Caesar, Gallic War 5.6

Caesar is planning his second invasion of Britain; but the troublesome Dumnorix refuses to join him. Caesar records two of his excuses:

ille omnibus primo precibus petere contendit ut in Gallia relinqueretur, partim quod insuetus navigandi mare timeret, partim quod religionibus sese diceret impediri.

At first he strove to beg by every kind of entreaty that he should be left behind in Gaul, partly on the ground that, being unaccustomed to sailing, he was afraid of the sea, partly because he said that he was prevented by religious obligations.

Hirtius, Continuation of Caesar’s Gallic War, preface

Aulus Hirtius wrote the final, eighth book of Caesar’s commentaries on the Gallic War. In this passage, from the preface to that book, he praises Caesar’s style.

constat enim inter omnes nihil tam operose ab aliis esse perfectum, quod non horum elegantia commentariorum superetur: qui sunt editi, ne scientia tantarum rerum scriptoribus deesset, adeoque probantur omnium iudicio ut praerepta, non praebita, facultas scriptoribus videatur.

It is agreed by everyone that there has been nothing so painstakingly perfected by other authors that it surpasses the elegance of these Commentaries. They were published so that authors should not lack knowledge of these events, but they are so approved in everyone’s judgement that it seems to have inhibited writers’ deftness rather than supplying them with an opportunity.