9.  The Helvetians[1] were the first that were brought into subjection, with the loss of nearly two hundred thousand men; those who remained after the carnage were sent by Caesar in safety to the forests whence they had issued.[2] 10.  The Germans, with Ariovis’tus at their head, were next cut off, to the number of eighty thousand, their monarch himself narrowly escaping in a little boat across the Rhine.  The Belgae[3] suffered such a terrible overthrow, that marshes and rivers were rendered impassable from the heaps of slain. 11.  The Ner’vians,[4] who were the most warlike of those barbarous nations, made head for a short time, and fell upon the Romans with such fury, that their army was in danger of being utterly routed; but Caesar himself, hastily catching up a buckler, rushed through his troops into the midst of the enemy; by which means he so turned the fate of the day, that the barbarians were all cut off to a man. 12.  The Celtic Gauls were next brought under subjection.  After them, the Sue’vi, the Mena’pii, and all the nations from the Mediterranean to the British sea. 13.  Thence, stimulated by the desire of conquest, he crossed over into Britain, upon pretence that the natives had furnished his enemies with continual supplies. 14.  Upon approaching the shores, he found them covered with men to oppose his landing, and his forces were in danger of being driven back, till the standard-bearer of the tenth legion boldly leapt ashore, and being well assisted by Caesar, the natives were put to flight. 15.  The Britons being terrified at Caesar’s power, sent to desire a peace, which was granted them, and some hostages delivered.  A storm, however, soon after destroying great part of his fleet, they resolved to take advantage of the disaster, and marched against him with a powerful army.  But what could naked undisciplined troops do against forces that had been exercised under the greatest generals, and hardened by the conquest of the greatest part of the world?  Being overthrown, they were obliged once more to sue for peace.  Caesar granted it, and returned to the continent.

16.  While Caesar was thus increasing his reputation and riches abroad, Pompey, who remained in Rome, steadily co-operated with his ambition, and advanced his interests, while he vainly supposed he was forwarding his own.  By this means Caesar was continued five years longer in Gaul. 17.  Nor was Pompey roused from his lethargy till the fame of that great commander’s valour, riches, and humanity, began to make him suspect they would soon eclipse his own. 18.  He now therefore did all in his power to diminish Caesar’s reputation; obliging the magistrates not to publish any letters they received till he had diminished the credit of them, by spreading disadvantageous reports. 19.  One or two accidents, also, helped to widen the separation; namely, the death of Julia,[5] Pompey’s wife, who had not a little contributed to improve the harmony that subsisted between them; and the destruction of Crassus, who had conducted the war against the Parthians with so little prudence, that he suffered them to get the advantage of him in almost every skirmish; when, incapable of extricating himself, he fell a sacrifice to his own rashness in trusting himself to a perfidious enemy.[6]