Caesar De Bello Gallico 4:32 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico
Instructor:  James Ransom
March 2, 2014

Caesar, DBG 4:32

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

[32]      1        Dum ea geruntur, legione ex consuetudine una frumentatum missa, quae appellabatur VII, neque ulla ad id tempus belli suspicione interposita, cum pars hominum in agris remaneret, pars etiam in castra ventitaret, ei qui pro portis castrorum in statione erant Caesari nuntiaverunt pulverem maiorem quam consuetudo ferret in ea parte videri quam in partem legio iter fecisset.     2       Caesar id quod erat suspicatus aliquid novi a barbaris initum consilii, cohortes quae in statione erant secum in eam partem proficisci, ex reliquis duas in stationem succedere, reliquas armari et confestim sese subsequi iussit.   3       Cum paulo longius a castris processisset, suos ab hostibus premi atque aegre sustinere et conferta legione ex omnibus partibus tela coici animadvertit.       4       Nam quod omni ex reliquis partibus demesso frumento pars una erat reliqua, suspicati hostes huc nostros esse venturos noctu in silvis delituerant;    5 tum dispersos depositis armis in metendo occupatos subito adorti paucis interfectis reliquos incertis ordinibus perturbaverant, simul equitatu atque essedis circumdederant.

1   Dum ea geruntur, legione ex consuetudine una frumentatum missa, quae appellabatur VII  Meanwhile [lit. “while this was going on”], the Seventh Legion had, according to standard procedure, been sent out en masse to gather grain; “appellabatur” is third person plural imperfect indicative passive of appello, appellare, appellavi, appellatum.  “missa” is perfect passive participle of mitto, mittere, misi, missum. “frumentatum” is perfect active participle of the deponent frumentor, frumentari, frumentatus sum.  “geruntur” is third person plural present indicative passive of gero, gerere, gessi, gestum.

neque ulla ad id tempus belli suspicione interposita, cum pars hominum in agris remaneret, pars etiam in castra ventitaret and there had been as yet no sign of renewed hostilities; some Britons remained working in the fields, while others still regularly visited the Roman camp; “ventitaret” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of ventito, ventitare, ventitavi, ventitatum, “to habitually come, keep coming.”  “remaneret” is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of remaneo, remanere, remansi, remansum, “to remain, stay behind.”  “interposita” is perfect passive participle of interpono, interponere, interposui, interpositum, “to interpose, introduce.”  

ei qui pro portis castrorum in statione erant Caesari nuntiaverunt pulverem maiorem quam consuetudo ferret in ea parte videri quam in partem legio iter fecisset But then, the men guarding the gates of the camp reported to Caesar that a denser than usual dust-cloud could be seen over the area to which the legion had marched; “fecisset” is third person singular pluperfect subjunctive active of facio, facere, feci, factum.  “videri” is present passive infinitive of video, videre, visi, visum.  “ferret” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of fero, ferre, tuli, latum.  “nuntiaverunt”is third person plural perfect indicative active of nuntio, nuntiare, nuntiavi, nuntiatum, “to announce, declare.”

2  Caesar id quod erat suspicatus aliquid novi a barbaris initum consilii Caesar correctly surmised that this was some new strategem ventured by the barbarians; “initum” is the perfect passive participle of the irregular ineo, inire, inii, initum, “to begin [an enterprise, activity].” “suspicatus” is perfect participle of the deponent suspicor, suspicare, suspicatus sum, “to suspect, surmise.” 

cohortes quae in statione erant secum in eam partem proficisci he ordered that the cohorts on guard there accompany him to the scene; “proficisci” is present active infinitive of the deponet proficiscor, proficisci, profectus sum, “to set out, depart.” 

ex reliquis duas in stationem succedere, reliquas armari et confestim sese subsequi iussit. And for two of the remaining cohorts to relieve them on guard duty, while the remainder were to arm and follow him immediately.  “iussit” is third person singular perfect indicative active of iubeo, iubere, iussi, iussum.  “subsequi” is present active infinitive of the deponent subsequor, subsequi, subsecutus sum.  “confestim”=indecl. adverb., “immediately, at once.”  “armari” is present passive infinitive of armo, armare, armavi, armatum, “to arm, furnish with weapons.”  “succedere” is present infinitive of succedo, succedere, successi, successum. 

3  Cum paulo longius a castris processisset, suos ab hostibus premi atque aegre sustinere et conferta legione ex omnibus partibus tela coici animadvertit When they had marched furtherfrom the camp, he saw the men under pressure from the enemy and desparate to hold their position while under heavy fire from all sides; “animadvertit” is third person singular perfect indicative active of animadverto, animadvertere, animadverti, animadversum.  “coici”:  passive infinitive of coici, coicere, coieci, coiectum.  “sustinere” is present infinitive of sustineo, sustinere, sustinui, sustentum, “to hold, maintain, preserve.”  “premi” is present passive infinitive of premo, premere, pressi, pressum, “to press, pressure, pursue.”  “processisset” is third person singular pluperfect subjunctive active of procedo, procedere, processi, processum, “to proceed, advance.” 

4  Nam quod omni ex reliquis partibus demesso frumento pars una erat reliqua, suspicati hostes huc nostros esse venturos noctu in silvis delituerant because all the grain had already been harvested from the other fields, the enemy correctly guessed that our men would come there and had hidden overnight in the woods; “delituerant” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of delitesco, delitescere, delitui, “to hide, go into hiding.”  “esse venturos” is future infinitive of participle of venio, venire, veni, ventum. “suspicati” is perfect participle of the deponent suspicor, suspicari, suspicatus sum.  “erat” is third person singular imperfect indicative active of sum, esse, fui, futurus.  “demesso”  is perfect participle (in ablative absolute construction “omni…demesso frumento”) of demeto, demetere, demessui, demessus, “to mow, reap.” 

tum dispersos depositis armis in metendo occupatos subito adorti paucis interfectis then, after the men had lain down their arms and fanned out, while were intent on reaping the corn, the enemy struck suddenly, killing a few;  “interfectis” is perfect passive participle of interficio, interficere, interfeci, interfectum, “to kill, destroy.” “adorti” is perfect participle of the deponent adorior, adoriri, adortus sum, “to assault, attack..”  subito:  adverb, “suddenly.”  “occupatos” is perfect passive participle of occupo, occupare, occupavi, occupatum, “to occupy, fill up.”  “metendo” is gerund of meto, metere, messui, messum, “to reap, harvest.”

reliquos incertis ordinibus perturbaverant, simul equitatu atque essedis circumdederant and while the remainder were in disorder and fright, surrounded them at once with cavalry and chariots.  “circumdederant” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of circumdo, circumdare, circumdedi, circumdatum, “to surround, encircle.”  “perturbaverant” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of perturbo, perturbare, perturbavi, perturbatum, “confusion, alarm.”