A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

444 The Revolution
The dniids.
Caesar,
Gallic War,
vi. 13.
They are
the judges.
country in which he carried on his campaigns, over another
in the extent of country subdued, over a third in the number
and courage of the enemy whom he defeated, over
another again in the savage manners and treacherous character
of the nations which he civiHzed,
over a fourth in
clemency and mildness to the conquered, over another
again in his donations and liberality to his soldiers ; and in
a word, his superiority over all other generals appears in
the number of battles which he fought and of enemies
whom he slew.
For in somewhat less than ten years, during which he
carried on his campaigns in Gaul, he took by storm eight
hundred cities,
and subdued three hundred nations, and
fought at different times against three millions of men, of
whom he destroyed one million in battle and took as many
prisoners.
Throughout Gaul are two orders of men who have rank
and dignity; for the common people are held almost in the
condition of slaves; they dare do nothing of themselves,
and take no part in deliberation. The greater number,
when pressed by debt or by heavy taxes or oppressed by
the more powerful, give themselves up in vassalage to the
nobles, who possess over them the same rights without exception
as masters exercise over their slaves.
Of these two
orders of nobles one is that of the druids, the other that
of the knights. The former are engaged in religious duties;
they conduct the public and private sacrifices and interpret
all matters of religion.
To this class a large number of young men resort for
instruction and all hold the druids in high honor. For
these priests decide almost all controversies, public and
private; and if any crime has been perpetrated, if murder
has been committed, or if there is any dispute about in-