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Gaius Julius Caesar
(Classical Latin:
AIVS
VLIVS
ÆSAR
) (13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman
religious
, military, and political leader. He played an important part in the transformation of the
Roman Republic
into the
Roman Empire
. His conquest of
Gaul
extended the Roman world all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, with the first Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest military geniuses of all time, as well as a brilliant politician and one of the ancient world's strongest leaders.
For the famous play by
William Shakespeare
, see
Julius Caesar
Sourced quotes
Fortune, which has a great deal of power in other matters but especially in war, can bring about great changes in a situation through very slight forces.
We have not to fear anything, except fear itself.
Veni, vidi, vici.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
Written in a report to Rome 47 B.C. after conquering
Pharnaces
at
Zela
in Asia Minor in just five days. Quoted in
Plutarch
Life of Caesar
, and
Suetonius
Lives of the Twelve Caesars
Julius
It is also believed that Caesar included the famous three words : Came, Saw, Conquered, in a letter to his friend Amantius in Rome.
Simple
: I came, I saw, I took over.
Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres.
All Gaul is divided into three parts.
De Bello Gallico
, Book I, Ch. 1
Horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae.
Of all these, the Belgians are the bravest/strongest.
Caesar suffered his greatest military defeat at the hands of the Belgians, the humiliation reaching Rome, and infuriating the man who then set out on one of Rome's biggest campaigns to crush the Republic's most feared rebels once and for all.
De Bello Gallico
, Book I, Ch. 1
Simple
: Of all these, the Belgians are afraid the least/are the strongest.
Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt.
Men willingly believe what they wish.
De Bello Gallico
, Book III, Ch. 18
Simple
: Men will believe what they want to be true.
Alea iacta est.
The die is cast.
Suetonius,
Divus Iulius,
paragraph 33
[1]
Said when crossing the river Rubicon with his legions on 10 January, 49 BC, thus beginning
the civil war
with the forces of
Pompey
. The Rubicon river was the boundary of Gaul, the province Caesar had the authority to keep his army in. By crossing the river, he had committed an invasion of Italy.
This was originally a quote from the playwright
Menander
Simple
: It's begun
Galia est pacata.
Gaul is subdued.
Written in a letter with which Caesar informed the Roman Senate of his victory over Vercingetorix in 52 BC
Sed fortuna, quae plurimum potest cum in reliquis rebus tum praecipue in bello, parvis momentis magnas rerum commutationes efficit; ut tum accidit.
Fortune, which has a great deal of power in other matters but especially in war, can bring about great changes in a situation through very slight forces.
The Civil War
, Book III, 68
Simple
: Fortune(luck) can create great differences in the result, through small forces.
Nihil nobis metuendum est, praeter metum ipsum.
We have not to fear anything, except fear itself.
By legend, Caesar told it to his wife Calpurnia, who was praying him not to go to the Senate, where, as she saw in dream, he would die.
Note: at the First Inaugural Address for New Deal project,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
said:
So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself
[...] .
Simple
: You cannot let fear control you, the only thing to fear is being afraid.
Other websites
Julius Caesar
on
Wikipedia
Works by
Julius Caesar
on the
English Wikisource
Caesar's own writings
Forum Romanum Index to Caesar's works online
in Latin and translation
Collected works of Caesar in Latin, Italian and English
Caesar and contemporaries on the civil wars
omnia munda mundis
Hypertext of Caesar's De Bello Gallico
Works by Julius Caesar
at
Project Gutenberg
Ancient historians on Caesar
Suetonius: The Life of Julius Caesar
. (Latin and English, cross-linked: the English translation by J. C. Rolfe.)
Suetonius: The Life of Julius Caesar
(J. C. Rolfe English translation, modified)
Plutarch: The Life of Julius Caesar
(English translation)
Plutarch: The Life of Mark Antony
(English translation)
Plutarch on Antony
(English translation, Dryden edition).
Cassius Dio, Books 37‑44
(English translation)
Appian, Book 13
(English translation)
Secondary sources
Julius Caesar
Suzanne Cross's site with in‑depth history of Caesar, plus a timeline and links.
C. Julius Caesar
Jona Lendering's in‑depth history of Caesar (Livius. Org)
Julius Caesar — virgil.org
An Annotated Guide to Online Resources categorized into Primary Sources, Background & Images, Modern Essays & Historical Fiction.
Julius Caesar
, page with many links in several languages, including English
History of Julius Caesar
The Heart of Change: Julius Caesar and the End of the Roman Republic
Military related Julius Caesar quotes
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