Caesar De Bello Gallico 6 18 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico

Instructor:  James Ransom

March 16, 2014

Caesar DBG 6:18

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

[18]                  1         Galli se omnes ab Dite patre prognatos praedicant idque ab druidibus proditum dicunt.          2         Ob eam causam spatia omnis temporis non numero dierum sed noctium finiunt; dies natales et mensum et annorum initia sic observant ut noctem dies subsequatur.         3         In reliquis vitae institutis hoc fere ab reliquis differunt, quod suos liberos, nisi cum adoleverunt, ut munus militiae sustinere possint, palam ad se adire non patiuntur filiumque puerili aetate in publico in conspectu patris adsistere turpe ducunt.

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18]                        1            Galli se omnes ab Dite patre prognatos praedicant idque ab druidibus proditum dicunt The Gauls boast themselves as all descended from Dis, and claim that this is the teaching of the Druids; “dicunt” is third person plural present indicative active of dico, dicere, dixi, dictum.  “proditum” is perfect passive participle of prodo, prodere, prodidi, proditum, “to proclaim, reveal, disclose.” “praedicant” is third person plural present indicative active of praedico, praedicare, praedicavi, praedicatum, “to proclaim, declare publically.”  

2            Ob eam causam spatia omnis temporis non numero dierum sed noctium finiunt From this premise they observe the passing of time not by counting the days, but rather the nights; “finiunt” is third person plural present indicative active of finio, finere, finivi, finitum, “to set, appoint, finish, terminate.”  dies natales et mensum et annorum initia sic observant ut noctem dies subsequatur they mark birthdays and the first day of months and years in this way, with day following night; “subsequatur” is third person singular present indicative active of the deponent subsequor, subsequi, subsecutus sum,”to follow close upon, ensue, succeed.”  “observant” is third person plural present indicative active of observo, observare, observavi, observatum, “to observe, commemmorate.” 

3            In reliquis vitae institutis hoc fere ab reliquis differunt, quod suos liberos, nisi cum adoleverunt, ut munus militiae sustinere possint In other respects their mode of life differs from the norm in that they forbid their boys to approach them in public until they are of an age to bear arms; “possint,”= “may they be able to,” is third person present subjunctive active of possum, posse, potui.  “sustinere” is present infinitive of sustineo, sustinere, sustinui, sustentum, “to bear, bear up.”  “adoleverunt” is third person plural perfect indicative active of adolesco, adolescere, adolevi, adultum, “to grow up, mature.”  “differunt” is third person plural present indicative active of the irregular differo, differre, distuli, dilatum, “to differ, vary.” 

palam ad se adire non patiuntur filiumque puerili aetate in publico in conspectu patris adsistere turpe ducunt they consider it a disgrace and do not suffer an underage youth to approach his father publically;  “ducunt” is third person plural present indicative active of duco, ducere, duxi, ductum, “to lead, think, consider.”  “adsistere” is present infinitive of adsisto, adsistere, adstiti, “to stand before, come to, place oneself.” “adire” is present infinitive of the irregular adeo, adire, adii, aditum, “to approach, present oneself.”