The War for Gaul: A New Translation

Description

A new translation that captures the gripping power of one of the greatest war stories ever told-Julius Caesar's pitiless account of his brutal campaign to conquer Gaul Imagine a book about an unnecessary war written by the ruthless general of an occupying army-a vivid and dramatic propaganda piece that forces the reader to identify with the conq

James J. O'Donnell is professor of history, philosophy, and religious studies and University Librarian at Arizona State University. His books include Pagans, The Ruin of the Roman Empire, and Augustine: A New Biography (all HarperCollins).

"This modern commentary on the Commentaries also 'lets you see Caesar the man and politician, not just the general he wanted you to see.'"---Robert S. Davis, New York Journal of Books "I rather like O'Donnell's asceticism. He sent me back to the original for first time in decades and drove home how rarely we approach these old warhorses with fresh eyes. . . . [O'Connell] will convince you that Caesar was a very bad man indeed."---Michael Kulikowski, London Review of Books "A vigorous, modern, and uncluttered translation."---Lawrence Freedman, Foreign Affairs "Certainly one for the school library shelves or young friends and relatives (classicists or not) who may well be less acquainted with Caesar."---Adrian Spooner, Classics for All Reviews "[A]n excellent translation . . . one that poses important questions about Caesar, his actions in Gaul, and the dying years of the Republic."---Anthony Smart, Bryn Mawr Classical Review "James O'Donnell has turned De bello Gallico into lucid, convincing, contemporary English. It's a masterclass in translation, and a dangerously appealing introduction to 'the best bad man's book ever written'."---Christopher Whitton, Greece and Rome