§6.14.1Druides a bello abesse consuerunt neque tributa una cum reliquis pendunt; militiae vacationem omniumque rerum habent immunitatem.
The druids are accustomed to hold aloof from war, nor do they pay taxes together with the rest; they have exemption from military service and immunity from all duties.
§6.14.2Tantis excitati praemiis et sua sponte multi in disciplinam conveniunt et a parentibus propinquisque mittuntur.
Attracted by such great privileges, many gather for instruction of their own accord, and many are sent by their parents and relations.
§6.14.3Magnum ibi numerum versuum ediscere dicuntur.
They are said to learn by heart a great number of verses there.
Itaque annos nonnulli vicenos in disciplina permanent.
And so some remain in training for twenty years.
§6.14.4Neque fas esse existimant ea litteris mandare, cum in reliquis fere rebus, publicis privatisque rationibus Graecis litteris utantur.
Nor do they think it right to commit these instructions to writing, although in almost all other matters, in both public and private accounts, they make use of Greek letters.
Id mihi duabus de causis instituisse videntur, quod neque in vulgum disciplinam efferri velint neque eos, qui discunt, litteris confisos minus memoriae studere: quod fere plerisque accidit, ut praesidio litterarum diligentiam in perdiscendo ac memoriam remittant.
They seem to me to have established this practice for two reasons: because they neither wish their doctrine to be spread among the common people, nor those who learn, relying on writing, to pay less attention to memory; which indeed generally happens to most people, that through the assistance of writing they relax their diligence in learning thoroughly and their memory.
§6.14.5In primis hoc volunt persuadere, non interire animas, sed ab aliis post mortem transire ad alios, atque hoc maxime ad virtutem excitari putant metu mortis neglecto.
In primis they wish to persuade people of this, that souls do not perish, but pass after death from one to another, and they think that by this belief men are most especially excited to virtue, the fear of death being disregarded.
§6.14.6Multa praeterea de sideribus atque eorum motu, de mundi ac terrarum magnitudine, de rerum natura, de deorum immortalium vi ac potestate disputant et iuventuti tradunt.
Besides, they hold many discussions concerning the stars and their motion, concerning the size of the universe and the earth, concerning the nature of things, and concerning the strength and power of the immortal gods, and hand down these things to the youth.