DBG 7: 68-69
Giuseppe Presti /
- Created on 2020-03-28 19:50:04
- Modified on 2020-03-30 04:14:45
- Aligned by Giuseppe Presti
Latin
English
Fugato omni equitatu Vercingetorix copias , ut pro castris collocaverat , reduxit protinusque Alesiam , quod est oppidum Mandubiorum , iter facere coepit celeriterque impedimenta ex castris educi et se subsequi iussit . Caesar impedimentis in proximum collem deductis , duabus legionibus praesidio relictis , secutus quantum diei tempus est passum , circiter tribus milibus hostium ex novissimo agmine interfectis altero die ad Alesiam castra fecit . Perspecto urbis situ perterritisque hostibus , quod equitatu , qua maxime parte exercitus confidebant , erant pulsi , adhortatus ad laborem milites circumvallare instituit .
Ipsum erat oppidum Alesia in colle summo admodum edito loco , ut nisi obsidione expugnari non posse videretur ; cuius collis radices duo duabus ex partibus flumina subluebant . Ante id oppidum planities circiter milia passuum tria in longitudinem patebat : reliquis ex omnibus partibus colles mediocri interiecto spatio pari altitudinis fastigio oppidum cingebant . Sub muro , quae pars collis ad orientem solem spectabat , hunc omnem locum copiae Gallorum compleverant fossamque et maceriam sex in altitudinem pedum praeduxerant . Eius munitionis quae ab Romanis instituebatur circuitus XI milia passuum tenebat . Castra opportunis locis erant posita ibique castella viginti tria facta , quibus in castellis interdiu stationes ponebantur , ne qua subito eruptio fieret : haec eadem noctu excubitoribus ac firmis praesidiis tenebantur .
Ipsum erat oppidum Alesia in colle summo admodum edito loco , ut nisi obsidione expugnari non posse videretur ; cuius collis radices duo duabus ex partibus flumina subluebant . Ante id oppidum planities circiter milia passuum tria in longitudinem patebat : reliquis ex omnibus partibus colles mediocri interiecto spatio pari altitudinis fastigio oppidum cingebant . Sub muro , quae pars collis ad orientem solem spectabat , hunc omnem locum copiae Gallorum compleverant fossamque et maceriam sex in altitudinem pedum praeduxerant . Eius munitionis quae ab Romanis instituebatur circuitus XI milia passuum tenebat . Castra opportunis locis erant posita ibique castella viginti tria facta , quibus in castellis interdiu stationes ponebantur , ne qua subito eruptio fieret : haec eadem noctu excubitoribus ac firmis praesidiis tenebantur .
All
his
cavalry
being
routed
,
Vercingetorix
led
back
his
troops
in
the
same
order
as
he
had
arranged
them
before
the
camp
,
and
immediately
began
to
march
to
Alesia
,
which
is
a
town
of
the
Mandubii
,
and
ordered
the
baggage
to
be
speedily
brought
forth
from
the
camp
,
and
follow
him
closely
.
Caesar
,
having
conveyed
his
baggage
to
the
nearest
hill
,
and
having
left
two
legions
to
guard
it
,
pursued
as
far
as
the
time
of
day
would
permit
,
and
after
slaying
about
three
thousand
of
the
rear
of
the
enemy
,
encamped
at
Alesia
on
the
next
day
.
On
reconnoitering
the
situation
of
the
city
,
finding
that
the
enemy
were
panic-stricken
,
because
the
cavalry
in
which
they
placed
their
chief
reliance
,
were
beaten
,
he
encouraged
his
men
to
endure
the
toil
,
and
began
to
draw
a
line
of
circumvallation
round
Alesia
.
The town itself was situated on the top of a hill , in a very lofty position , so that it did not appear likely to be taken , except by a regular siege . Two rivers , on two different sides , washed the foot of the hill . Before the town lay a plain of about three miles in length ; on every other side hills at a moderate distance , and of an equal degree of height , surrounded the town . The army of the Gauls had filled all the space under the wall , comprising a part of the hill which looked to the rising sun , and had drawn in front a trench and a stone wall six feet high . The circuit of that fortification , which was commenced by the Romans , comprised eleven miles . The camp was pitched in a strong position , and twenty-three redoubts were raised in it , in which sentinels were placed by day , lest any sally should be made suddenly ; and by night the same were occupied by watches and strong guards .
The town itself was situated on the top of a hill , in a very lofty position , so that it did not appear likely to be taken , except by a regular siege . Two rivers , on two different sides , washed the foot of the hill . Before the town lay a plain of about three miles in length ; on every other side hills at a moderate distance , and of an equal degree of height , surrounded the town . The army of the Gauls had filled all the space under the wall , comprising a part of the hill which looked to the rising sun , and had drawn in front a trench and a stone wall six feet high . The circuit of that fortification , which was commenced by the Romans , comprised eleven miles . The camp was pitched in a strong position , and twenty-three redoubts were raised in it , in which sentinels were placed by day , lest any sally should be made suddenly ; and by night the same were occupied by watches and strong guards .