Caesar De Bello Gallico 1.7 Course Notes

Latin III

Instructor:  James Ransom

January 19, 2014

Caesar DBG 1:7

Course Notes
© 2014 James Ransom, M.A., J.D.

[7]          1         Caesari cum id nuntiatum esset, eos per provinciam nostram iter facere conari, maturat ab urbe proficisci et quam maximis potest itineribus in Galliam ulteriorem contendit et ad Genavam pervenit.         2 Provinciae toti quam maximum potest militum numerum imperat (erat omnino in Gallia ulteriore legio una), pontem, qui erat ad Genavam, iubet rescindi.          3         Ubi de eius adventu Helvetii certiores facti sunt, legatos ad eum mittunt nobilissimos civitatis, cuius legationis Nammeius et Verucloetius principem locum obtinebant, qui dicerent sibi esse in animo sine ullo maleficio iter per provinciam facere, propterea quod aliud iter haberent nullum: rogare ut eius voluntate id sibi facere liceat. Caesar, quod memoria tenebat L. Cassium consulem occisum exercitumque eius ab Helvetiis pulsum et sub iugum missum, concedendum non putabat;         4         neque homines inimico animo, data facultate per provinciam itineris faciundi, temperaturos ab iniuria et maleficio existimabat.          5         Tamen, ut spatium intercedere posset dum milites quos imperaverat convenirent, legatis respondit diem se ad deliberandum sumpturum: si quid vellent, ad Id. April. reverterentur.

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1         Caesari cum id nuntiatum esset, eos per provinciam nostram iter facere conari, maturat ab urbe proficisci et quam maximis potest itineribus in Galliam ulteriorem contendit et ad Genavam pervenit When Caesar learned of the Helvetian attempt to march through the Roman province, he swiftly departed Rome and at forced march hastened to Further Gaul, at length arriving at Geneva; "pervenit" is third person singular present indicative active of pervenio, pervenire, perveni, perventum; historical present.  "contendit" is third person singular present indicative active of contendo, contere, contendi, contentum, "to stretch, extend, exert vigorously or zealously." "proficisci" is present infinitive active of the deponent verb proficiscor, proficisci, profectus sum, "to set out, depart, leave."  "maturat" is third person singular present indicative acdtive of maturo, maturare, maturavi, maturatum, "hasten, accelerate, rush."  "conari" is present infinitive active of the deponent verb conor, conari, conatus sum.  "nuntiatus" is the perfect passive participle of nuntio, nuntiare, nuntiavi, nuntiatum, "to announce, declare."  "esset" is third person singular imperfect active subjunctive of sum, esse, fui, futurus.. 

2 Provinciae toti quam maximum potest militum numerum imperat (erat omnino in Gallia ulteriore legio una), pontem, qui erat ad Genavam, iubet rescindi He ordered the call-up of as many soldiers as possible from the whole province (since there was only one legion in Further Gaul) and ordered the demolition of the bridge at Geneva.  "rescindi" is present passive infinitive of rescindo, rescindere, rescidi, rescissum, "cut off, abolish, rescind."  "iubet" is third person singular present indicative active of iubeo, iubere, iussi, iussum, "command, order."  "imperat" is third person singular present indicative active of impero, imperare, imperavi, imperatum, "rule, govern, demand, impose."

3            Ubi de eius adventu Helvetii certiores facti sunt, legatos ad eum mittunt nobilissimos civitatis Upon confirming the fact of Caesar's arrival, the Helvetians sent their most distinguished citizens to him as ambassadors;  "mittunt" is third person plural present indicative active of mitto, mittere, misi, missum.  "facti sunt" is third person plural perfect indicative active of fio, fieri, factus sum, "to become, be made." "adventu"=ablative singular of adventus, adventus, m., "arrival, approach."  ablative of time when

cuius legationis Nammeius et Verucloetius principem locum obtinebant, qui dicerent sibi esse in animo sine ullo maleficio iter per provinciam facere propterea quod aliud iter haberent nullum: which was led by Nammeius and Verucloetiius, whose brief was to say that they wished in good faith merely to march through the Province without incident, for they had no other available route;  "haberent" is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of habeo, habere, habui, habitumi.  "facere" is present infinitive of facio, facere, feci, factum. "esse" is present infinitive of sum, esse, fui, futurus.  "dicerent" is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of dico, dicere, dixi, dictum.  "obtinebant" is third person plural imperfect indicative active of obtineo, obtinere, obtinui, obtentum.

rogare ut eius voluntate id sibi facere liceat and to ask that he voluntarily grant them permission; "liceat" is present subjunctive of licet, licere, licuit, licitum, "to be allowed, permitted." 

Caesar, quod memoria tenebat L. Cassium consulem occisum exercitumque eius ab Helvetiis pulsum et sub iugum missum, concedendum non putabat Caesar, never having forgotten how the consul Lucius Cassius had been killed by the Helvetians, and his men beaten and forced to bear the yoke, determined to refuse their request;  "putabat" is third person singular imperfect indicative active of puto, putare, putavi, putatum.  "concedendum" is masculine accusative perfect passive participle (gerundive) of concedo, concedere, concessi, concessum, "to grant, concede." 

4            neque homines inimico animo, data facultate per provinciam itineris faciendi, temperaturos ab iniuria et maleficio existimabat.   Nor did he suppose that men of hostile intent, given leave to march through the province, would refrain from pillage and mischief; "existimabat" is third person singular imperfect indicative active of existimo, ixistimare existimavi, existimatum, "to think, suppose, estimate, judge, consider."  "temperaturos" is accusative masculine of the future active participle of tempero, temperare, temperavi, temperatum, "refrain, abstain, forbear." "faciendi" is nominative masculine plural of the future passive pariticle (gerundive) of facio, facere, feci, factum; thus, "itineris faciendi"=lit. "the march which is to be made."  "data" is the ablative of the perfect passive participle of do, dare, dedi, datum; thus:  "having been given." 

"data facultate"=ablative absolute." 

NB:  The construction called the ablative absolute uses the ablatives of a participle and a noun to define the circumstances or situation in which the action of the main verb occurs.  www.thelatinlibrary.com/101/AblativeAbsolute.pdf

5            Tamen, ut spatium intercedere posset dum milites quos imperaverat convenirent, But in order to gain time for his newly-drafted troops to form up; "convenirent" is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of convenio, convenire, conveni, conventum, "to convene, assemble, gather together."  "imperaverat" is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of impero, imperare, imperavi, imperatum, "to command or demand, give orders to."  "posset" is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of possum, posse, potui.  "intercedere" is present infinitive active of intercedo, intercedere, intercessi, inteercessum, "to intercede, intervene, interrupt, interpose." 

legatis respondit diem se ad deliberandum sumpturum: si quid vellent, ad Id. April. reverterentur he replied to the legates that he needed time to decide; if they wanted an answer, they should return on April 13.  "reverterentur" is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of the deponent verb revertor, reverti, reversus sum, "return, turn back."  "vellent" is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of volo, velle, volui, "to wish, desire."