Caesar De Bello Gallico 4:30 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico

Instructor:  James Ransom

February 25, 2014

DBG 4:30

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

[30]                   1         Quibus rebus cognitis, principes Britanniae, qui post proelium ad Caesarem convenerant, inter se conlocuti, cum et equites et naves et frumentum Romanis deesse intellegerent et paucitatem militum ex castrorum exiguitate cognoscerent, quae hoc erant etiam angustior quod sine impedimentis Caesar legiones transportaverat,          2         optimum factu esse duxerunt rebellione facta frumento commeatuque nostros prohibere et rem in hiemem producere, quod eis superatis aut reditu interclusis neminem postea belli inferendi causa in Britanniam transiturum confidebant.

3         Itaque rursus coniuratione facta paulatim ex castris discedere et suos clam ex agris deducere coeperunt.

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1            Quibus rebus cognitis, principes Britanniae, qui post proelium ad Caesarem convenerant, inter se conlocuti Once they learned of all this, the same British chiefs who had sought talks with Caesar after the battle, now held their own counsel; "conlocuti" is perfect passive participle of the deponent conloquor, conloqui, conlocutus sum. "convenerant"is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of convenio, convenire, conveni, conventum.  "cognitis":  with "quibis rebus" in ablative absolute; perfect passive participle of cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitum. 

cum et equites et naves et frumentum Romanis deesse intellegerent et paucitatem militum ex castrorum exiguitate cognoscerent  They now understood that the Romans had no horses, no ships, and no food,  and calculated their manpower as deficient from the small size of their camp; "cognoscerent" is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitum.  "intellegerent" is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of intellego, intellegere, intellexi, intellectum.  "deese" is present infinitive active of desum, deese, defui, defuturus. 

quae hoc erant etiam angustior quod sine impedimentis Caesar legiones transportaverat which was still further reduced since Caesar had brought the legions over without the supply train; "transportaverat" is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of transporto, transportare, transportavi, transportatum.  "erant" is third person plural imperfect indicative active of sum, esse, fui, futurus. 

2            optimum factu esse duxerunt rebellione facta frumento commeatuque nostros prohibere et rem in hiemem producere, from all of which they concluded that the best course now was to resume the rebellion, cut off our supply lines, and prolong the war through the winter; "producere" is infinitive of produco, producere, produxi, productum, "to protract, prolong."  "prohibere" is infinitive of prohibeo, prohibere, prohibui, prohibitum. "duxerunt" is third person plural perfect indicative active of duco, ducere, duxi, ductum.  "facta":  in ablative absolute with "rebellione"; perfect passive participle of facio, facere, feci, factum.  "esse" is infinitive of sum, esse, fui, futurus; "esse" controls "optimum." 

quod eis superatis aut reditu interclusis neminem postea belli inferendi causa in Britanniam transiturum confidebant.  For they were firm in the belief that once this force was defeated or cut off from return no one would ever cross over to invade Britain and make war on them.  "confidebant" is third person plural imperfect indicative active of confido, confidere, confisus sum, "to be assured, confident."  "transiturum"  is future active participle of transeo, transire, transii, transitum, "traverse, go across pass over."  "inferendi":  see Steadman's note.  "interclusis":  in ablative absolute with "eis..."; perfect passive participle of intercludo, intercludere, interclusi, interclusum, "hinder, blockade." 

"superatis" is perfect passive participle of supero, superaree, superavi, superatum, "to overcome, conquer, subdue." 

3            Itaque rursus coniuratione facta paulatim ex castris discedere et suos clam ex agris deducere coeperunt.  So yet again they conspired, and in stealth began to leave camp in twos and threes, and to recall their fighting men from the fields;  "coeperunt" is third person plural perfect indicative active of the defective verb coepi, coepisse, coeptum, "began, started."  "deducere" is infinitive of deduco, deducere, deduxi, deductum, "to lead out, bring out."  clam=adv., "stealthily, clandestinely."  "discedere" is infinitive of discedo, discedere, discessi, discessum, "to leave, depart."  "coniuratione facta":  ablative absolute with the perfect passive partiple.