94-07-28 Napoleon on Caesar:  Magazine Publishes First English Translation of His Views

NAPOLEON ON CAESAR:  MAGAZINE PUBLISHES FIRST 
ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF HIS VIEWS

     CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., July 28 -- What did Napoleon Bonaparte
think of Julius Caesar?
     In its August issue, Military History magazine reveals
Napoleon's opinion of Caesar -- the first time his notes have been
published in English, according to the magazine's editor, C. Brian
Kelly, a University of Virginia lecturer.
     "Although all publications like to boast about their writers,
we feel it's a special honor to have an article with Napoleon's
byline," said Kelly, who has been editor of the magazine since its
inception in August 1984.
     After analyzing "The Commentaries of Caesar on The Gallic
War," Napoleon criticized the Roman general's military judgment and
occasional brutal treatment of defeated enemy leaders.  He felt
that Caesar invaded Britain with inadequate forces and believed it
was inappropriate to execute rebellious Veneti in France.
     While in exile on St. Helena Island, Napoleon dictated notes
on Caesar's third-person commentary.  The notes, first published in
1836, were translated from the original French by classical scholar
Smith Palmer Bovie for the magazine.
     The notes do offer some praise for Caesar.  Napoleon described
Caesar's army as being disciplined and well organized.  He also
acknowledged the successes Caesar had in his military campaign,
calling attention to the differences in warfare between the last
century B.C. and that of Napoleon's era, nearly 2,000 years later.

                               ###
                                                    July 27, 1994

     FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Kelly at (804) 924-7105 or (804)
980-3745.

Karen A. Castle
University News Office
kac@uva.pcmail.virginia.edu
(804) 924-7116


[Submitted by: Karen A. Castle  (kac@uva.pcmail.virginia.edu)
               Thu, 28 Jul 94 11:41:30 EDT]