Caesar De Bello Gallico 6 15 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico
Instructor:  James Ransom
March 15, 2014

DBG 6:15

Course Notes

[15]      1       Alterum genus est equitum. Hi, cum est usus atque aliquod bellum incidit (quod fere ante Caesaris adventum quotannis accidere solebat, uti aut ipsi iniurias inferrent aut illatas propulsarent), omnes in bello versantur,   2       atque eorum ut quisque est genere copiisque amplissimus, ita plurimos circum se ambactos clientesque habet. Hanc unam gratiam potentiamque noverunt.

1  Alterum genus est equitum The other class is the knights.  Hi, cum est usus atque aliquod bellum incidit… omnes in bello versantur; When a crisis arises and some war heats up…they all engage in the battle; “versantur” is third person plural present indicative active of the deponent versor, versari, versatus sum, “to move around, be engaged in.”  “incidit” is third person singular presnt indicative active of incido, incidere, incidi, incisum, “to fall upon, attack, befall.” 

(quod fere ante Caesaris adventum quotannis accidere solebat…which used to occur almost annually before Caesar’s arrival; “solebat” is third person singular imperfect indicative active of soleo, solere, solitus sum, “be accustomed.”  “accidere” is present infinitive of accido, accidere, accidi, “to happen, take place, occur.”  “fere”=adverb, “almost always, most of the time.”  …uti aut ipsi iniurias inferrent aut illatas propulsarent) meaning they were either acting as the aggressor or fending off aggression; “propulsarent” is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of propulso, propulsare, propulsavi, propulsatum, “to repel, push away, drive forward or back.” “illatas” is perfect passive participle of infero. “inferrent” is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of infero, inferre, intuli, illatum, “to attack, to ‘bring it’ to the foe.” 

2  atque eorum ut quisque est genere copiisque amplissimus, ita plurimos circum se ambactos clientesque habet. And the knight who has the greatest resources and prestige has also the largest crowd of vassals and retainers; “habet” is third person singular present indicative active of habeo, habere, habui, habitum, “to have.”  Hanc unam gratiam potentiamque noverunt. This is the only form of power and prestige they recognize; “noverunt” is third person plural perfect indicative active of nosco, noscere, novi, notum, “to acknowledge, know, recognize.”