Attempt at Relief
Conflicts before Alesia

At the last hour there appeared behind Caesar’s lines the interminable array of the Celto-Belgic relieving array, said to amount to 250,000 infantry and 8000 cavalry, from the Channel to the Cevennes the insurgent cantons had strained every nerve to rescue the flower of their patriots and the general of their choice—­the Bellovaci alone had answered that they were doubtless disposed to fight against the Romans, but not beyond their own bounds.  The first assault, which the besieged of Alesia and the relieving troops without made on the Roman double line, was repulsed; but, when after a day’s rest it was repeated, the Celts succeeded—­at a spot where the line of circumvallation ran over the slope of a hill and could be assailed from the height above—­ in filling up the trenches and hurling the defenders down from the rampart.  Then Labienus, sent thither by Caesar, collected the nearest cohorts and threw himself with four legions on the foe.  Under the eyes of the general, who himself appeared at the most dangerous moment, the assailants were driven back in a desperate hand-to-hand conflict, and the squadrons of cavalry that came with Caesar taking the fugitives in rear completed the defeat.

Alesia Capitulates

It was more than a great victory; the fate of Alesia, and indeed of the Celtic nation, was thereby irrevocably decided.  The Celtic army, utterly disheartened, dispersed at once from the battle-field and went home.  Vercingetorix might perhaps have even now taken to flight, or at least have saved himself by the last means open to a free man; he did not do so, but declared in a council of war that, since he had not succeeded in breaking off the alien yoke, he was ready to give himself up as a victim and to avert as far as possible destruction from the nation by bringing it on his own head.  This was done.  The Celtic officers delivered their general—­ the solemn choice of the whole nation—­over to the energy of their country for such punishment as might be thought fit.  Mounted on his steed and in full armour the king of the Arverni appeared before the Roman proconsul and rode round his tribunal; then he surrendered his horse and arms, and sat down in silence on the steps at Caesar’s feet (702).

Vercingetorix Executed

Five years afterwards he was led in triumph through the streets of the Italian capital, and, while his conqueror was offering solemn thanks to the gods on the summit of the Capitol, Vercingetorix was beheaded at its foot as guilty of high treason against the Roman nation.  As after a day of gloom the sun may perhaps break through the clouds at its setting, so destiny may bestow on nations in their decline yet a last great man.  Thus Hannibal stands at the close of the Phoenician history, and Vercingetorix at the close of the Celtic.  They were not able to save the nations to which they belonged from a foreign yoke, but they spared them the last remaining disgrace—­an