Caesar

As

Author

Bust of Julius Caesar

Caesar as Author - Caesar as Author - Surviving WorksSurviving Works

Commentarii de Bello Gallico Commentarii de Bello Gallico – – 7 books (+ an 7 books (+ an 88thth book composed after his death by his legatus, book composed after his death by his legatus, Aulus Hirtius). Many scholars believe all 7 books Aulus Hirtius). Many scholars believe all 7 books were written in the winter of 52-51. Others prefer were written in the winter of 52-51. Others prefer a year-by-year composition during the winters.a year-by-year composition during the winters.

Commentarii de Bello CiviliCommentarii de Bello Civili - - 3 books3 books

a verse epigram a verse epigram on Terence, on Terence, the comic the comic playwrightplaywright

Caesar as Author – Lost Caesar as Author – Lost WorksWorks

Lost WorksLost Works:: Many speeches, including the funeral elogium over his Many speeches, including the funeral elogium over his

aunt Julia in which he asserted the divine descent of aunt Julia in which he asserted the divine descent of the the gens Iulia gens Iulia from Ascanius-Aeneas-Venusfrom Ascanius-Aeneas-Venus

De AnalogiaDe Analogia, a treatise on language and style, a treatise on language and style many verses, incl. an extended poem, many verses, incl. an extended poem, Laudes HerculisLaudes Herculis a tragedy, a tragedy, OedipusOedipus IterIter, a poem about his expedition to Spain in 45, a poem about his expedition to Spain in 45 AnticatoAnticato, a two-book pamphlet against the memory of , a two-book pamphlet against the memory of

Cato, who committed suicide at Utica. This was a Cato, who committed suicide at Utica. This was a response to Cicero’s elogium entitled response to Cicero’s elogium entitled Laus CatonisLaus Catonis

Caesar as Author – Spurious Caesar as Author – Spurious worksworks

Spurious Works Spurious Works (= works attributed to (= works attributed to Caesar but written by others):Caesar but written by others):

The 8th book of The 8th book of Commentarii de Bello Gallico Commentarii de Bello Gallico composed by his legatus, Aulus Hirtius, to link composed by his legatus, Aulus Hirtius, to link up the narrative of DBG to the narrative of up the narrative of DBG to the narrative of DBC (years 51 and 50)DBC (years 51 and 50)

Corpus Caesarianum Corpus Caesarianum – 3 Books, called – 3 Books, called the the Bellum AlexandrinumBellum Alexandrinum, the , the Bellum Bellum AfricumAfricum, and the , and the Bellum HispaniaeBellum Hispaniae..

Caesar as Author - GenreCaesar as Author - Genre The term The term commentariuscommentarius (cf. Greek (cf. Greek hypomnemahypomnema) )

a narrative, more polished than personal notes and a narrative, more polished than personal notes and reports, but a narrative short of polished reports, but a narrative short of polished historiography (historiography (historiahistoria). ).

Commentarii Commentarii would often be presented to other would often be presented to other professional historians to be reworked into a more professional historians to be reworked into a more literary history (with more stylistic and rhetorical literary history (with more stylistic and rhetorical embellishments. Caesar’s embellishments. Caesar’s Commentarii Commentarii were never were never rewritten; tho Hirtius in the preface to the 8rewritten; tho Hirtius in the preface to the 8thth book book (& Cicero, (& Cicero, BrutusBrutus 262) suggested that no one 262) suggested that no one would dare rewrite what Caesar wrote with would dare rewrite what Caesar wrote with incomparable simplicity.incomparable simplicity.

Caesar as Author - GenreCaesar as Author - Genre

Caesar’s Caesar’s CommentariiCommentarii close to close to historiahistoria: Caesar : Caesar uses certain elements of uses certain elements of historiahistoria, including , including direct speech, and dramatization of certain direct speech, and dramatization of certain scenes (but his are never over dramatized)scenes (but his are never over dramatized)

No ego hereNo ego here! ! ... By referring to himself in the ... By referring to himself in the 33rdrd person, Caesar placed himself in the person, Caesar placed himself in the narrative as an independent character. (and narrative as an independent character. (and detached himself from any emotionality of the detached himself from any emotionality of the action)action)

Caesar as Author – DBG Caesar as Author – DBG Summary…Summary…

7 Books cover action from 58-7 Books cover action from 58-5252 Book IBook I: deals with the campaign against (1) the : deals with the campaign against (1) the

Helvetii, whose migratory movements gave Helvetii, whose migratory movements gave Caesar the pretext for going to war (as both a Caesar the pretext for going to war (as both a defensive and preventive operation), and also defensive and preventive operation), and also

(2) against the German leader Ariovistus.(2) against the German leader Ariovistus.

Book IIBook II: discusses the revolt of the Gallic tribes: discusses the revolt of the Gallic tribes

Book IIIBook III: discusses the campaign against the : discusses the campaign against the peoples along the Atlantic coastpeoples along the Atlantic coast

Caesar as Author – DBG Caesar as Author – DBG Summary…Summary…

7 Books cover action from 58-7 Books cover action from 58-5252 Book IVBook IV: deals with campaigns and operations : deals with campaigns and operations

against invading Germanic tribes, who had against invading Germanic tribes, who had crossed the Rhine; the massacre of the Usipeti crossed the Rhine; the massacre of the Usipeti and the Tencteri; and operations against the and the Tencteri; and operations against the rebellious Gallic leaders, Indutiomarus and rebellious Gallic leaders, Indutiomarus and Ambiorix. Expedition into Britain. (55 BC)Ambiorix. Expedition into Britain. (55 BC)

Book VBook V: 2: 2ndnd expedition into Britain (54 BC); expedition into Britain (54 BC); more resistance by the Belgae, whom Caesar more resistance by the Belgae, whom Caesar crushes and exterminates in Books 5 and 6crushes and exterminates in Books 5 and 6

Caesar as Author – DBG Caesar as Author – DBG Summary…Summary…

7 Books cover action from 58-7 Books cover action from 58-5252 Book VIBook VI: Devastation and extermination : Devastation and extermination

of the Gallic Belgica rebels. More of the Gallic Belgica rebels. More insurrections led by Vercingetorix, king insurrections led by Vercingetorix, king of the Arverni.of the Arverni.

Book VIIBook VII: Romans put down the general : Romans put down the general revolt led by Vercingetorix, which revolt led by Vercingetorix, which culminates in the storming of Alesia, culminates in the storming of Alesia, where Vercingetorix is capturedwhere Vercingetorix is captured

Sources of Caesar’s LifeSources of Caesar’s Life

The authentic and spurious works of CaesarThe authentic and spurious works of Caesar

The The Life of Caesar Life of Caesar by Suetoniusby Suetonius

The The Life of Caesar Life of Caesar by Plutarch in his by Plutarch in his Parallel Parallel

LivesLives

Speeches and letters of Cicero and SallustSpeeches and letters of Cicero and Sallust

Appian’s Appian’s Bella CiviliaBella Civilia

Cassius Dio, Books 36-44Cassius Dio, Books 36-44

Caesar’s Nachleben Caesar’s Nachleben (afterlife)(afterlife)

Livy supplanted Caesar as historical source of his Livy supplanted Caesar as historical source of his periodperiod

circa 1300, Maximus Planudes translated DBG into circa 1300, Maximus Planudes translated DBG into GreekGreek

Renaissance rediscovered Caesar as Renaissance rediscovered Caesar as author/politician; Petrarch wrote a biography of JCauthor/politician; Petrarch wrote a biography of JC

1515thth c., Andrea Brenzio forged a speech of Caesar’s c., Andrea Brenzio forged a speech of Caesar’s to his soldiersto his soldiers

1616thth c., the German Nicodemus Frischlin based a c., the German Nicodemus Frischlin based a school drama, school drama, HelvetiogermaniHelvetiogermani, on Book I of the , on Book I of the DBGDBG

CaesarCaesar Kaiser, Czar, Tsar, Jersey (Nova Caesarea) Kaiser, Czar, Tsar, Jersey (Nova Caesarea)

Pretext of the DBGPretext of the DBG

Alleged provocations and border Alleged provocations and border violations committed in the Gallic violations committed in the Gallic area under Caesar’s jurisdiction by area under Caesar’s jurisdiction by tribes engaged in mass migrationstribes engaged in mass migrations

Caesar presented his conquest of Caesar presented his conquest of Gaul, which took 7 years, as a Gaul, which took 7 years, as a defensive and preventive operationdefensive and preventive operation