The commentaries of C. Julius Cæsar of his warres in Gallia, and the civil warres betwixt him and Pompey / translated into English with many excellent and judicious observations thereupon ; as also The art of our modern training, or, Tactick practise, by Clement Edmonds Esquire, ... ; where unto is adjoyned the eighth commentary of the warres in Gallia, with some short observations upon it ; together with the life of Cæsar, and an account of his medalls ; revised, corrected, and enlarged.

CHAP. VII.

The Factions in Gallia in Caesar's time.

BUt here it shall not be amisse to deli∣ver somewhat touching the manner and fashion of life,* 1.1 both of the Galles and of the Germans, and wherein those two Nations do differ. In Gallia not onely in every city, village, and precinct, but almost in every particular house there are parties and factions, the heads whereof are such as they think to be of greatest authority, according to whose opinion and command the main course of their actions is directed. And this seemeth a custome instituted of old time, to the end that none of the common people, how mean soever, might at any time want means to make their party good against a greater man: for if they should suffer their parties and followers to be either oppressed or circumvented, they should never bear any rule or authority amongst them. And this is the course throughout all Gallia, for all their States are divided into two facti∣ons. When Caesar came into Gallia, the Hedui were chief ring-leaders of the one party, and the Sequani of the other. These finding them∣selves to be the worker side, (forasmuch as the principality and chiefest power was anciently s••ated in the Hedui, having many and great ad∣herents and clients) drew the Germans and Ariovistus by many great promises on their par∣ty: and after many great victories all the No∣bility of the Hedui being slain, they went so far beyond them in power and authority, that they drew the greatest part of Clients from the Hedui to themselves, and took the children of their Princes for pledges, and caused them to take a publick oath not to undertake any thing against the Sequani; besides a great part of their coun∣trey which they took from them by force: and so they obtained the principality of Gallia. And thereupon Divitiacus went unto Rome to seek aid of the Senate, but returned without effecting any thing. Caesars coming into Gallia brought an alteration of these things, for the pledges were restored back again to the Hedui, and their old followers and clients did likewise return to their protection: besides other new followers which by Caesars means did cleave unto them: for they saw that those which entred into friend∣ship with them, were in a better condition, and more fairly dealt with. Whereby their nobleness and dignity was so amplified and enlarged, that the Sequani lost their authority, whom the men of Rhemes succeeded. And forasmuch as the world took notice that they were no less favour∣ed of Caesar then the Hedui, such as by reason of former enmities could not endure to joyn with the Hedui, put themselves into the clientele of the men of Rhemes, and found respective prote∣ction from that State; which caused a new and sodain raised authority of the men of Rhemes. So that at that time the Hedui went far beyond all the other States of Gallia in power and au∣thority, and next unto them were the men of Rhemes.

OBSERVATIONS.

FActions are generally the rent of a State,* 1.2 and a disjoynting of those parts which common unity hath knit together for the preservation of good government. But the Galles maintained sides and parties throughout the whole body of their Continent, and found it necessary for the upholding of their policy at home; and as it fell out in the course of these wars, rather a help then otherwise in their generall defence against a for∣raign enemy. The reason of the former benefit was grounded upon two causes, as Caesar noteth: the one proceeding from the oppression used by the rich and mighty men towards the poorer and meaner people; and the other from the impati∣ency of those of inferior condition, refusing to ac∣knowledge any authority or preeminency at all, rather then to endure the wrongs and contumelies of the mighty. And therefore to prevent the li∣centious might of the great ones, and to give countenance and respect to the lower sort, these factions and sides were devised: wherein the foot had alwayes a head sensible of the wrongs which were done unto it. Things of greater con∣dition are alwayes injurious to lesser natures, and cannot endure any competency; not so much as in comparison, or by way of relation. In things without life, the prerogative of the moun∣tains doth swallow up the lesser rising of the downs, and the swelling of the downs, the un∣evenness of the mole-hils: the Stars are dimmed at the rising of the Moon, and the Moon loseth both her light and her beauty in the presence of the Sunne. So amongst bruit beasts and fishes, the greater do alwayes devour the less, and take them as their due by the appointment of nature: and men more injurious in this point, then either mountains or brute beasts, inasmuch as they do alwayes overvalue themselves beyond their own greatness, have in all ages verified the old Pro∣verb, Homo homini lupus, One man's a Wolf to another. And on the other side, as nature ma∣keth nothing in vain, but hath given a being to the least of her creatures: so do they endeavour not to be annulled, but to keep themselves in be∣ing and continuance. Habet & musca splenem, The very Fly hath her spleen, saith the Poet: and the Pismires and Bees have their common-weales, though not equall to a Monarch. And therefore that the mighty and great men of Gallia might not devour the lowest of the people, but that eve∣ry man might stand in his own condition, and by the help of a Rowland live by an Oliver; and again, that the poorer sort might give as a tribute for their protection, that respect and obedience

to their superiors, as belongeth to such high cal∣lings, these factions and bandies were ordained: whereby the Nobles were restrained from op∣pressing the poor, and the poor compelled to obey the Nobility, which is the best end that may be made of any faction.

Concerning the advantage which the Galles received by these factions against forraign ene∣mies, it was rather in regard of the multiplicitie of States and Common-weals which were in the continent of Gallia, then otherwise: for it ma∣nifestly appeareth, that their factions and con∣tentions for soveraign authority, caused one par∣ty to bring in Ariovistus and the Germans; and the other party the Romans, to make good their bandy. But forasmuch as Gallia had many divisions, and contained many severall States, relying chiefly upon their own strength, and e∣steeming the subversion of their neighbour city,* 1.3 as a calamity befalling their neighbour, from which the rest stood as yet free, it was not so easi∣ly conquered as if it had been all but one king∣dom. The battell which Caesar had with the Ner∣vij, which was fought so hard, that of threescore thousand men there were left but five hundred, nor of six hundred Senators above three; nor again, the selling of three and fifty thousand Galles for bond-slaves at one time, did not so much advantage the conquest of Gallia, as the battell of Edward the third, or that of Henry the fifth, our two English Caesars: in the for∣mer whereof were slain at Cressie thirty thou∣sand of the French, and in the latter at Agin∣court but ten thousand. The reason was, for that the former losses, though far greater, concerned but particular States: whereas these latter over∣throwes extended to the members and branches of the whole kingdome.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Caesar.
• * 1.2

  Factions and parties.
• * 1.3

  Lib. 2.