Caesar DBG I.1 — Gallia est omnis divisa (unabridged)
Caesar DBG I.1: Gallia est omnis divisa (unabridged)
A lesson of La B2 — Upper Intermediate, in Caesar — Full Passages, about 15 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to read and analyze the complete, unabridged text of DBG I.1, parse every major grammatical construction, and explain Caesar's geographic and political framing of Gaul.
Introduction
The opening sentence of Caesar's Bellum Gallicum is one of the most famous in Latin literature. It has been used to open countless Latin courses — but most beginners only read the first sentence. At B2, you are ready for the complete opening paragraph. Caesar's first chapter is not just geography: it is a deliberate rhetorical act. By dividing Gaul into three, Caesar places himself as the Roman who understands, and therefore can master, all three parts. Notice how he moves from geography to ethnography to military capability without a pause.
Core Concept — Vocabulary Help
Before reading, study these key terms:
| Latin | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| omnis | all, whole | modifies Gallia — "all Gaul" |
| divisa | divided | perfect passive participle of dividere |
| incolunt | they inhabit | 3rd pl. pres. indic. of incolere |
| inter se | among themselves | reflexive phrase |
| pertinent | they extend | of rivers and borders |
| confluunt | they flow together | con- + fluere |
| horum | of these [men] | genitive plural of hic |
| fortissimi | bravest | superlative of fortis |
| propterea quod | because | causal conjunction |
| quam minime | as little as possible | quam + superlative = "as ... as possible" |
| mercatores | merchants, traders | nom. pl. |
| merentur | they earn (here: import) | 3rd pl. deponent sense |
The Text — DBG I.1 (Unabridged)
Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur. Hi omnes lingua, institutis, legibus inter se differunt. Gallos ab Aquitanis Garumna flumen, a Belgis Matrona et Sequana dividit. Horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae, propterea quod a cultu atque humanitate provinciae longissime absunt, minimeque ad eos mercatores saepe commeant atque ea quae ad effeminandos animos pertinent important, proximique sunt Germanis, qui trans Rhenum incolunt, quibuscum continenter bellum gerunt. Qua de causa Helvetii quoque reliquos Gallos virtute praecedunt, quod fere cotidianis proeliis cum Germanis contendunt, cum aut suis finibus eos prohibent aut ipsi in eorum finibus bellum gerunt.