The conquest of Gaul

[emj1s]

I was at the local bookstore and searching through the discount piles, I found a book. "The Conquest of Gaul" by apparently Caesar himself. Its published by Penguin Classics.

Does anyone know the historical accuracy of it, heard of it, read it. If so I'd like to get another's opinion on it, especially when I finish.

[Carlton Bach]

This seems to be what otherwise is known as his 'Gallic Wars', 'bellum Gallicum', 'de bello Gallico' or 'Commentaries on the Gallic Wars'. The bane of every schoolboy who ever had to learn Latin.

It's considered a great classic, which doesn't stop it from being awfully dull and pompous, but it was written by Caesar himself (possibly with some help, though he was known to be a decent stylist) and is one of the best sources for warfare in that era we have.

I hope it isn't a 'condensed version'. Does it start by telling you Gaul is divided into three parts?

[emj1s]

The book was translated by S.A. Handford, and revised with an introdution by Jane F. Garder. After Janes introdution the first chapter reads.... "1. Gaul comprise of three areas........."

[Carlton Bach]

Then it sounds like the real deal. Enjoy - Caesar's a great storyteller, though too much in love with his own genius.

[emj1s]

Hopefully i will have some actuall historical knowledge to bring to the forums when i get done then.

[mcbishop]

I was at the local bookstore and searching through the discount piles, I found a book. "The Conquest of Gaul" by apparently Caesar himself. Its published by Penguin Classics.

If it is one of the original editions (purple-bordered, line drawing of a coin of Caesar in the centre of the white area: first printing 1951) then it is a thing of beauty to treasure for all time. This series was designed for Penguin after WW2 by the renowned German typographer Jan Tschichold and the layout obeys the Golden Mean.

People like me who got into the classics via old Penguin Classics bought in booksales and musty secondhand bookshops owe Tschichold, the editor E.V. Rieu (and later Betty Radice), and the translators an eternal debt.

For all its faults (and what book doesn't have them?), Caesar's text is a great piece of self-promotion. Plus you'll even find Vorenus and Pullo in there (if you're a Rome fan).

Mike Bishop
Who used to classify Penguin Classics by smell (it would take too long to explain; trust me, it worked...)

[emj1s]

No, it is the self-proclaimed second revision.

"This translation first published 1951
Revised with a new introduction 1982
27"

I dont know what the 27 is?

[Kate Gilliver]

It's considered a great classic, which doesn't stop it from being awfully dull and pompous

Huff! You read a load of Cicero and then dare accuse Caesar of being dull and pompous!
Handford's tanslation is ok, but there's another by Carolyn Hammond published by Oxford with a cracking introduction. Better still, learn latin and join the massed ranks of those who enjoyed reading Caesar at school!!

[emj1s]

LOL! I didnt mean to start a debate. Latin is definatley something I want to do but its in the not so close distant future .

[arklore70]

It can get dull, but it is a first hand historical source which makes it very valuable, and it also gives glimpse into the mind of Caesar and perhaps a bit of the Roman mind at the time.

Cheers!!

Mike

[emj1s]

Ive always wanted to read things in the original text. I personally dont like trusting thetranslators, no offense if anyone is one, because my father knows hebrew and in some texts it in fact HAS been changed from the original point of the "message".

[Praefectusclassis]

Well, the Bible is a case apart. And you should certainly distrust any translator who has a hidden agenda. On the whole, however, you can trust most academic translators to at least attempt to make the best possible translation.

[emj1s]

I guess so. But if someone steals from you, then you are aware of thieves. That was my main reason for making the thread, to find the books accuracy.

[MikeArledge]

I tend to be of the persuasion that unless you are going to make serious graduate school level arguments and studies of texts, the casual reader can find reasonable levels of enjoyment from most company's translations. But of course, it all depends upon what you want to get out of a work. It seems to me its one thing to want to read Dante in original Italian, and perhaps another to read Thucydides or the like in original Greek. But like I said, its all up to what you want out of the reading experience. As Umberto Eco said, all books at times are about nothing more or less than other books. OR something like that lol.

[emj1s]

Well, at the moment I want to go to school for roman history, mainly the miltaristic half of rome, so I dont want to read something way out of the way. And if I say something wrong here yall will correct me, they will critisize(I cant spell, lol) me taking it as i say it for truth when i had been mistaken.