A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

548 CAESAR.
the Treviri, Lingones, and Senones, and departed
to Cisalpine Gaul.
Upon Caesar's arrival in Cisalpine Gaul, he
heard of the death of Clodius, who was killed by
nMilo at the latter end of January, B. c. 52. This
event was followed by tumults, which rent both
Rome and Italy asunder; and it was currently reported in Gaul that Caesar could not possibly leave
Italy under these circumstances. The unsuccessful
issue of last year's revolt had not yet damped the
spirits of the Gauls; the execution of Acco had
frightened all the chiefs, as every one feared that
his turn might come next; the hatred of the Roman yoke was intense; and thus all the materials
were ready for a general conflagration. It was
first set alight by the Carnutes, and in an incredibly short time it spread from country to country,
till almost the whole of Gaul was in lames. Even
the Aedui, who had been hitherto the faithful allies
of the Romans, and had assisted them in all their
wars, subsequently joined the general revolt. At
the head of the insurrection was Vercingetorix,
a young man of noble family belonging to the
Arverni, and by far the ablest general that Caesar had yet encountered. Never before had the
Gauls been so united: Caesar's conquests of the
last six years seemed to be now entirely lost.
The war, therefore, of this year, B. c. 52, was by
far the most arduous that Caesar had yet carried
on; but his genius triumphed over every obstacle,
and rendered it the most brilliant of all.
It was in the depth of winter when the news of
this revolt reached Caesar, for the Roman calendar
was now nearly three months in advance of the
real time of the year. Caesar would gladly have
remained in Italy to watch the progress of events
at Rome; but not merely were his hard-won
conquests at stake, but also his army, the loss
of which would have ruined all his prospects for
the future. He was therefore compelled to leave
Rome in Pompey's power, and set out to join his
army. It was, however, no easy matter to reach
his troops, as the intermediate country was in the
hands of the enemy, and he could not order them
to come to him without exposing them to be attacked on their march. Having provided for the
safety of the province in Transalpine Gaul, he
resolved to surprise the enemy by crossing the
Cebenna and descending into the country of the
Arverni (Auvergne). With the forces already in
the province, and with those which he had himself
brought from Italy, he effected a passage over these
mountains, though it was the depth of winter, and
the snow lay six feet on the ground. The Arverni,
who looked upon these mountains as an impregnable fortress, had made no preparations to resist
Caesar, and accordingly sent to Vercingetorix to
pray him to come to their assistance. This was
what Caesar had anticipated: his only object was
to direct the attention of the enemy to this point,
while he himself stole away to his legions. He
accordingly remained only two days among the
Arverni, and leaving his troops there in command
of D. Brutus, he arrived by rapid journeys in the
country of the Lingones, where two of his legions
were stationed, ordered the rest to join him, and
had assembled his whole army before Vercingetorix
heard of his arrival in that part of the country.
He lost no time in attacking the chief towns in the
hands of the enemy. Vellaunoduunum (in the country of ChIteau-Landon), Genaburn (Orlians), and

CAESAR.
Noviodunum (Nouan, between Orleans and Bourges), fell into his hands without difficulty. Alarmed
at Caesar's rapid progress, Vercingetorix persuaded
his countrymen to lay waste their country and
destroy their towns, that Caesar might be deprived
of all sustenance and quarters for his troops. This
plan was accordingly carried into effect; but Avaricum (Bourges), the chief town of the Bituriges,
and a strongly fortified place, was spared from the
general destruction, contrary to the wishes of Vern
cingetorix. This town Caesar accordingly laid
siege to, and, notwithstanding the heroic resistance
of the Gauls, it was at length taken, and all the
inhabitants, men, women, and children, were indiscriminately butchered by the Roman soldiery.
Caesar now divided his army into two parts:
one division, consisting of four legions, he sent
under the command of T. Labienus against the Senones and Parisii; the other, comprising six legions,
lhe led himself into the country of the Arverni, and
with them laid siege to Gergovia (near Clermont).
The revolt of the Aedui shortly afterwards compelled him to raise the siege, but not until he had
received a severe repulse in attempting to storm
the town. Meantime, the Aedui had taken Noviodunum, in which Caesar had placed all his
stores; and, as his position had now become very
critical, he hastened northwards to join Labienus
in the country of the Senones. By rapid marches
he eluded the pursuit of the enemy, crossed the
Ligeris (Loire), and joined Labienus in safety.
The revolt of the Aedui inspired fresh courage
in the Gauls, and Vercingetorix soon found himself
at the head of a much larger army than he liad
hitherto commanded. Fearing now for the safety
of the province, Caesar began to march southwards
through the country of the Lingones into that of
the Sequani. The Gauls followed him in vast
numbers, and attacked him on his march. After
an obstinate engagement, in which Caesar is said
to have lost his sword, the Gallic cavalry were
repulsed by the German horse whom Caesar had
procured from beyond the Rhine. Thereupon,
Vercingetorix led off his infantry, and retreated
towards Alesia (Alise in Burgundy, between Semnur
and Dijon), whither he was pursued by Caesar.
After dismissing his cavalry, Vericingetorix shut
himself up in the town, which was considered impregnable, and resolved to wait for succours from
his countrvymen. Caesar immediately laid siege
to the place, and drew lines of circumvallation
around it. The Romans, however, were in their
turn soon surrounded by a vast Gallic army, which
had assembled to raise the siege. The Roman
army was thus placed in imminent peril, and in no
instance in Caesar's whole life was his military
genius so conspicuous. He was between two great
armies: Vercingetorix had 70,000 men in Alesia,
and the Gallic army without consisted of between
250,000 and 300,000 men. Still, he would
not raise the siege. He prevented Vercingetorix
from breaking through the lines, entirely routed
the Gallic army without, and finally compelled
Alesia to surrender. Vercingetorix himself thus
fell into his hands. The fall of Alesia was followed
by the submission of the Aedui and Arverni. Caesar then led his troops into winter-quarters, and
resolved to pass the winter himself at Bibracte,
in the country of the Aedui. After receiving
Caesar's despatches, the senate voted him a public
thanksgiving of twenty days, as in the year 55.