The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters - PREVIEW： Epochs #188

00:00:00.000 Hello and welcome to this episode of Epochs where I should be continuing my narrative of the decline and fall of the Roman Republic

00:00:05.780 and also the narrative of Caesar's campaigns in Gaul and we get into the most important bit or the most interesting bit

00:00:12.120 the denouement of the peace almost when the Gaulic tribes form their last big giant resistance

00:00:20.520 and Caesar, I hope it's no spoiler alert, Caesar defeats them all

00:00:24.760 and we're introduced to Vercingetorix, it is the rebellion, book 7, the rebellion of Vercingetorix

00:00:30.060 the siege of Elysia and all that sort of thing

00:00:32.880 so let's get straight into it because it's quite a long chapter

00:00:35.840 I'd want to try and get through this whole chapter, this episode if we can

00:00:39.400 then we'll have one more, the final year 51 BC where Caesar and Caesar's captains wrap everything up

00:00:47.920 and then we can cut straight back to Rome

00:00:50.460 however I do need to mention at this point things that have been going on in Rome

00:00:54.200 because it's been quite a few years since I was last talking about what actually happened in Rome

00:00:58.360 and there's been all sorts that have gone on

00:01:00.220 when I go back to that we will go back in time and talk about everything that happened in Rome

00:01:05.840 since Caesar's left which is years ago, years ago

00:01:08.920 and there's lots and lots of intrigues and important things, interesting things

00:01:12.660 with Pompey and Crassus and Cato and in some of the previous episodes which hopefully you've watched

00:01:18.760 you'll know a lot of those, I did episodes on Cato and Crassus already

00:01:24.820 but at this point going into the year 52 BC

00:01:28.460 that's where we're talking about Caesar is in Gaul in 52 BC

00:01:31.820 what's happened quite recently is the murder of Clodius

00:01:36.220 now I've already gone into that in a bit of detail

00:01:39.840 but when I cut back to Rome we'll go into it in full detail

00:01:44.500 but you need to know about it here because it matters

00:01:47.120 the death of Clodius, the murder of Clodius should I say

00:01:50.880 does turn Rome itself upside down politically

00:01:54.100 you know his supporters burn down the forum or burn down the senate house in the forum

00:01:58.620 and a few temples and various bits and bobs

00:02:01.060 and anyway, Rome is turned on its head politically at that point

00:02:05.740 and it's really important for Caesar

00:02:07.680 and Caesar's career and Caesar's political machinations

00:02:10.980 and the rumour goes round Gaul

00:02:13.380 that Caesar is going to have to return to Rome

00:02:16.580 to shore up his position

00:02:18.260 to make sure he's not completely ousted politically

00:02:20.620 to make sure, you know, all his political enemies

00:02:23.360 don't take advantage of his position too badly

00:02:26.900 to sort of do away with him

00:02:28.860 to ruin him politically or legally or financially

00:02:32.840 because if you remember Clodius is one of the leading lights

00:02:36.420 of the Popularius faction as is Caesar

00:02:38.880 so Clodius getting murdered is a really big deal

00:02:43.680 particularly for Caesar's political position

00:02:46.820 so as I say the rumour goes round Gaul

00:02:48.540 and people in Gaul know, you know, they might not be as sophisticated

00:02:51.880 as the Romans in terms of logistics and government and bureaucracy

00:02:55.680 but they're not stupid, they're absolutely not stupid people

00:02:58.080 so they hear this and they know what's going on

00:03:00.780 and they think that not only will Caesar have to return to Rome

00:03:04.120 but he probably won't come back

00:03:06.140 he's been in Gaul way longer than any other Roman general

00:03:10.840 who has really ever been away

00:03:13.080 it's unprecedented that he's spent so long in Gaul already

00:03:16.140 and that now he's going to go away

00:03:18.100 and they see that, they calculate that that's their chance

00:03:20.900 if they can rise up in one last big giant rebellion

00:03:24.200 push Caesar out and prevent him from coming back

00:03:27.160 this is their moment, this is their chance

00:03:29.300 and that is exactly what they do

00:03:31.360 and so their new leader is Vercingetorix

00:03:35.340 because this chapter is so long

00:03:37.560 I won't actually read every last word of it

00:03:39.560 as I've been doing in the last few episodes

00:03:41.760 I have to give you the York Notes version of some of it

00:03:44.820 but I will introduce you to Vercingetorix

00:03:47.120 Caesar tells us there, he means in Gaul

00:03:50.040 there, the lead given by the Carnutes

00:03:52.540 that's a tribe, the Carnutes

00:03:54.340 was followed by Vercingetorix

00:03:56.460 a very powerful young Arvernian

00:03:58.820 whose father, Celtillus

00:04:00.880 had held suzerainty over all Gaul

00:04:03.160 and had been put to death by his compatriots

00:04:05.720 for seeking to make himself king

00:04:07.060 assembling his retainers

00:04:08.800 Vercingetorix had no difficulty

00:04:10.660 in exciting their passions

00:04:12.300 and the news of what was afoot

00:04:14.120 soon brought others out in arms

00:04:16.100 and we go on to get quite a few pages of description

00:04:18.600 of how lots of different tribes

00:04:21.200 it's classic Caesar in Gaul

00:04:23.180 where he just gives you a list of tribes

00:04:25.120 that join Vercingetorix

00:04:26.880 and it's lots of them

00:04:28.040 the Sinonis, the Parisi, the Kaduki

00:04:30.520 the Turoni, the Lurki

00:04:32.560 Lemevoises, Andes, Pictonis

00:04:35.400 and others

00:04:36.580 so Vercingetorix raises pretty much

00:04:40.720 a giant army, nearly all of Gaul

00:04:42.260 in rebellion

00:04:42.840 and this is still in the winter

00:04:44.240 it's in the very early months of 52 BC

00:04:46.920 it's still snowy and cold

00:04:48.220 and usually it's the off season

00:04:50.160 right, it's not

00:04:51.380 it's not the campaigning season

00:04:53.380 but once again

00:04:54.680 Caesar realises that he has to

00:04:56.280 nip this thing in the bud

00:04:57.280 once again

00:04:59.200 he realises that he needs to

00:05:00.900 take the initiative

00:05:01.540 if he is to stand any chance

00:05:03.480 because if he waits till spring

00:05:04.660 or even summer

00:05:05.640 there might be a giant, giant host

00:05:07.520 ranged against him

00:05:08.960 so in the middle of winter

00:05:10.320 again, he basically takes to the field

00:05:13.040 and starts doing military manoeuvres

00:05:14.980 and things

00:05:15.480 and what he does

00:05:16.620 is he marches straight into the territory

00:05:18.780 Vercingetorix's territory

00:05:20.680 that part of Gaul

00:05:22.220 and starts besieging towns

00:05:23.900 even though it's freezing cold

00:05:25.220 and he moves across certain

00:05:26.320 mountain ranges

00:05:27.440 which we're told

00:05:28.200 the Gauls thought were impenetrable

00:05:30.200 considered them like a brick wall

00:05:32.120 just couldn't get over them in winter

00:05:34.320 completely impracticable

00:05:35.700 impassable in winter

00:05:37.280 but Caesar just does

00:05:38.340 if his legionaries can build a camp

00:05:40.380 every night

00:05:41.180 or can build a bridge

00:05:42.340 across the Rhine

00:05:43.060 in a few days

00:05:43.880 then they can clear snowdrifts

00:05:45.540 even if they're six foot deep

00:05:46.800 not a problem

00:05:47.440 so Caesar starts

00:05:48.900 besieging some towns

00:05:50.700 a place called Gergobina

00:05:52.360 Cenabum

00:05:54.180 Novio Dunum

00:05:56.060 Velodunum

00:05:57.380 and some others

00:05:58.580 and Vercingetorix

00:06:00.200 and his coalition

00:06:01.480 immediately

00:06:02.520 sort of realise

00:06:03.820 obviously they see what Caesar's doing

00:06:05.200 and they immediately make

00:06:06.220 a sort of strategic decision

00:06:07.560 to retreat

00:06:08.840 and do a scorched earth policy

00:06:10.840 in their own territory

00:06:12.040 burn down

00:06:13.160 their own towns

00:06:14.320 and make sure

00:06:15.420 they leave in their wake

00:06:16.540 absolutely no food

00:06:17.920 no corn

00:06:18.620 no supplies

00:06:19.620 whatsoever

00:06:20.100 for the Romans

00:06:20.820 hoping

00:06:21.660 calculating

00:06:22.280 almost correctly

00:06:23.200 that that will sort of

00:06:24.640 stop Caesar in his tracks

00:06:25.780 because it's winter

00:06:26.480 and we're told that Caesar

00:06:28.020 does have a difficult time of it

00:06:29.380 and his men go hungry

00:06:30.700 for a long time

00:06:31.500 and he has to send for

00:06:32.940 cattle

00:06:33.720 from very very far away

00:06:35.120 to stave off

00:06:36.900 starvation

00:06:37.780 in his own

00:06:38.440 among his own army

00:06:39.780 but then Vercingetorix

00:06:41.080 and his giant army

00:06:42.280 reached the town

00:06:43.400 of Avericum

00:06:44.200 which was

00:06:44.940 a very very big town

00:06:46.280 it's not just a small settlement

00:06:47.480 but it's

00:06:48.260 well we're told later

00:06:49.880 that it's

00:06:50.380 one of the most important

00:06:51.400 biggest cities

00:06:52.240 in France

00:06:53.200 and the townspeople

00:06:54.280 there say

00:06:54.640 look

00:06:54.920 plead with Vercingetorix

00:06:56.940 please don't

00:06:57.720 burn it down

00:06:58.460 we can defend it

00:06:59.680 it's in a really good spot

00:07:00.920 geographically

00:07:02.200 tactically

00:07:03.040 to defend it

00:07:03.800 and there's marshes

00:07:04.480 all around

00:07:04.900 and there's all sorts

00:07:05.540 of reasons why

00:07:06.280 there's no point

00:07:07.420 burning it down

00:07:08.060 we can defend it

00:07:08.920 and Vercingetorix

00:07:10.020 relents

00:07:10.940 so I'll pick up the story

00:07:11.920 or let Caesar

00:07:12.500 rather pick up the story

00:07:13.680 with the siege

00:07:15.180 of Avericum

00:07:16.400 in again

00:07:17.180 we're in 52 BC

00:07:18.180 so Caesar tells us this

00:07:19.460 quote

00:07:19.800 after this series

00:07:20.880 of reverses

00:07:21.740 for the Gauls

00:07:22.860 and Vercingetorix

00:07:23.780 at Veludonum

00:07:25.060 Cenobum

00:07:26.040 and Noviodunum

00:07:27.480 Vercingetorix

00:07:28.360 summoned his followers

00:07:29.420 to a council of war

00:07:30.560 and told them

00:07:31.540 that their plan of campaign

00:07:32.940 must be completely changed

00:07:34.860 now this is apparently

00:07:36.120 Vercingetorix speaking

00:07:37.460 he is apparently

00:07:39.160 supposed to have said

00:07:40.160 we must strive

00:07:41.400 by every means

00:07:42.340 to prevent the Romans

00:07:43.440 from obtaining

00:07:44.140 forage and supplies

00:07:45.160 this will be easy

00:07:46.680 since we are strong

00:07:47.660 in cavalry

00:07:48.100 and the season

00:07:49.160 is in our favour

00:07:49.960 there is no grass

00:07:51.320 to be cut

00:07:51.880 so the enemy

00:07:52.800 will be forced

00:07:53.400 to send out parties

00:07:54.300 to get hay

00:07:54.900 from the barns

00:07:55.700 and our cavalry

00:07:56.540 can go out

00:07:57.300 every day

00:07:57.900 and see that

00:07:58.680 not a single one

00:07:59.380 of them returns alive

00:08:00.460 what is more

00:08:01.540 when our lives

00:08:02.500 are at stake

00:08:03.140 we must be prepared

00:08:04.120 to sacrifice

00:08:04.660 our private possessions

00:08:05.760 along the enemy's

00:08:06.860 line of march

00:08:07.540 we must burn

00:08:08.400 all the villages

00:08:08.960 and farms

00:08:09.560 within the radius

00:08:10.380 that their foragers

00:08:11.540 can cover

00:08:12.100 we ourselves

00:08:12.940 have plenty of supplies

00:08:14.020 because we can rely

00:08:15.160 on the resources

00:08:15.900 of the people

00:08:16.720 in whose territory

00:08:17.480 the campaign

00:08:18.100 is conducted

00:08:18.820 but the Romans

00:08:19.780 will either

00:08:20.220 succumb to starvation

00:08:21.380 or have to expose

00:08:22.680 themselves

00:08:23.140 to serious risk

00:08:24.140 by going far

00:08:25.020 from their camp

00:08:25.680 in search of food

00:08:26.800 we can either

00:08:27.720 kill them

00:08:28.300 or strip them

00:08:29.100 of their baggage

00:08:29.780 which will be

00:08:30.620 equally effective

00:08:31.460 since without it

00:08:32.720 they cannot keep

00:08:33.320 the field

00:08:33.760 we should also

00:08:34.700 burn all the towns

00:08:35.740 their own towns

00:08:36.580 except those

00:08:38.060 which are rendered

00:08:38.920 impregnable

00:08:39.640 by natural

00:08:40.280 and artificial defences

00:08:41.440 otherwise they may

00:08:42.600 serve as refugees

00:08:43.540 for shirkers

00:08:44.860 among our own numbers

00:08:45.920 and give the enemy

00:08:46.820 the chance of looting

00:08:47.640 the stores of provisions

00:08:48.700 and other property

00:08:49.940 that they contain

00:08:51.040 you may think

00:08:52.060 these measures

00:08:52.540 harsh and cruel

00:08:53.340 but you must admit

00:08:54.460 that it would be

00:08:55.320 a still harsher fate

00:08:56.180 to have our wives

00:08:56.900 and children

00:08:57.380 carried off into slavery

00:08:58.480 and be killed yourselves

00:08:59.640 which is what will

00:09:00.980 inevitably befall you

00:09:02.200 if we are conquered

00:09:03.000 and that's the end

00:09:04.400 of his little speech

00:09:05.140 Caesar himself

00:09:05.800 continues the narrative

00:09:06.560 saying

00:09:06.900 this proposal

00:09:07.700 was unanimously approved

00:09:09.120 and in a single day

00:09:10.340 more than 20

00:09:11.100 of the Beterges towns

00:09:12.800 were fired

00:09:13.540 the same was done

00:09:14.560 in the territory

00:09:15.180 of the neighbouring tribes

00:09:16.360 until fires

00:09:17.480 were visible

00:09:18.280 in every direction

00:09:19.200 and although this was

00:09:20.460 a grievous sorrow

00:09:21.240 to all Gauls

00:09:22.020 they found consolation

00:09:23.320 in the thought

00:09:23.880 that victory

00:09:24.360 was practically assured

00:09:25.580 and that they should

00:09:26.620 soon repair

00:09:27.240 the losses

00:09:27.720 in a second joint

00:09:29.000 council of war

00:09:29.820 the question was debated

00:09:31.040 whether Avericum

00:09:32.120 was to be burnt

00:09:33.100 or defended

00:09:33.660 the Beterages

00:09:34.860 went down on their knees

00:09:36.340 and implored

00:09:37.020 the representatives

00:09:37.680 of the other tribes

00:09:38.920 not to compel them

00:09:40.160 to set fire

00:09:40.940 with their own hands

00:09:42.140 to a town

00:09:42.900 that was almost

00:09:43.480 the finest in Gaul

00:09:44.500 the chief defence

00:09:45.720 and pride of their state

00:09:46.980 it could easily be held

00:09:48.440 they said

00:09:48.940 in view of its natural strength

00:09:50.660 for it was almost

00:09:51.640 completely surrounded

00:09:52.420 by river and marshes

00:09:53.660 in which there was

00:09:54.760 only one narrow opening

00:09:56.060 their petition was granted

00:09:58.000 Vercingetorix

00:09:59.080 though he opposed it

00:10:00.140 at first

00:10:00.620 was at length

00:10:01.400 prevailed upon

00:10:02.140 by their entreaties

00:10:03.140 and by the general

00:10:03.980 sympathy felt for them

00:10:05.040 and a careful choice

00:10:06.180 was made of officers

00:10:07.360 to defend the town

00:10:08.460 following Caesar's march

00:10:09.900 by easy stages

00:10:10.880 Vercingetorix

00:10:11.980 selected for his encampment

00:10:13.900 a spot 16 miles

00:10:15.380 from Avericum

00:10:16.120 protected by marshes

00:10:17.440 and forests

00:10:18.000 by an organised liaison service

00:10:20.020 he was informed hourly

00:10:21.600 of events at Avericum

00:10:23.100 and transmitted

00:10:23.980 his orders accordingly

00:10:25.060 he was constantly

00:10:26.260 on the watch

00:10:26.840 for parties

00:10:27.540 Roman parties

00:10:28.820 going out for forage

00:10:30.500 or corn

00:10:31.040 and by attacking them

00:10:32.480 when they were isolated

00:10:33.660 for they were obliged

00:10:34.920 to go far afield

00:10:35.740 he inflicted heavy losses

00:10:37.240 although they tried

00:10:38.260 everything they could

00:10:39.000 to think to baffle him

00:10:40.400 setting out at irregular

00:10:41.780 intervals

00:10:42.380 and by different routes

00:10:43.620 Caesar encamped

00:10:44.940 on the side of the town

00:10:45.920 where there was

00:10:46.400 a narrow gap in the marshes

00:10:47.760 and watercourses

00:10:48.800 surrounding it

00:10:49.540 and began to build

00:10:50.600 a siege terrace

00:10:51.420 form lines of mantlets

00:10:53.100 and erect two towers

00:10:54.660 upon the terrace

00:10:55.500 for the lie of the land

00:10:57.060 made it impossible

00:10:57.780 to invest the place

00:10:58.940 to maintain a supply of corn

00:11:00.700 he kept importuning

00:11:02.280 the bowie

00:11:02.880 and the adjuire

00:11:03.700 but the adjuire

00:11:04.980 were lukewarm

00:11:05.700 and gave little help

00:11:06.660 while the bowie

00:11:07.520 a small and feeble tribe

00:11:09.180 had only slender resources

00:11:10.900 which were quickly exhausted

00:11:12.460 never mind what they're

00:11:13.940 going to eat

00:11:14.280 I suppose

00:11:14.760 the troops were brought

00:11:15.720 to such straits

00:11:16.540 by the inability

00:11:17.380 of the bowie

00:11:18.120 to relieve them

00:11:18.960 and the indifference

00:11:19.740 of the adjuire

00:11:20.500 as well as by the burning

00:11:21.860 of the granaries

00:11:22.560 that for several days

00:11:23.680 they had no grain

00:11:24.540 and saved themselves

00:11:25.620 from starvation

00:11:26.540 only by bringing in cattle

00:11:28.160 from distant villages

00:11:29.020 yet not a word

00:11:30.300 were they heard

00:11:30.860 to utter

00:11:31.340 that was unworthy

00:11:32.480 of roman soldiers

00:11:33.320 with successful campaigns

00:11:35.200 to their credit

00:11:35.860 indeed

00:11:36.640 when caesar addressed

00:11:37.820 the men of each legion

00:11:38.900 at their work

00:11:39.540 and told them

00:11:40.280 that if they found

00:11:40.960 their privations unbearable

00:11:42.340 he would abandon the siege

00:11:43.760 with one voice

00:11:44.760 they begged him

00:11:45.360 not to do so

00:11:46.080 saying that they had

00:11:47.020 served under him

00:11:47.740 for many years

00:11:48.500 without suffering

00:11:49.340 any humiliation

00:11:50.160 or ever being forced

00:11:51.460 to relinquish a task

00:11:52.620 that they had set

00:11:53.480 their hands to

00:11:54.180 they would feel it

00:11:55.120 a humiliation

00:11:55.980 to abandon the siege now

00:11:57.400 and would rather

00:11:58.360 suffer any hardship

00:11:59.380 than fail in avenging

00:12:00.640 the romans

00:12:01.260 who had fallen victims

00:12:02.500 to gallic treachery

00:12:03.660 at cenobum

00:12:04.800 they said the same

00:12:05.620 to their centurions

00:12:06.620 and military tribunes

00:12:07.660 asking them to pass it

00:12:09.040 on to caesar

00:12:09.760 so there's a classic

00:12:11.560 example

00:12:12.080 of where the soldiers

00:12:13.900 the common soldiery

00:12:15.000 absolutely love caesar

00:12:16.600 they seem to love him

00:12:17.660 they'll do anything

00:12:19.040 for him

00:12:19.520 there's so many

00:12:20.000 examples of this

00:12:20.900 that wasn't necessarily

00:12:22.420 the case

00:12:23.560 or not as much

00:12:24.160 the case

00:12:24.600 years ago

00:12:25.420 when caesar was first

00:12:26.320 in command in spain

00:12:27.400 even at the very

00:12:28.620 very beginning

00:12:29.220 of the

00:12:29.840 of the

00:12:30.660 ghoul campaigns

00:12:31.620 it wasn't necessarily

00:12:32.980 the case

00:12:33.160 but by this point

00:12:33.820 now

00:12:34.140 he's their boy

00:12:35.380 you know

00:12:36.000 they'll do anything

00:12:37.240 for him

00:12:37.700 and as the years

00:12:38.800 tick by

00:12:39.340 it becomes even

00:12:40.560 more so

00:12:41.440 but we can see here

00:12:42.620 now

00:12:42.960 that they will follow

00:12:44.400 caesar to the ends

00:12:45.320 of the earth

00:12:45.800 they really will do

00:12:46.940 almost anything

00:12:47.480 for him

00:12:48.060 okay so the story

00:12:49.540 goes on

00:12:50.080 the siege towers

00:12:51.200 had already been

00:12:51.980 moved close to the wall

00:12:53.040 when caesar learnt

00:12:54.240 from prisoners

00:12:54.880 that vercingetrix

00:12:56.060 having run out of forage

00:12:57.620 had moved nearer

00:12:58.820 Avericum

00:12:59.360 and had taken command

00:13:00.760 in person of the cavalry

00:13:01.920 and the light armed infantry

00:13:03.560 who regularly fought

00:13:04.740 among the cavalry

00:13:05.440 in order to ambush

00:13:06.680 the place where he expected

00:13:07.860 our men would go

00:13:09.240 the next day to forage

00:13:10.800 accordingly caesar set out

00:13:12.580 silently at midnight

00:13:13.640 and reached the enemy's

00:13:14.760 camp in the morning

00:13:15.460 but they received

00:13:16.560 speedy warning of his

00:13:17.620 approach from their patrols

00:13:19.360 hid their wagons

00:13:20.380 and baggage

00:13:20.940 in the densest part

00:13:21.840 of the woods

00:13:22.400 and drew up all their forces

00:13:23.940 on open rising ground

00:13:25.560 on hearing of this

00:13:26.820 caesar had once

00:13:27.820 ordered his men

00:13:28.580 to pile their packs

00:13:29.540 and get their arms ready

00:13:30.820 once again

00:13:31.760 it's on

00:13:32.600 it's going to have

00:13:33.360 a battle here

00:13:34.360 the hill that the enemy

00:13:35.720 occupied

00:13:36.140 had a gentle gradient

00:13:37.700 at the bottom

00:13:38.480 and was almost surmounted

00:13:39.880 by a marsh

00:13:40.520 which was extremely

00:13:41.660 difficult to negotiate

00:13:42.700 although only 50 feet wide

00:13:44.760 the goulds had taken

00:13:46.040 down the causeways

00:13:47.060 leading over the marsh

00:13:48.440 and relying on the

00:13:49.500 strength of their

00:13:50.000 position refused to

00:13:51.400 budge from the hill

00:13:52.200 formed up in tribal

00:13:53.380 groups they held all

00:13:54.660 the folds and the

00:13:55.720 thickets that boarded

00:13:57.020 the marsh

00:13:57.500 determined if the

00:13:58.840 romans tried to force

00:13:59.700 a passage to overpower

00:14:01.120 them by running down

00:14:02.000 to the attack while they

00:14:03.540 were stuck fast in the

00:14:04.660 mud awaiting us at

00:14:06.220 such a distance they

00:14:07.500 looked as if they were

00:14:08.300 prepared to fight a

00:14:09.140 battle on more or less

00:14:10.600 equal terms but their

00:14:11.920 position was so much

00:14:12.880 stronger than ours that

00:14:14.260 this show of courage was

00:14:15.520 clearly a mere pretense

00:14:16.720 the legionaries were

00:14:18.420 indignant at the

00:14:19.160 enemies daring to face

00:14:20.660 them at such close

00:14:21.460 range and clamoured for

00:14:22.960 the signal to attack

00:14:23.900 but Caesar pointed out

00:14:25.120 how costly a victory

00:14:26.040 would be in these

00:14:26.820 conditions how many

00:14:28.200 brave men's lives must

00:14:29.360 be sacrificed when they

00:14:30.700 showed such steadfast

00:14:32.000 loyalty and were

00:14:33.060 willing to face any

00:14:33.880 danger for his honour

00:14:34.900 he would be guilty of

00:14:36.140 the grossest injustice

00:14:37.100 if he did not consider

00:14:38.460 their lives before his

00:14:39.760 own interests

00:14:40.520 after addressing them

00:14:41.860 in this way to

00:14:42.840 alleviate their

00:14:43.500 disappointment

00:14:43.980 he led them back to

00:14:45.300 camp the same day and

00:14:46.700 proceeded to complete his

00:14:47.800 preparations for the

00:14:49.060 siege of the town

00:14:49.860 end quote

00:14:50.740 so it looked like a

00:14:52.400 battle was going to be

00:14:53.140 on but Caesar

00:14:54.600 canny Caesar

00:14:55.980 wily old Caesar

00:14:57.180 saw with his

00:14:59.340 general's ire

00:15:00.200 his

00:15:00.600 one of the greatest

00:15:02.020 ires

00:15:02.620 battlefield ires

00:15:04.560 there's ever been

00:15:05.240 saw that

00:15:06.000 even ire

00:15:07.680 even Caesar

00:15:08.420 even the great

00:15:09.180 Roman legions

00:15:10.260 of the first century

00:15:11.060 BC

00:15:11.380 this is an ask

00:15:13.140 this battlefield

00:15:14.560 the way this is set up

00:15:16.020 this is not a good

00:15:16.940 idea

00:15:17.280 and that is brave

00:15:19.240 in leadership terms

00:15:20.800 that's brave

00:15:21.520 when all your men

00:15:22.860 expect you to attack

00:15:24.220 to be unafraid

00:15:25.440 to be accused of

00:15:26.340 being a coward or

00:15:27.180 something

00:15:27.500 that's good leadership

00:15:28.900 to make the right

00:15:30.320 decision

00:15:30.800 it's a classic thing

00:15:32.220 in all sorts of

00:15:33.360 games and sports

00:15:34.580 and conflicts

00:15:35.460 and battles

00:15:36.260 and like in chess

00:15:37.380 someone will draw

00:15:38.220 you out

00:15:38.700 put a rook

00:15:40.060 or a knight

00:15:40.580 deep behind

00:15:41.300 your line

00:15:42.120 and expect you

00:15:43.200 to react to it

00:15:44.280 and sometimes

00:15:45.600 it's best

00:15:45.980 to just leave it

00:15:46.660 there

00:15:46.840 walk away

00:15:47.400 you're going to

00:15:48.980 damage yourself

00:15:49.700 more

00:15:50.400 by taking the bait

00:15:52.100 even though it

00:15:53.060 seems the most

00:15:53.780 obvious thing

00:15:54.340 even though it

00:15:54.700 seems like it's

00:15:55.200 the only thing

00:15:55.900 to do

00:15:56.740 no no you don't

00:15:57.860 have to

00:15:58.240 no no

00:15:58.760 I'll wait

00:15:59.260 it's fine

00:15:59.980 it's fine

00:16:00.700 that's a trap

00:16:02.020 okay he goes on

00:16:04.000 on returning

00:16:04.840 to his main body

00:16:05.840 Vercingetorix was

00:16:06.920 accused of treachery

00:16:08.040 for having moved

00:16:08.820 his camp nearer

00:16:09.600 the Romans

00:16:10.000 for going off

00:16:11.240 with all the cavalry

00:16:12.020 and for leaving

00:16:13.160 such a large army

00:16:14.120 without anyone

00:16:14.780 in supreme command

00:16:15.760 all this could not

00:16:16.980 have happened by

00:16:17.560 chance they said

00:16:18.440 but must have been

00:16:19.560 deliberately planned

00:16:20.560 evidently he would

00:16:22.060 rather become king

00:16:22.900 of Gaul

00:16:23.360 by Caesar's favour

00:16:24.540 than by the gift

00:16:25.340 of his fellow

00:16:25.880 countrymen

00:16:26.480 to these charges

00:16:27.680 Vercingetorix replied

00:16:29.080 that he moved

00:16:29.900 camp because

00:16:30.920 he was short

00:16:31.600 of forage

00:16:32.180 and they themselves

00:16:33.460 had pressed him

00:16:34.340 to do so

00:16:34.940 he went nearer

00:16:36.020 the Romans

00:16:36.440 because he had

00:16:37.340 found a very

00:16:37.880 favourable position

00:16:38.880 so well protected

00:16:39.940 by nature

00:16:40.560 that no defence

00:16:41.540 works were required

00:16:42.620 oh one thing

00:16:44.060 quickly to say here

00:16:45.040 in the earlier part

00:16:46.040 of this chapter

00:16:46.480 which I didn't read

00:16:47.280 we were told

00:16:48.100 that Vercingetorix

00:16:48.840 was quite a harsh

00:16:51.140 disciplinarian

00:16:52.160 if anyone did

00:16:53.140 anything wrong

00:16:53.840 in his army

00:16:54.500 it says

00:16:55.100 he just

00:16:55.880 tied them to a stake

00:16:57.280 and cut them up

00:16:58.040 or cut their ears

00:16:59.060 off

00:16:59.320 or put their eyes

00:17:00.060 out

00:17:00.660 for like

00:17:01.300 sort of small

00:17:01.980 misdemeanours

00:17:02.940 for relatively

00:17:03.780 small offences

00:17:05.160 so Vercingetorix

00:17:06.680 is not to be

00:17:07.240 trifled with

00:17:07.900 as a leader

00:17:08.900 and then Caesar

00:17:09.960 puts words in his

00:17:10.740 mouth again

00:17:11.320 and Vercingetorix

00:17:12.460 is supposed to

00:17:13.100 have said

00:17:13.380 I knew

00:17:14.600 that the cavalry

00:17:15.780 would not be missed

00:17:16.780 on this marshy ground

00:17:18.180 whereas it was

00:17:19.200 very useful

00:17:19.840 in the place

00:17:20.720 to which I took it

00:17:21.700 I purposely

00:17:22.500 did not delegate

00:17:23.600 the command

00:17:24.220 to anyone

00:17:24.980 when I went away

00:17:26.380 for fear the person

00:17:27.580 I chose

00:17:28.200 might be

00:17:28.980 induced

00:17:29.380 by the enthusiasm

00:17:30.380 of the rank and file

00:17:31.620 to give battle

00:17:32.420 for I could see

00:17:33.740 that that was

00:17:34.640 what they all

00:17:35.180 desired

00:17:35.640 because they were

00:17:36.740 soft and incapable

00:17:37.700 of prolonged exertion

00:17:39.140 if the arrival

00:17:39.980 of the Romans

00:17:40.600 during my absence

00:17:41.700 was an accident

00:17:42.680 it was a stroke

00:17:43.680 of luck for us

00:17:44.480 if it was the result

00:17:46.080 of information

00:17:46.800 conveyed by a traitor

00:17:47.960 you ought to be

00:17:48.920 grateful to him

00:17:49.760 for enabling you

00:17:50.980 to see from your

00:17:51.840 commanding position

00:17:52.720 how weak are their

00:17:54.020 forces

00:17:54.340 and how contemptible

00:17:55.920 is their cowardice

00:17:56.860 since they slunk

00:17:58.080 back ignominiously

00:17:59.020 to their camp

00:17:59.800 without daring

00:18:00.540 to fight

00:18:01.000 I have no need

00:18:02.160 to obtain from

00:18:03.000 Caesar by treachery

00:18:04.080 the power that I

00:18:05.100 can secure by victory

00:18:06.240 a victory already

00:18:07.380 in my grasp

00:18:08.080 and to be shared

00:18:09.020 by the whole

00:18:09.540 Gallic people

00:18:10.220 you may take back

00:18:11.180 the command

00:18:11.640 you entrusted me

00:18:12.400 with

00:18:12.680 if you imagine

00:18:13.560 that you are

00:18:14.380 conferring a favour

00:18:15.240 on me

00:18:15.660 when in reality

00:18:16.580 you owe your

00:18:17.500 lives to me

00:18:18.240 to satisfy yourselves

00:18:19.600 that what I say

00:18:20.540 is true

00:18:20.960 hear what these

00:18:21.720 Roman soldiers

00:18:22.360 have to say

00:18:23.060 with these words

00:18:24.040 he brought forward

00:18:24.820 some camp servants

00:18:25.720 whom he had captured

00:18:26.740 on a foraging expedition

00:18:27.880 some days previously

00:18:28.900 and had subjected

00:18:30.140 to the tortures

00:18:31.160 of chains

00:18:31.620 and starvation

00:18:32.320 these he had

00:18:33.480 carefully primed

00:18:34.320 beforehand

00:18:34.740 with the answers

00:18:35.920 that they were

00:18:36.600 to make

00:18:36.960 when questioned

00:18:37.560 they said

00:18:38.520 that they were

00:18:38.920 legionaries

00:18:39.500 and that the hunger

00:18:40.420 and want

00:18:40.840 they had suffered

00:18:41.580 made them steal

00:18:42.540 out of camp

00:18:43.100 to see if they

00:18:43.740 could find

00:18:44.140 any corn

00:18:44.660 or cattle

00:18:45.120 in the fields

00:18:45.800 the whole army

00:18:46.800 they added

00:18:47.320 the whole Roman army

00:18:48.120 they added

00:18:48.840 was in the same plight

00:18:50.040 every man

00:18:50.720 was at the end

00:18:51.280 of his strength

00:18:51.860 and unfit for work

00:18:52.900 and their commander

00:18:53.840 had decided

00:18:54.500 to raise the siege

00:18:55.580 in three days time

00:18:56.540 unless some progress

00:18:57.660 was made

00:18:58.220 that

00:18:59.120 cried Vercingetorix

00:19:00.440 is what you owe

00:19:01.440 to me

00:19:01.820 whom you charge

00:19:02.940 with treachery

00:19:03.880 thanks to me

00:19:04.620 without shedding

00:19:05.420 a drop of your own blood

00:19:06.520 you see a great

00:19:07.340 and victorious army

00:19:08.240 almost destroyed

00:19:09.020 by starvation

00:19:09.740 and when it is routed

00:19:11.240 and retreats

00:19:12.080 in disgrace

00:19:12.540 I have taken good care

00:19:13.960 that no people

00:19:14.780 should admit it

00:19:15.580 into their territory

00:19:16.480 the whole concourse

00:19:17.580 cheered

00:19:18.080 and clashed their weapons

00:19:19.160 as the Gauls

00:19:20.100 are accustomed to do

00:19:21.060 when they approve

00:19:21.740 of what a speaker says

00:19:22.820 Vercingetorix

00:19:23.940 was a great leader

00:19:24.740 they declared

00:19:25.360 his loyalty

00:19:26.280 above suspicion

00:19:27.140 and no one

00:19:28.120 could conduct

00:19:28.680 the campaign

00:19:29.220 with greater skill

00:19:30.040 they determined

00:19:30.780 to send into

00:19:31.520 Avericum

00:19:32.120 10,000 men

00:19:33.280 picked from all

00:19:33.940 the contingents

00:19:34.720 not wishing to

00:19:35.760 entrust the national

00:19:36.660 cause

00:19:37.080 to the Bitterages

00:19:38.200 alone

00:19:38.760 because they realised

00:19:40.200 that if the Bitterages

00:19:41.540 saved the town

00:19:42.740 the victory

00:19:43.260 would be entirely theirs

00:19:44.640 to battle

00:19:45.420 the extraordinary

00:19:46.060 bravery

00:19:46.500 of our troops

00:19:47.240 the Gauls

00:19:47.880 resorted to

00:19:48.460 all kinds of devices

00:19:49.540 for they are

00:19:50.320 most ingenious people

00:19:51.500 and very clever

00:19:52.500 at burrowing

00:19:53.320 and applying ideas

00:19:54.660 suggested to them

00:19:55.620 they pulled aside

00:19:57.000 our wall hooks

00:19:58.220 with lassoes

00:19:59.400 for example

00:20:00.360 and when they had

00:20:01.380 made them fast

00:20:02.320 hauled them inside

00:20:03.660 with windlasses

00:20:04.460 they made our terraces

00:20:06.200 fall in by undermining

00:20:07.640 at which they were expert

00:20:08.860 because they have

00:20:09.880 extensive iron mines

00:20:10.980 in their country

00:20:11.680 and are thoroughly familiar

00:20:13.320 with every kind

00:20:14.020 of underground working

00:20:15.040 they had also

00:20:16.160 equipped the whole

00:20:16.800 circuit of the walls

00:20:17.780 with towers

00:20:18.520 furnished with platforms

00:20:20.220 and protected

00:20:21.100 by hyads

00:20:21.840 they made frequent

00:20:23.820 sorties by day

00:20:24.640 and night

00:20:25.040 either to set fire

00:20:26.360 to the terrace

00:20:27.040 or to attack

00:20:28.040 our soldiers at work

00:20:29.080 as our towers

00:20:30.320 were raised higher

00:20:31.140 by the material

00:20:31.920 added each day

00:20:32.880 to the terrace

00:20:33.600 they increased

00:20:34.440 the height of theirs

00:20:35.180 correspondingly

00:20:36.080 by inserting floors

00:20:37.260 between the upright

00:20:38.120 posts

00:20:38.600 forming the framework

00:20:39.640 they counter-mined

00:20:41.200 the subterranean

00:20:42.060 galleries

00:20:42.520 that we were digging

00:20:43.720 towards the walls

00:20:44.700 and prevented

00:20:45.700 their continuation

00:20:46.580 by throwing into them

00:20:48.020 stakes sharpened

00:20:49.100 and hardened

00:20:49.760 in a fire

00:20:50.500 boiling pitch

00:20:51.600 and very heavy stones

00:20:53.180 end of quote

00:20:54.120 so wow

00:20:54.980 that paints quite a picture

00:20:56.000 doesn't it

00:20:56.580 all sorts of

00:20:57.420 sapping

00:20:58.600 and counter-sapping

00:20:59.800 wall building

00:21:01.100 tower building

00:21:02.140 and counter-wall building

00:21:04.100 and counter-tower building

00:21:05.580 it's quite a siege

00:21:06.560 it must have been

00:21:06.980 quite a sight

00:21:07.740 both sides determined

00:21:09.080 that Avericum

00:21:10.600 was going to be

00:21:11.500 a sight of victory

00:21:12.280 for them

00:21:12.780 for once

00:21:13.780 the Roman engineers

00:21:14.800 actually came up

00:21:16.360 against people

00:21:17.040 that were prepared

00:21:18.080 to at least try

00:21:19.580 and match them

00:21:20.260 lack for lack

00:21:21.020 if you would like

00:21:21.760 to see the full version

00:21:22.740 of this premium video

00:21:23.840 please head over

00:21:24.600 to lotuseaters.com

00:21:25.760 and subscribe

00:21:26.520 to gain full access

00:21:27.660 to all of our

00:21:28.520 premium content

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The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters - December 06, 2024

PREVIEW： Epochs #188 ｜ Pompey & Caesar： Part XIII

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