Asterix the Gaul
Encyclopedia
Asterix the Gaul is the first volume of the Asterix
comic strip series, by René Goscinny
(stories) and Albert Uderzo
(illustrations).
is under Roman
control, except for one small village of indomitable Gauls that still holds out against the Romans.
Centurion
Crismus Bonus, head of the Roman garrison at the fortified camp of Compendium is very keen on discovering the secret of the Gauls' superhuman strength after four soldiers are knocked out by one man, and sends a spy disguised as a Gaul into the village. The Roman's identity is revealed when he loses his false moustache, but not before he discovers the existence of the magic potion brewed by the Druid
Getafix. He also manages to drink the potion after pretending he needs it to get back home as he claims the Romans think he's a spy, and reports his discovery back to the Centurion. Crismus Bonus believes that with this potion, he could overthrow Julius Caesar
, and become Emperor himself. So, he and his second-in-command Marcus Ginandtonicus have Getafix captured using a pit in order to get the recipe. He is tortured by having a feather tickle his feet for hours, but does not give in.
Asterix learns of Getafix's capture from a local man, and manages to sneak into the Roman camp where Getafix is being held captive in the man's cart after telling him Compendium has a second-hand cart stall on. He hears Crismus and Ginandtonicus planning to overthrow Caesar using the magic potion. Asterix finds Getafix and they concoct a scheme to trouble the Romans. Getafix pretends to agree to the Centurion's ultimatum of making the potion when Asterix pretends to give in to torture, despite the torture not actually having started yet, and demands an unseasonal ingredient like strawberry. While Crismus Bonus' soldiers try to find strawberries, Asterix and Getafix lounge around in comparative luxury, enjoying themselves at the Romans' expense. When the strawberries are bought at a vast sum from a Greek Merchant, the two Gauls eat them, causing anger to Crismus, before Getafix says the potion can be made without strawberries, they just leave a taste in the mouth. After all the ingredients are found, a potion is prepared that causes the hair
and beard
of the drinker to grow at a very accelerated pace. The Romans test it on the local man from earlier as Crismus worries about it being poisoned, and when he tests his strength on Asterix, Asterix pretends to be knocked out. The Romans are tricked into drinking this potion and the aftereffects are quite hilarious. They plead with Getafix to make an antidote, who makes a cauldron of vegetable soup (as the effects of the hair potion are about to wear off anyway) and also prepares a small quantity of the real magic potion for Asterix to drink so that they can fight their way out.
As Getafix and Asterix are attempting to escape, they are stopped by a huge army of Roman reinforcements just outside the camp and are captured again. It turns out that Julius Caesar is leading the army and checking on the condition of the area. Upon meeting Asterix and Getafix, Caesar learns of Crismus Bonus' intentions. As punishment, he sends Crismus Bonus and his garrison to Outer Mongolia
where there is a barbarian
rebellion and frees Asterix and Getafix for giving him the information, while reminding them that they are still enemies.
The story ends with a traditional banquet in the village.
, which was the standard during the Roman Empire era; in Caesar's time, chainmail
armor (the lorica hamata
) was in use. Also, the real-life Roman legionaries used pila
(javelins) instead of spears, and they usually carried two of them.
in Pilote
, a French comic magazine founded by Goscinny and a few other comic artists.
The first page appeared in the promotional issue #0, distributed on June 1, 1959, and the story was serially published in the magazine from issue #1 (October 29, 1959) until issue #38 (July 14, 1960). A small head of Asterix first appeared on the cover of #9 (December 24, 1959), and a full Asterix cover was used on #21 (March 17, 1960).
The next story, Asterix and the Golden Sickle
, started in issue #42 (August 11, 1960).
Asterix le Gaulois was published in July 1961 by Dargaud
in the so-called "Pilote collection" with a print of 6000 copies. A Dutch translation followed in 1966, and other languages followed soon after.
The English
translation by Anthea Bell
and Derek Hockridge
was first published in 1969 by Brockhampton Press
.
The plate for page 35 was redrawn by Albert Uderzo's brother Marcel in 1970 because the original was lost. This is why there are some slight differences in the drawing style. All English versions from Hodder & Stoughton
(Hodder Dargaud) use the original illustrations, which were made from a copy of an actual printed page, hence the blurriness. The 2004 release from Orion Books uses the redone illustrations from the French editions.
An audiobook of Asterix the Gaul adapted by Anthea Bell
and narrated by Willie Rushton
was released on EMI Records
Listen for Pleasure label in 1990.
On the 29th of October, 2009, Google
prominently featured an integration of Asterix and Obelix in its mast head, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first publication.
, which was released in 1967. Goscinny and Uderzo were not consulted during the making of the film, and the first they heard of it was a few months before it was released, when they were shown an early version of it. It was generally not well received, and a planned adaptation of Asterix and the Golden Sickle
, made by the same animation team, was scrapped.
Asterix
Asterix or The Adventures of Asterix is a series of French comic books written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo . The series first appeared in French in the magazine Pilote on October 29, 1959...
comic strip series, by René Goscinny
René Goscinny
René Goscinny was a French comics editor and writer, who is best known for the comic book Astérix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris and Iznogoud with Jean Tabary.-Early life:Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to a family...
(stories) and Albert Uderzo
Albert Uderzo
Albert Uderzo is a French comic book artist, and scriptwriter. He is best known for his work on the Astérix series, but also drew other comics such as Oumpah-pah, also in collaboration with René Goscinny.-Early life:...
(illustrations).
Plot summary
All of GaulGaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
is under Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
control, except for one small village of indomitable Gauls that still holds out against the Romans.
Centurion
Centurion
A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy...
Crismus Bonus, head of the Roman garrison at the fortified camp of Compendium is very keen on discovering the secret of the Gauls' superhuman strength after four soldiers are knocked out by one man, and sends a spy disguised as a Gaul into the village. The Roman's identity is revealed when he loses his false moustache, but not before he discovers the existence of the magic potion brewed by the Druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
Getafix. He also manages to drink the potion after pretending he needs it to get back home as he claims the Romans think he's a spy, and reports his discovery back to the Centurion. Crismus Bonus believes that with this potion, he could overthrow Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, and become Emperor himself. So, he and his second-in-command Marcus Ginandtonicus have Getafix captured using a pit in order to get the recipe. He is tortured by having a feather tickle his feet for hours, but does not give in.
Asterix learns of Getafix's capture from a local man, and manages to sneak into the Roman camp where Getafix is being held captive in the man's cart after telling him Compendium has a second-hand cart stall on. He hears Crismus and Ginandtonicus planning to overthrow Caesar using the magic potion. Asterix finds Getafix and they concoct a scheme to trouble the Romans. Getafix pretends to agree to the Centurion's ultimatum of making the potion when Asterix pretends to give in to torture, despite the torture not actually having started yet, and demands an unseasonal ingredient like strawberry. While Crismus Bonus' soldiers try to find strawberries, Asterix and Getafix lounge around in comparative luxury, enjoying themselves at the Romans' expense. When the strawberries are bought at a vast sum from a Greek Merchant, the two Gauls eat them, causing anger to Crismus, before Getafix says the potion can be made without strawberries, they just leave a taste in the mouth. After all the ingredients are found, a potion is prepared that causes the hair
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
and beard
Beard
A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
of the drinker to grow at a very accelerated pace. The Romans test it on the local man from earlier as Crismus worries about it being poisoned, and when he tests his strength on Asterix, Asterix pretends to be knocked out. The Romans are tricked into drinking this potion and the aftereffects are quite hilarious. They plead with Getafix to make an antidote, who makes a cauldron of vegetable soup (as the effects of the hair potion are about to wear off anyway) and also prepares a small quantity of the real magic potion for Asterix to drink so that they can fight their way out.
As Getafix and Asterix are attempting to escape, they are stopped by a huge army of Roman reinforcements just outside the camp and are captured again. It turns out that Julius Caesar is leading the army and checking on the condition of the area. Upon meeting Asterix and Getafix, Caesar learns of Crismus Bonus' intentions. As punishment, he sends Crismus Bonus and his garrison to Outer Mongolia
Outer Mongolia
Outer Mongolia was a territory of the Qing Dynasty = the Manchu Empire. Its area was roughly equivalent to that of the modern state of Mongolia, which is sometimes informally called "Outer Mongolia" today...
where there is a barbarian
Barbarian
Barbarian and savage are terms used to refer to a person who is perceived to be uncivilized. The word is often used either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage...
rebellion and frees Asterix and Getafix for giving him the information, while reminding them that they are still enemies.
The story ends with a traditional banquet in the village.
Historical accuracy
Throughout the entire Asterix series, the Roman legionaries use the wrong weaponry and armor for their period. For instance, their armor is the lorica segmentataLorica segmentata
The lōrīca segmentāta was a type of segmented armour almost exclusively used in the Roman Empire, but the Latin name was first used in the 16th century...
, which was the standard during the Roman Empire era; in Caesar's time, chainmail
Chainmail
Mail is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh.-History:Mail was a highly successful type of armour and was used by nearly every metalworking culture....
armor (the lorica hamata
Lorica hamata
The lorica hamata is a type of mail armour used by the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. During the 1st century it was starting to be supplemented by lorica segmentata, but had been reintroduced as sole standard-issue armor by the 4th century. It was issued for both primary Legionary and...
) was in use. Also, the real-life Roman legionaries used pila
Pilum
The pilum was a javelin commonly used by the Roman army in ancient times. It was generally about two metres long overall, consisting of an iron shank about 7 mm in diameter and 60 cm long with pyramidal head...
(javelins) instead of spears, and they usually carried two of them.
Introducing
- AsterixAsterix (character)Asterix is a fictional character, the titular hero of the French comic book series The Adventures of Asterix.The series portrays him as a diminutive but fearless Gaulish warrior living in the time of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. Asterix was created in 1959 by writer René Goscinny and illustrator...
- Gaulish warrior - ObelixObelixObelix is a fictional character from the French comic book series Asterix. He works as a menhir sculptor and deliveryman, and is Asterix's best friend. Obelix is noted for his fatness, the menhirs he carries around on his back and his superhuman strength...
- Gaulish menhirMenhirA menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
delivery man and warrior - Getafix - Gaulish druid
- Vitalstatistix - Chief of the Gaulish Village
- Cacofonix - Gaulish bard
- Fulliautomatix - Gaulish blacksmith
- Julius Caesar - Roman leader (historicalJulius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
)
Development
Because this is the first album, many story points and characterizations are still in their formative stages. In fact, due to its original, serial nature, some develop and change even as the story progresses:- The Roman second-in-command changes abruptly a few pages into the story.
- Getafix begins the story living in a cave in the forest and looking much like a stereotypical caveman. He also uses a walking stick.
- Obelix is seen carrying an axe in his first appearance. It is never seen again. He is satisfied with helping Asterix eat just one boar between them. Obelix is only a peripheral character in the first album, and doesn't truly become Asterix' sidekick until the next albumAsterix and the Golden SickleAsterix and the Golden Sickle is the second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in Pilote issues 42-74 in 1960.-Plot summary:...
. - Asterix and other villagers appear to be using the potion constantly, yet seeing the potion being made is viewed as an event.
- Fulliautomatix is seen working metal with his bare hands. He also bears no resemblance to his later appearances.
- Cacofonix the bard plays and calls a dance, and at the end is seated at the table at the feast. Later albums established a running gagRunning gagA running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
where he is never allowed to sing (except in Asterix and the NormansAsterix and the NormansAsterix and the Normans is the ninth book in the Asterix comic book series, written by René Goscinny and drawn by Albert Uderzo. It was first published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 340-361, in 1966...
, The Mansions of the GodsThe Mansions of the GodsThe Mansions of the Gods is the seventeenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo...
and Asterix and the Magic CarpetAsterix and the Magic CarpetAsterix and the Magic Carpet is the twenty-eighth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first published in 1987...
), and is tied up and gagged at feasts to prevent this. - One of the few books where we get to see some of Getafix's other tricks, namely, the hair-growth potion.
- When he is first introduced in the prologue, Caesar has a completely different look than he has in the rest of the series (NOTE: when he appears in the end of the album, he already has his new look; this can be seen as an error)
- Musical chairs is mentioned in this story do decide who will disguise as a Gaul.This is a reference to the invention of Musical Chairs.But the game is not mentioned again.
Publishing history
The story was first published as a serialSerial (literature)
In literature, a serial is a publishing format by which a single large work, most often a work of narrative fiction, is presented in contiguous installments—also known as numbers, parts, or fascicles—either issued as separate publications or appearing in sequential issues of a single periodical...
in Pilote
Pilote
thumb|Cover of the first Pilote teaser issue, #0.Pilote was a French comics periodical published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major French or Belgian comics talents of its day the magazine introduced major series such as Astérix le Gaulois, Blueberry, Achille Talon, and Valérian et...
, a French comic magazine founded by Goscinny and a few other comic artists.
The first page appeared in the promotional issue #0, distributed on June 1, 1959, and the story was serially published in the magazine from issue #1 (October 29, 1959) until issue #38 (July 14, 1960). A small head of Asterix first appeared on the cover of #9 (December 24, 1959), and a full Asterix cover was used on #21 (March 17, 1960).
The next story, Asterix and the Golden Sickle
Asterix and the Golden Sickle
Asterix and the Golden Sickle is the second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in Pilote issues 42-74 in 1960.-Plot summary:...
, started in issue #42 (August 11, 1960).
Asterix le Gaulois was published in July 1961 by Dargaud
Dargaud
Les Éditions Dargaud is a publisher of Franco-Belgian comics series, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1943 by Georges Dargaud.Initially, Dargaud published novels for women...
in the so-called "Pilote collection" with a print of 6000 copies. A Dutch translation followed in 1966, and other languages followed soon after.
The English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation by Anthea Bell
Anthea Bell
Anthea Bell OBE is a British translator who has translated numerous literary works, especially children's literature, from French, German, Danish and Polish to English...
and Derek Hockridge
Derek Hockridge
Derek Hockridge was born in 1934 in Wales and brought up in Birmingham. His degree at the University of Wales, Cardiff, was followed by teacher training at St Edmund Hall, Oxford...
was first published in 1969 by Brockhampton Press
Brockhampton Press
Brockhampton Press was a British publishing company, based in Leicester. Originally specialising in children's books, from about 1940, it published well known series, including Asterix, many of Enid Blyton's story collections and Scottish author Nigel Tranter's children's books.It is now an imprint...
.
The plate for page 35 was redrawn by Albert Uderzo's brother Marcel in 1970 because the original was lost. This is why there are some slight differences in the drawing style. All English versions from Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette.-History:The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged fourteen, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher for the Congregational Union...
(Hodder Dargaud) use the original illustrations, which were made from a copy of an actual printed page, hence the blurriness. The 2004 release from Orion Books uses the redone illustrations from the French editions.
An audiobook of Asterix the Gaul adapted by Anthea Bell
Anthea Bell
Anthea Bell OBE is a British translator who has translated numerous literary works, especially children's literature, from French, German, Danish and Polish to English...
and narrated by Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
William George Rushton, commonly known as Willie Rushton was an English cartoonist, satirist, comedian, actor and performer who co-founded the Private Eye satirical magazine.- School and army :William George Rushton was born 18 August 1937 in the family home at Scarsdale Villas,...
was released on EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
Listen for Pleasure label in 1990.
On the 29th of October, 2009, Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
prominently featured an integration of Asterix and Obelix in its mast head, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first publication.
Film adaptation
The book was adapted into a filmAsterix the Gaul (film)
Asterix the Gaul is a 1967 Belgian/French animated film, based on the comic book of the same name, which was the first book in the highly popular comic series Asterix by Goscinny and Uderzo. The film sticks to the book's plot very closely....
, which was released in 1967. Goscinny and Uderzo were not consulted during the making of the film, and the first they heard of it was a few months before it was released, when they were shown an early version of it. It was generally not well received, and a planned adaptation of Asterix and the Golden Sickle
Asterix and the Golden Sickle
Asterix and the Golden Sickle is the second volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo . It was first serialized in Pilote issues 42-74 in 1960.-Plot summary:...
, made by the same animation team, was scrapped.
In other languages
- Arabic: أستريكس بطل الأبطال
- Basque: Asterix Galiarra
- Bengali: Gauljoddha Asterix
- Bulgarian: Астерикс - Галът
- Catalan: Astèrix el Gal
- Croatian: Asteriks Gal
- Czech: Gal Asterix
- Dutch: Asterix de Galliër
- Danish: Asterix og de gæve gallere
- Estonian: Gallialane Asterix
- Finnish: Asterix gallialainen
- French: Astérix le Gaulois
- Frisian: Asterix de Galjer
- Gaelic: Asterix an Ceilteach
- German: Asterix der Gallier
- Greek: Αστερίξ ο Γαλάτης
- Hebrew: אסטריקס הגאלי
- Hindi: एस्ट्रिक द गाल
- Hungarian: Asterix, a Gall
- Icelandic: Ástríkur Gallvaski
- Indonesia: Asterix Prajurit Galia
- Italian: Asterix il Gallico
- Latin: Asterix Gallus
- Mirandese: Asterix, L Goulés
- Norwegian: Asterix og hans tapre gallere
- Polish: Przygody Gala Asteriksa
- Portuguese: Astérix o Gaulês
- Romanian: Asterix Galul
- Serbian: Астерикс Галски јунак
- Sinhalese: සූර පප්පා
- Slovak: Gal Asterix
- Spanish: Asterix el Galo
- Swedish: Asterix och hans tappra galler
- Turkish: Galyalı Asteriks
- Welsh: Asterix y Galiad