Next year (57 B.c.) occurred the Belgic war, in which C. successively routed the Suessiones, Bellovaci, Ambiani, and Nervii, who, alarmed at the progress of the Roman arms, had entered into an alliance with each other against the invaders. When the senate received C.'s official dispatches, it decreed a thanksgiving of 15 days—an honor never previously granted to any other general. During the winter and the spring following, C. stayed at Lucca; and, after spending large sums of money in hospitality, and in other less praiseworthy purposes, he departed for Gaul, where the flames of war had burst out in the north-west. The Veneti, a maritime people of Brittany, were the chief instigators of the insurrection. C.'s plans were laid with consummate skill, and were crowned with the most splendid success. The Veneti were totally defeated, and most of the other Gallic tribes were either checked or subdued. C. wintered in the country of the Aulerci and Lexovii (Normandy), having, in the course of three cam paigns, conquered Gaul. Next year (55 B.c.), Crassus went to Syria, and Pompey to Spain, while C.'s provincial government was prolonged for five years. Ile now under took a fourth campaign against two German tribes who were about to enter Gaul. He was again successful; and pursuing the fleeing enemy across the Rhine, spent 18 days in plundering the district inhabited by the Sigambri. He next invaded Britain, about the autumn; but after a brief stay in the island, returned to Gaul. The Roman senate, astonished at his hardihood and his successes in regions where no Roman army had ever been before, accorded him a public thanksgiving of 20 days. In 54 B.C., C. opened his fifth campaign by a second invasion of Britain. On his return to Gaul, C. was compelled --on account of the scarcity of corn, arising from drought—to winter his army in divisions. This naturally aroused the hopes of the Gauls, who thought the time had come for recovering their independence. An insurrection broke out in the n.e. of Gaul, which was at first partially successful, but was ultimately crushed. C. resolved to winter at Samarobriva (Amiens), in the vicinity of the malcontents. In 53 B.C., C. com menced his sixth campaign. It was chiefly occupied in crushing a second insurrection of the Gauls. C. now returned to northern Italy, that lie might be able to communicate more easily and securely with his friends at Rome. That city was gradually becoming more anarchic, the evils of weak government more apparent: the hour for decisive action seemed to be approaching, and doubtless C.'s heart beat with expectation of the mighty future, when all at once the plot that fate was weaving in his favor appeared to be completely marred by a tremendous rebellion over the whole of Gaul, headed by a young warrior named Vercingetorix. It was in the dead of winter when the news came to C., who instantly saw that, at all hazards, he must preserve his fame and his army. Leaving, therefore, Pompey to succeed at Rome, he hurried to meet the insurgent hordes. His great difficulty was to collect his scattered legions. First crossing, with some cisalpine and provincial troops, the mountains of Auvergne, though they lay 6 ft. deep in snow, he suddenly appeared among the Arverni, who, terrified at his unexpected approach, sent for their chief, Vercingetorix, to come to their assistance. This was what C. wished. After so:ne wonderful exhibitions of military skill and numerous successes, Vercingetorix was shut up in Alesia (Alise in Burgundy)with all his infantry. C. besieged him, and though harassed by nearly 300,000 Gauls without, who attempted, but in vain, to break through the well-defended Roman lines, forced Vercingetorix to capitulate. Many of the tribes now hastened to submit to C., who prudently deter mined to winter among the vanquished. The senate, of course, voted him another public thanksgiving. Next year (51 B.c.), C. proceeded to quell the tribes who still held out. This he successfully accomplished, and having in addition reduced the whole of Aquitania, passed the winter of his eighth campaign at Nemetocenna, in Belgium, where he spent the time both in a magnanimous and politic manner. The Gallic princes were courteously and generously treated; the common people were spared the impo sition of further taxes, and everything was done to render it possible for him to visit Italy with safety in the spring. This he did, and took up his residence at Ravenna, where he was informed of everything that was going on by the tribune C. Curio. There can be no doubt that at this moment he was the most popular man in the state, while his soldiery were devoted to him with a loyalty as enthusiastic as that which Bonaparte inspired when fresh from his Italian victories.
Meanwhile, Pompey, whose vanity could not endure the greatness of C., had been gradually veering round again to the aristocracy, whose dread of the new conqueror was hourly increasing. After much futile diplomatic finessing on all sides, the senate carried a motion " that C. should disband his army by a certain day; and that, if he did not do so, he should be regarded as an enemy of the state." The tribunes, Mark Antony and Q. Cassius, put their veto on this motion; but they were violently driven out of the senate-chamber, and, fearing for their lives, they fled to C.'s camp. The senate, in the madness of their terror, now declared war, and intrusted the conduct of it to Pompey, whose pride in the invincibility of his military prowess hindered him from taking the necessary measures for the defense of the state. He fancied that his name would bring thousands to his standard, and he was even led to believe that C.'s troops were willing to desert their general: the result of which delusion was, that when hostili ties formally commenced, he had hardly any soldiers except two legions which had recently been in the service of his rival. C., on the other hand, perceiving that the time for decisive action had at length come, harangued his victorious troops, who were willing to follow him anywhere; crossed the Rubicon (a small stream which separated his province from Italy proper), and moved swiftly, amid the acclamations of the people, towards Rome. Pompey tied to Brundusium, pursued by C., but contrived to reach Greece in safety, 17th March, 49 n.c. The Italian cities had everywhere gladly opened their gates to the conqueror as a deliverer. In three months, C. was master of all Italy.
C. next subdued Pompey's legates in Spain, who were at the head of considerable forces. On his return, he took Ma.ssilia, where he learned that he had been appointed dictator of the republic—a function which at this time he retained only for 11 days, but these were honorably distinguished by the passing of several humane enactments. Pompey, now thoroughly alive to the magnitude of his danger, had gathered, in Egypt, Greece, and the east, a powerful army, while his fleet swept the sea. C., however, crossing the Adriatic at an unexpected season, made a rush for Dyrrhachium, where Pompey's stores were; but was nevertheless outstripped by his opponent. Pompey intrenched his army on sonic high ground near the city, where he was besieged by Caesar. The first encounter was favorable to Pompey, who drove back C.'s legions with much loss. The latter now retreated to Thessaly, followed by his exulting enemies. A second battle ensued on the plains of Pharsalia, 9th Aug., 48 B.C. Pompey's army was utterly routed; Pompey himself fled to Egypt, where he was murdered. See Po3tPEr.
No sooner had the news reached Rome, than C. was again appointed dictator for a year, and consul for five years. Ile was invested with tribunicial power for life, and with the right of holding all the magistricial comitia except those for the election of the plebeian tribunes. He did not, however, return to Rome after the battle of Pharsalia, but went to Egypt, then in a distracted condition on account of the disputes regarding the succession. Out of love for Cleopatra (who subsequently bore him a son), he entered upon the "Alexandrine war," in which he was successful, and which he brought to a close in Mar., 47 B.C. He next overthrew a son of )I.ithridates, near Oda, in Pontus, Aug. 2 of the same year, and arrived in Rome in September. He was once more appointed dictator, and the property of Pompey was confiscated and sold. Before the close of the year, he had set out for Africa, where his campaign against the Pompeian generals, Scipio and Cato, was crowned with victory at the battle of Thapsus, 6th April, 46 B.C. Cato committed suicide at Utica, and with such irresistible celerity was the work of subjugation carried on, that by the end of the summer C. was again in Rome. Now occurred that display of noble and wise generosity which proves C. to have been possessed of a great magnanimous nature. He was not a man that could stoop to the vulgar atrocities of Marius or Sulla, and so he majestically declared that henceforth he had no enemies, and that he would make no difference between Pompeians and Caesa rians. His victories in Gaul, Egypt, Pontus, and Africa were celebrated by four great triumphs, during which the whole Roman populace was feasted and feted by the mag nificent liberality of the dictator.