Julius Caesar as artful reporter : the war commentaries as political instruments / editors, Kathryn Welch and Anton Powell ; contributors Jonathan Barlow [and others

The writings of Julius Caesar have beguiled by their apparent simplicity. Generations of readers have been encouraged to see them as a limpid record of positive achievement. The contributors to this volume demonstrate that the appearance of simplicity is achieved by devious and accomplished art. In nine original studies, focussing mainly on the Gallic War, the contributors trace systems of justification and omission, of measured praise and subtle criticism, which served to promote Caesar and to leave Roman enemies empty-handed. It is shown that Caesar's writing has an ingenuity of description which might seduce the casual Roman sceptic, and an artfulness of focus which now recalls the cinematographic. Even the notorious regularity of Caesar's syntax and his economy of vocabulary are revealed as pointed elements of a political manifesto. Far from being a plain and traditional record of warfare, Caesar's Commentaries are here shown to illuminate the political thinking of a man on his way to reshaping the world. Nine contributions demonstrate that the appearance of simplicity in Julius Caesar's writings is achieved through subtle skill in the selection of style, language and content, which promotes Caesar and downplays Roman enemies. Contents: The publication of De Bello Gallico (T. P. Wiseman); Ratio and Romanitas in the Bellum Gallicum (L. G. H. Hall); The Logos of Caesar's Bellum Gallicum (Catherine Torigian); C. E. Stevens and the tradition on Caesar the propagandist (Barbara Levick_; Caesar and his officers in the Gallic War commentaries (Kathryn Welch); Caesar and the presentation of massacre (Anton Powell); Noble Gauls and their other in Caesar's propaganda (Jonathan Barlow); Caesar's portrayal of Gauls as warriors (Louis Rawlings) and 'Instinctive genius': The depiction of Caesar the general (Adrian Goldsworthy). CONTENTS 4 PREFACE 5 INTRODUCTION 6 1 THE PUBLICATION OF DE BELLO GALLICO 10 2 RATIO AND ROMANITAS IN THE BELLUM GALLICUM 20 3 THE LOGOS OF CAESAR’S BELLUM GALLICUM ESPECIALLY AS REVEALED IN ITS FIRST FIVE CHAPTERS 54 4 THE VENETI REVISITED 70 5 CAESAR AND HIS OFFICERS IN THE GALLIC WAR COMMENTARIES 94 6 JULIUS CAESAR AND THE PRESENTATION OF MASSACRE 120 7 NOBLE GAULS AND THEIR OTHER IN CAESAR’S PROPAGANDA 148 8 CAESAR’S PORTRAYAL OF GAULS AS WARRIORS 180 9 ‘INSTINCTIVE GENIUS’ 202 INDEX 229 Demonstrates that the appearance of simplicity in Julius Caesar's writings is achieved through subtle skill in the selection of style, language and content, which promotes Caesar and downplays Roman enemies. Caesar's limpid prose, often seen as straightforward and soldierly, is analysed in essays as the work of a self-conscious and consummate stylist, rhetor and politician, seeking to advance a political career Edited By Kathryn Welch And Anton Powell. Selected Conference Papers. Originally Published: London: Duckworth, 1998. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.