Caesar De Bello Gallico 5 34 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico

Instructor:  James Ransom

April 19, 2014

Caesar DBG 5:34

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

[34] 1         At barbaris consilium non defuit. Nam duces eorum tota acie pronuntiare iusserunt, ne quis ab loco discederet: illorum esse praedam atque illis reservari quaecumque Romani reliquissent: proinde omnia in victoria posita existimarent.          2         Erant et virtute et studio pugnandi pares; nostri, tametsi ab duce et a fortuna deserebantur, tamen omnem spem salutis in virtute ponebant, et quotiens quaeque cohors procurrerat, ab ea parte magnus numerus hostium cadebat.          3         Qua re animadversa Ambiorix pronuntiari iubet, ut procul tela coniciant neu propius accedant et, quam in partem Romani impetum fecerint, cedant (levitate armorum et cotidiana exercitatione nihil eis noceri posse),                   4         rursus se ad signa recipientes insequantur.

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[34] At barbaris consilium non defuit But the barbarians were ready with their counter-move; “defuit” is third person plural perfect indicative active of desum, deesse, defui, defuturus.  Nam duces eorum tota acie pronuntiare iusserunt, ne quis ab loco discederet for their commanders passed the word down to the front lines that no one was to leave his post; “discederet” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of discedo, discedere, discessi, discessum, “to leave, depart.”  “iusserunt” is third person plural perfect indicative active of iubeo, iubere, iussi, iussum.  “pronuntiare” is present infinitive of pronuntio, pronuntiare, pronuntiavi, pronuniatum, “to declare, announce.”

illorum esse praedam atque illis reservari quaecumque Romani reliquissent: The spoils of war were theirs, and whatever the Romans abandoned had been predetermined for them; “reliquissent” is third person plural pluperfect subjunctive active of relinquo, relinquere, reliqui, relictum, “to abandon, leave behind.”  “reservari” is present passive infinitive of reservo, reservare, reservavi, reservatum, “to reserve, retain, save.” “esse” is present infinitive of sum, esse, fui, futurus.   proinde omnia in victoria posita existimarent. This instilled in them the conviction that everything hinged on victory; “existimarent” is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of existimo, existimare, existimavi, existimatum, “to think, suppose, believe.”  “posita” is the perfect passive participle of pono, ponere, posui, positum, “to put, place.” 

2            Erant et virtute et studio pugnandi pares; they were a match for us both in courage and prowess in war; “pugnandi” : genitive singular of the gerund of pugno, pugnare, pugnavi, pugnatum, “to fight, give battle.” 

nostri, tametsi ab duce et a fortuna deserebantur, tamen omnem spem salutis in virtute ponebant our men, though deserted by luck and by their own leader; knew their only hope lay in taking courage;  “ponebant” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of pono, ponere, posui, positum.  “deserebantur” is third person plural imperfect indicative passive of desero, deserere, deserui, desertum, “to quit, desert., leave.” 

et quotiens quaeque cohors procurrerat, ab ea parte magnus numerus hostium cadebat and whenever a cohort charged, a large number of the enemy fell; “cadebat” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of cado, cadere, cecidi, casum, “to fall, die. “procurrerat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of procurro, procurrere, procurri, procursum, “to advance, charge.” 

3            Qua re animadversa Ambiorix pronuntiari iubet, ut procul tela coniciant neu propius accedant  When Ambiorix realized this he ordered his men to hurl their missiles from a safe distance and not to approach too close; “accedant” is third person plural present subjunctive active of accedo, accedere, accessi, accessum, “to come toward, approach.”  “coniciant” is third person plural present subjunctive active of conicio, conicere, conieci, coniectum, “to throw, hurl.”  “iubet” is third person singular present indicative active of iubeo, iubere, iussi, iussum.  “pronuntiari” is present passive infinitive of pronuntio, pronuntiare, pronuntiavi, pronuntiatum.  “animadversa” is perfect passive participle of animadverto, animadvertere, animadverti, animadversum, “to notice, attend to.” 

quam in partem Romani impetum fecerint, cedant and to yield ground where the Romans attack; “cedant” is third person plural present subjunctive active of cedo, cedere, cessi, cessum.  “fecerint” is third person plural perfect subjunctive active of facio, facere, feci, factum.

(levitate armorum et cotidiana exercitatione nihil eis noceri posse) (The lightness of their armor and their constant training enabled them to stay out of harm’s way); “posse” is present infinitive of possum, posse, potui.  “noceri” is present passive infinitive of noceo, nocere, nocui, nocitum, “injure, do harm, hurt.” 

4            rursus se ad signa recipientes insequantur. But when the Romans retreated to their own standards, they were to give chase; “insequantur” is third person plural present subjunctive active of the deponent insequor, insequi, insecutus sum, “to pursue, follow.” 

“recipientes” is present active participle of recipio, recipere, recepi, receptum, “to regain, take back.”