Caesar De Bello Gallico 6 20 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico

Instructor:  James Ransom

March 18, 2014

Caesar, DBG 6:20

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

[20]  1       Quae civitates commodius suam rem publicam administrare existimantur, habent legibus sanctum, si quis quid de re publica a finitimis rumore aut fama acceperit, uti ad magistratum deferat neve cum quo alio communicet,     2  quod saepe homines temerarios atque imperitos falsis rumoribus terreri et ad facinus impelli et de summis rebus consilium capere cognitum est.    3       Magistratus quae visa sunt occultant quaeque esse ex usu iudicaverunt multitudini produnt. De re publica nisi per concilium loqui non conceditur.

1          Quae civitates commodius suam rem publicam administrare existimantur Those states thought to manage public affairs more sensibly; “existimantur” is third person plural present indicative active of existimo, existimare, existimavi, existimatum, “to estimate, judge, consider.”  “administrare” is present infinitive of administro, administrare, administravi, administratum, “to direct, manage, administer.”  habent legibus sanctum have it by hallowed laws ; “habent” is third person plural present indicative active of habeo, habere, habui, habitum.  

si quis quid de re publica a finitimis rumore aut fama acceperit that if anyone gleans intelligence or rumor from foreign sources of interest to the state; “acceperit” is third person singular future perfect indicative active of accipio, accipere, accepi, acceptum, “to receive, hear of.” 

uti ad magistratum deferat neve cum quo alio communicet he must disclose it to the magistrate and not to anyone else; “communicet” is third person singular present subjunctive active of communico, communicare, communicavi, communicatum, “to communicate, impart.”  “deferat” is third person singular present subjunctive active of defero, deferre, detuli, delatum, “to bring or give an account of, report.”  Steadman:  “uti (ut) introduces an indirect command with pres. subjunctive.” 

2  quod saepe homines temerarios atque imperitos falsis rumoribus terreri et ad facinus impelli et de summis rebus consilium capere cognitum est The rationale is that, as is known, naïve or excitable men are routinely rattled by false rumors, and so blunder and make bad decisions in highly sensitive matters; “capere” is present infinitive of capio, capere, cepi, captum, “take, take on.”  “impelli” is present passive infinitive of impello, impellere, impuli, impulsum, “to impel, incite, urge, instigate.”  “terreri” is present passive infinitive of terreo, terrere, terrui, territum, “to frighten, terrify, alarm.” 

3          Magistratus quae visa sunt occultant quaeque esse ex usu iudicaverunt multitudini produnt. The magistrates may either classify such information as secret, or disseminate it to the public, as they see fit; “produnt” is third person plural present indicative active of prodo, prodere, prodidi, proditum, “reveal, disclose.”  “iudicaverunt” is third person plural present indicative active of iudico, iudicare, iudicavi, iudicatum, “to pass judgment, decide.”  “occultant” is third person plural present indicative active of occulto, occultari, occultavi, occultatum, “to conceal, hide.”

De re publica nisi per concilium loqui non conceditur.  Political talk is forbidden outside the assembly; “conceditur” is third person singular present passive indicative of concedo, concedere, concessi, concessum, “to grant or allow.”  “loqui” is present infinitive of loquor, loqui, locutus sum.