20.
During the short part of summer which remained, Caesar,
although in these countries, as all Gaul lies toward the north, the
winters are early, nevertheless resolved to proceed into Britain, because he discovered that in almost all the wars with the
Gauls succors had been furnished to our enemy
from that country; and even if the time of year should be insufficient for
carrying on the war, yet he thought it would be of great service to him if he
only entered the island, and saw into the character of the people, and got
knowledge of their localities, harbors, and landing-places, all which were for
the most part unknown to the Gauls. For neither does
any one except merchants generally go thither, nor even to them was any portion
of it known, except the sea-coast and those parts which are opposite to Gaul. Therefore, after having called up to him the merchants from
all parts, he could learn neither what was the size of the island, nor what or
how numerous were the nations which inhabited it, nor what system of war they
followed, nor what customs they used, nor what harbors were convenient for a
great number of large ships.
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