Druidēs ā bellō abesse cōnsuērunt, neque tribūta ūnā cum reliquīs pendunt; mīlitiae vacātiōnem omniumque rērum habent immūnitātem. Tantīs excitātī praemiīs et suā sponte multī in disciplīnam conveniunt et ā parentibus propīnquīsque mittuntur. Māgnum ibī numerum versuum ēdiscere dīcuntur. Itaque annōs nōn nūllī XX in disciplīnā permanent. Neque fās esse exīstimant ea litterīs mandāre, cum in reliquīs ferē rēbus, pūblicīs prīvātīsque ratiōnibus, Graecīs litterīs ūtantur. Id mihi duābus dē causīs īnstituisse videntur, quod neque in vulgum disciplīnam efferrī velint neque eōs quī discunt litterīs cōnfīsōs minus memoriae studēre; quod ferē plērīsque accidit ut praesidiō litterārum dīligentiam in perdiscendō ac memoriam remittant. In prīmīs hōc volunt persuādēre, nōn interīre animās sed ab aliīs post mortem trānsīre ad aliōs, atque hōc māximē ad virtūtem excitārī putant, metū mortis neglēctō. Multa praetereā dē sīderibus atque eōrum mōtū, dē mundī ac terrārum māgnitūdine, dē rērum nātūrā, dē deōrum immortālium vī ac potestāte disputant et iuventūtī trādunt.

    Their privileges. Their doctrines.

    sponte: adverbial ablative: unaided; on one’s own accord (Sihler) ( A&G 419.c)

    disciplina: Compare Roman Education

    quod neque ...velint: ‘because it is supposed that they do not wish’ (Moberly) ( A&G 540).

    litteris confisos: 'by trusting to written words' (Allen & Judson) ( A&G 496).

    minus studere: ‘to pay less attention to’ (Walker).

    minus memoriae studere: 'to cultivate the memory less' (Hodges).

    praesidio: lit. ‘because of the protection of’ = ‘depending on’ (Walker).

    remittant: 'relax' (Hodges).

    quod…remittant: ‘which is the result in most cases, that persons relying on the aid of writing lose their perseverance in learning by heart as well as their retentiveness of memory’ (Peskett).

    hoc: (acc.; more usually illud) refers to what follows; hōc (abl.) to what has just been said (Allen & Judson)( A&G 297).

    excitari: ‘that men are incited’ (Walker).

    multa…disputant: ‘they also theorise largely’ (Moberly).

    Drŭĭdes, -um m.: Gallic priests

    cōnsuēscō –suēscere –suēvī –suētum:  accustom, (in perf.) be accustomed

    tribūtum –ī n.:  payment, tribute

    mīlitia –ae f.:  military service

    vacatiō –ōnis f.:  freedom, exemption

    immūnitās –ātis f.:  exemption, immunity

    excitō –āre:  call out, awaken, excite

    propinquus –a –um:  near, neighboring; related

    versus –ūs m.:  line, verse

    permaneō –manēre –mānsī –mānsum:  stay, remain, persevere

    fās n. (indecl.):  what is right, divine law

    māndo –āre:  entrust, commit, confide

    Graecus –a –um:  Greek

    efferō –ferre, extulī, ēlātum:  carry out, remove

    cōnfīdō –fīdere –fĭsus sum:  trust in, rely on

    dīligentia –ae f.:  attentiveness, care, diligence

    perdiscō –discere –didicī:  learn thoroughly

    remittō –mittere –mīsī –missum:  let go, give up

    persuādeō –suadēre –suāsī –suāsum:  convince, persuade

    intereō –īre –iī –itum:  go among, be lost in; die

    metus –ūs, m.:  fear

    neglegō –legere –lēxī –lēctum:  disregard, neglect, be indifferent to

    mōtus –ūs m.:  motion, movement

    immortālis –e:  immortal

    disputō –āre:  examine, investigate, discuss

    iuventūs –ūtis f.:  youth

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    Christopher Francese, Caesar: Selections from the Gallic War. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2011, revised and enlarged 2018. ISBN: 978-1-947822-02-3. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/caesar/book-6/chapter-6-14