sufficient to convince the most skeptical that caesar and no other was the author. Book vi, the shortest of the hooks in the gallic wars, relates caesars adventures during 53 b. Caesar against rome is an absorbing narrative of the fouryear roman civil war that began with caesars crossing of the rubicon in 49 bce. This complete edition of caesars commentaries contains a. Appian has brutus say exactly this, in case the readers miss it. This book is julius caesar s firsthand account of the gallic wars, written as a thirdperson. Chapter 27 when caesars works were nearly half finished, and after nine days were spent in them, the ships which had conveyed the first division of the army to dyrrachium being sent back by the consuls, returned to brundusium. Where caesars own account leaves off in 48 bc, his lieutenants take up the history, describing the vital battles of munda, spain and. Pompey has sent lucius afranius afranius and marcus petreius petreius as his deputies legati to nearer spain hispania citerior and they decide to join forces at ilerda.
The book covers the battles but also the battles of spain, greece and african campaigns. I thoroughly enjoyed caesar s gallic wars, and i reread it often. Book 8 was written by aulus hirtius, after caesar s death. He likewise restored to their former condition the praetors and tribunes first submitting the question to the people some persons condemned for bribery at the elections, by virtue of pompeys law, at the time when.
When caesar was in gaul and organized the conquered territories, pompey and crassus tried to enlarge their power too. Galba is to open a travel route through the alps for roman traders, who now have to pay heavy tolls. After a brief introduction lamenting the idea of romans fighting romans and an ostensibly flattering dedication to nero, the narrative summarizes background material leading up to the present war and introduces caesar in northern italy. It began as a series of political and military confrontations, between julius caesar 10044 bc, his political supporters broadly known as populares. As for the battle narrative itself, it concerns an early revolt of several tribes, quelled by caesar and labienus. Learn about the origins of this fighting and how it. Caesar s civil war resulted from the long political subversion of the roman governments institutions, begun with the career of tiberius gracchus, continuing with the marian reforms of the legions, the bloody dictatorship of lucius cornelius sulla, and completed by the first triumvirate over rome. Book from the collections of unknown library language english. The civil war is caesars masterly account of the celebrated war between himself and his great rival pompey, from the crossing of the rubicon in january 49 b. Upon this intelligence pompey laid aside his design of going into syria, seized all the money he found in the public bank, borrowed as much more as he could of his friends, sent great quantities of brass on board for military uses. Volume ii, civil wars loeb classical library by caesar. Caesar s civil war 4944 bc begins with a short introduction on the roman republic, a chronology, a section on the background to the war the first triumvirate and a 6page section on the opposing sides. Book vi, the shortest of the hooks in the gallic wars, relates caesar s adventures during 53 b. The great roman civil war 4945 bc, also known as caesars civil war, was one of the last politicomilitary conflicts in the roman republic before the establishment of the roman empire.
The internet classics archive the civil wars by julius. There is a fifth book of appians civil wars but it is not assigned, and in fact, the whole conflict is not over until after the battle of actium in 31 and the defeat of antonius in egypt in 30. A military leader of legendary genius, caesar was also a great write. Caesars story focuses on the military events, with some, though limited references to the political side. I was surprised at caesar leniency toward the defeated solders. I will now say nothing concerning the absurd opinion of those who assert that the following commentaries on the civil war were not written by caesar. Chapter 1 julius caesar, holding the election as dictator, was himself appointed consul with publius servilius. Caesar sends gaius fabius fabius on to spain as his deputy. They are records of his own campaigns with occasional digressions in vigorous, direct, clear, unemotional style and in the third person, the account of the civil war being somewhat more impassioned. Caesars civil war 4944 bc begins with a short introduction on the roman republic, a chronology, a section on the background to the war the first triumvirate and a 6page section on the opposing sides. The pharsalia details the civil war between julius caesar left and pompey the great right. The supplement of dionysius vossius to caesars first book of the civil war.
This book is julius caesars firsthand account of the gallic wars, written as a thirdperson. Caesars combined arms group then wheeled left to flank pompeys left wing. The civil wars has been divided into the following sections. I will now say nothing concerning the absurd opinion of those who assert that the following commentaries on the civil war were not written by caesar himself. When caesars letter was delivered to the consuls, they were with great difficulty, and a. The main narrative is 37 pages and covers operations between caesar s crossing of the rubicon river and the battle of munda. The full work is split into eight sections, book 1 to book 8, each varying in size from approximately 5,000 to 15,000 words. Caesars two understrength lines were straining against the weight of lentulus and scipios troops on their left and center. Gallic wars cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test.
Mar 08, 2020 the book itself is separated into four parts, of which only the first one the civil war is believed to be written by caesar himself. And of course, there is no telling how much is propaganda, how much outright invention, and how much is true. Chapter 1 julius caesar, holding the election as dictator. Click download or read online button to get caesar s civil war book now. Marcus terentius varro varro was sent to hispania ulterior as legatus. The books cover a twoyear period discussing the roman civil war during 49 and 48 bc. Book 8 was written by aulus hirtius, after caesars death. If you go into this book trying to learn more about the period by reading this you will find yourself wanting. Julius caesar, commentaries on the civil war, caesars. Civil wars book 3 ebook by julius caesar rakuten kobo. The civil war written by gaius julius caesar and three of his followers recounts the events of the civil war between the caesar and pompey the great, including the latters defeat and the subsequent moppingup of his partisans in egypt, pontus, north africa and spain. The campaign of ilerda and defeat of afranius and petreius.
This a parallel presentation of the works of julius caesar in latin and english translation. This includes his gallic wars and civil wars, plus three shorter works which may have been written by aulus hirtius who is also credited with the 8th book of the gallic wars. The descriptions of the lay of the land as related to strategic advantages for battle were interesting. The civil war is caesar s masterly account of the celebrated war between himself and his great rival pompey, from the crossing of the rubicon in january 49 b. Focusing always on caesar, the book sketches a panorama of roman society. The loeb classical library edition of caesar is in three volumes. This ebook has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Beyond its importance as a source document for military and roman history, caesars clean prose style has long made. Like his gallic war, julius caesars account of the civil war between himself and pompey has been called propaganda he does speak of himself in the third person after all, written intermittently by a very busy man engaged in many other affairs, to justify himself and his actions to the senate and people of rome. Suetonius in his biography of julius caesar states that the gallic and civil wars were written by caesar, and that the 8th book of the gallic. Perhaps its knowing that twothirds of the book, and probably more, are not by caesar s hand. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. I think it needless to say any thing here, in opposition to those who pretend, that the following commentaries, concerning the civil war, were not penned by caesar himself.
Caesar therefore thought it time at length to give over the attempt which he had often made in vain, and act with energy in the war. Fascinating account of the civil war, with caesar trying to justify his actions against the senate, and then a full and astonishing account in detail of the ensuing battles for supremacy, ending with the death of pompey. When caesars letter was delivered to the consuls, they were with great difficulty, and a hard struggle of the tribunes, prevailed on to suffer it to be read in the senate. Caesar s civil war download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Read civil wars book 3 by julius caesar available from rakuten kobo. Bibulus, as has been observed before, lay with his fleet near oricum, and as he debarred caesar of the liberty of the sea and harbors, so he was deprived of all intercourse with the country by land. The civil war oxford worlds classics 9780199540624 by caesar, julius and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The internet classics archive the civil wars by julius caesar. I think it needless to say any thing here, in opposition to those. None of his roman enemies in the civil wars would have done the same had the roles been reversed. The civil war, on the otherhand, i could never get into.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the civil war. Literature network julius caesar the civil wars book i. The gallic war and the civil war commentaries make an interesting pairing. Feb 05, 2004 the civil war ebook written by julius caesar. The three other parts, the alexandrian war, the african war, and the spanish war. The addition of the african and spanish wars give a brilliant overall picture. The civil wars by julius caesar, part of the internet classics archive. Caesar makes that clear by describing the coldblooded execution of his soldiers captured after promises of safety were given to entice them to surrender. An eighth book carries the story to the outbreak of the civil war i. Time after time, however, caesar pardons those of his opponents he captures. This complete edition of caesar s commentaries contains a. This business being ended, as credit was beginning to fail in italy, and the debts could not be paid, he. Learn about the origins of this fighting and how it changed the roman.
Gaius julius caesar was a roman statesman, general and notable author of latin prose. Where caesar s own account leaves off in 48 bc, his lieutenants take up the history, describing the vital battles of munda, spain and thapsus. The consuls bring forward a motion on the state of public affairs. Caesar wore the velvet glove in gaul, but the iron fist was always apparent. In his civil war commentaries things are quite different in his own account. Gallic wars cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. The civil war is a tense and gripping depiction of his struggle with pompey over the leadership of republican rome a conflict that spanned the entire roman world, from gaul and spain to asia and africa. Caesar also gives him permission to winter in the area if necessary.