Caesar De Bello Gallico 5 44 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico

Instructor:  James Ransom

May 10, 2014

Caesar DBG 5:44

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

[44]          1         Erant in ea legione fortissimi viri, centuriones, qui primis ordinibus appropinquarent, Titus Pullo et Lucius Vorenus.          2         Hi perpetuas inter se controversias habebant, quinam anteferretur, omnibusque annis de locis summis simultatibus contendebant.          3         Ex his Pullo, cum acerrime ad munitiones pugnaretur, "Quid dubitas," inquit, " Vorene? aut quem locum tuae probandae virtutis exspectas ?  4  hic dies de nostris controversiis iudicabit." Haec cum dixisset, procedit extra munitiones quaque pars hostium confertissima est visa irrumpit.          5         Ne Vorenus quidem tum sese vallo continet, sed omnium veritus existimationem subsequitur.          6         Mediocri spatio relicto Pullo pilum in hostes immittit atque unum ex multitudine procurrentem traicit; quo percusso et exanimato hunc scutis protegunt, in hostem tela universi coniciunt neque dant regrediendi facultatem.          7         Transfigitur scutum Pulloni et verutum in balteo defigitur.          8         Avertit hic casus vaginam et gladium educere conanti dextram moratur manum, impeditumque hostes circumsistunt.          9         Succurrit inimicus illi Vorenus et laboranti subvenit.          10         Ad hunc se confestim a Pullone omnis multitudo convertit:          11         illum veruto arbitrantur occisum. Gladio comminus rem gerit Vorenus atque uno interfecto reliquos paulum propellit;          12         dum cupidius instat, in locum deiectus inferiorem concidit. Huic rursus circumvento fert subsidium Pullo,  13

atque ambo incolumes compluribus interfectis summa cum laude sese intra munitiones recipiunt.          14         Sic fortuna in contentione et certamine utrumque versavit, ut alter alteri inimicus auxilio salutique esset, neque diiudicari posset, uter utri virtute anteferendus videretur.

1            Erant in ea legione fortissimi viri, centuriones, qui primis ordinibus appropinquarent, Titus Pullo et Lucius Vorenus There were in this legion a pair of outstanding men competing for senior rank, named Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus; “appropinquarent” is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of appropinquo, appropinquare, appropinquavi, appropinquatum, “to approach, come near to.” “erant” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of sum, esse, fui, futurus.

2            Hi perpetuas inter se controversias habebant, quinam anteferretur, omnibusque annis de locis summis simultatibus contendebant They were constantly arguing about which of them was the best soldier, and annually engaged in intense rivalry for posts of honor in the legion; “contendebant” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of contendo, contendere, contendi, contentum, “to dispute, fight, contend.” “anteferretur” is third person plural imperfect subjunctive passive of antefero, anteferre, antetuli, antelatum, “to prefer or give preference to.”  “habebant” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of habeo, habere, habui, habitum.

3            Ex his Pullo, cum acerrime ad munitiones pugnaretur, "Quid dubitas," inquit, " Vorene? aut quem locum tuae probandae virtutis exspectas ?  4  hic dies de nostris controversiis iudicabit."  Now the one named Pullo, at the fiercest pitch of the battle at the wall, taunted Vorenus: “What are you waiting for?  Some better opportunity to win praise for your so-called bravery?  Today our argument will be settled once and for all.” “iudicabit” is third person singular future indicative active of iudico, iudicare, iudicavi, iudicatum, “to judge, determine.”  “expectas” is second person singular present indicative active of expecto, expectare, expectavi, expectatum.  “probandae” is future passive participle (gerundive) of probo, probare, probavi, probatum, “to demonstrate, prove.”  “inquit” is third person singular present indicative active of the defective inquam, “I say.”  “dubitas” is second person singular present indicative active of dubito, dubitare, dubitavi, dubitatum, “to waver, hesitate.”  “pugnaretur” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive passive of pugno, pugnare, pugnavi, pugnatum. 

Haec cum dixisset, procedit extra munitiones quaque pars hostium confertissima est visa irrumpit. This said, he leapt from the battlement into the midst of the enemy where the formation seemed tightest; “irrumpit” is third person singular present indicative active of irrumpo, irrumpere, irrupi, irruptum, “to storm, dash, or burst into.”  “visa est”:  see Steadman’s notes 7-8.  “procedit” is third person singular present indicative active of procedo, procedere, processi, processum, “to proceed, advance.”  “dixisset” is third person singular pluperfect subjunctive active of dico, dicere, dixi, dictum. 

5            Ne Vorenus quidem tum sese vallo continet, sed omnium veritus existimationem subsequitur Of course, Vorenus then didn’t remain behind the wall either, but followed right behind Pollo for fear of what the men would think otherwise; “subsequitur” is third person singular present indicative active of the deponent subsequor, subsequi, subsecutus sum; “veritus” is perfect participle of the deponent vereor, vereri, veritus sum, “to fear, dread, have respect for, stand in awe of.”  “continet” is third person singular present indicative active of contineo, continere, continui, contentum, “to hold, detain, restrain.” 

6            Mediocri spatio relicto Pullo pilum in hostes immittit atque unum ex multitudine procurrentem traicit;  In hand-to-hand fighting, Pullo skewered one fighter  with his pike as the man ran toward him from the enemy ranks; “traicit” is third person singular present indicative active of traicio, traicere, traieci, traiectum, “to throw, hurl.” “procurrentem” is present participle of procurro, procurrere, procurri, procursum, “to run towards.”  “immittit” is third person singular present indicative active of immitto, immittere, immisi, immissum, “to hurl or throw.”  “mediocri spatio relicto”:  ablative absolute.

quo percusso et exanimato hunc scutis protegunt, in hostem tela universi coniciunt neque dant regrediendi facultatem. As the man lost consciousness from this traumatic blow, his comrades covered his body with their shields and fired a volley of spears at Pullo, giving him no path of retreat; “regrediendi” is gerund of the deponent regredior, regredi, regressus sum, “to return, retreat.”  “dant” is third person plural present indicative active of do, dare, dedi, datum.  “coniciunt” is third person plural present indicative active of conicio, conicere, conieci, coniectum, “to throw, hurl.”  “protegunt” is third person plural present indicative active of protego, protegere, protexi, protectum, “to cover, protect, defend.”  “quo percusso…exanimato”:  see Steadman’s note 11. 

7            Transfigitur scutum Pulloni et verutum in balteo defigitur Pullo’s shield ws pierced and a javelin-point stuck in his belt; “defigitur” is third person singular present indicative passive of defigo, defigere, defixi, defixum, “to stick, embed.”  “transfigitur” is third person singular present indicative passive of transfigo, transfigere, transfixi, transfixum, “to pierce, transfix.”

8            Avertit hic casus vaginam et gladium educere conanti dextram moratur manum, impeditumque hostes circumsistunt. This blocked Pullo’s sheath and made it tough to draw his sword as the enemy swarmed around; “circumsistunt” is third person plural present indicative active of circumsisto, circumsistere, circumstiti, circumstatum, “to surround, to beset.” “impeditum” is supine of impedio, impedire, impedivi, impeditum, “to hinder.”  “moratur” is third person singular present indicative active of the deponent moror, morari, moratus sum, “to delay, hinder.”  “conanti” is present participle of the deponent conor, conari, conatus sum, “to try, attempt.” “educere” is present infinitive of educo, educere, eduxi, eductum, “to draw out.”  “avertit”is third person singular perfect indicative active of averto, avertere, averti, aversum, “to divert, turn away.” 

9            Succurrit inimicus illi Vorenus et laboranti subvenit But his archrival Vorenus came straight to the rescue; “subvenit” is third person singular present indicative active of subvenio, subvenire, subveni, subventum, “to assist, come to the aid of.” “laboranti” is present participle of laboro, laborare, laboravi, laboratum, “to be imperiled, afflicted.”  “succurrit” is third person singular present indicative active of succurro, succurrere, succurri, succursum, “to run to help, run to the rescue.”

10            Ad hunc se confestim a Pullone omnis multitudo convertit: At once the Nervii turned from Pullo to attack Vorenus; “convertit” is third person singular present indicative active of converto, convertere, converti, conversum, “to turn back, turn away.” 

11 illum veruto arbitrantur occisum since they were convinced Pullo had been killed by the javelin; “occisum” is perfect passive participle of occido, occidere, occidi, occasum, “ to perish, die.”  “arbitrantur” is third person plural present indicative active of the deponent arbitror, arbitrari, arbitratus sum, “to judge, observe.”   

Gladio comminus rem gerit Vorenus atque uno interfecto reliquos paulum propellit Wielding his sword in close combat, Vorenus killed one and drove the rest back a little; “propellit” is third person singular present indicative active of propello, propellere, propuli, propulsum, “ to drive away, ward off.” “interfecto” is perfect passive participle (in ablative absolute construction)” of interficio, interficere, interfeci, interfectum, “to kill, destroy.”  “gerit” is third person singular present indicative active of gero, gerere, gessi, gestum, “to carry on, conduct, wage.” 

12            dum cupidius instat, in locum deiectus inferiorem concidit. Huic rursus circumvento fert subsidium Pullo But in his too-hasty pursuit,Vorenus tripped and fell into a ditch; now he in his turn was surrounded, and now Pullo had to bail him out of trouble;  “fert” is third person singular present indicative active of fero, ferre, tuli, latum.  “circumvento” is perfect passive participole of circumvenio, circumvenire, circumveni, circumventum.  “concidit” is third person singular present indicative active of concido, concidere, concidi, “to fall, tumble to the ground.”  “instat” is third person singular present indicative active of insto, instare, institi, instatum, “to press, approach, threaten.” 

atque ambo incolumes compluribus interfectis summa cum laude sese intra munitiones recipiunt They killed many hostiles and both were hailed as heroes as they returned behind the walls; “recipiunt” is third person plural present indicative active of recipio, recipere, recepi, receptum, “to receive.” “interfectis” is perfect passive participle of interficio, interficere, interfeci, interfectum. 

14            Sic fortuna in contentione et certamine utrumque versavit, ut alter alteri inimicus auxilio salutique esset, neque diiudicari posset, uter utri virtute anteferendus videretur So fate toyed with them in their rivalry and one-upsmanship, that each found himself in the position of saving the other, and in the end it was still impossible to say which was the better and braver man; “videretur” is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of video, videre, vidi, visum.  “anteferendus”:  see Steadman’s note 23. 

“posset” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of possum, posse, potui.  “diiudicari” is present passive infinitive of diiudico, diiudicare, diiudicavi, diiudicatum, “to adjudicate, to judge.”  “esset” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of sum, esse, fui, futurus.  “versavit” is third person singular perfect indicative active of verso, versare, versavi, versatum, “to turn, twist.”