Caesar De Bello Gallico 5 35 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico

Instructor:  James Ransom

April 19, 2014

Caesar, DBG 5:35

Course Notes

© 2014 James Ransom, M.A., J.D.

[35]          1         Quo praecepto ab eis diligentissime observato, cum quaepiam cohors ex orbe excesserat atque impetum fecerat, hostes velocissime refugiebant.          2         Interim eam partem nudari necesse erat et ab latere aperto tela recipi.          3         Rursus cum in eum locum unde erant egressi reverti coeperant, et ab eis qui cesserant et ab eis qui proximi steterant circumveniebantur;          4         sin autem locum tenere vellent, nec virtuti locus relinquebatur, neque ab tanta multitudine coniecta tela conferti vitare poterant.          5         Tamen tot incommodis conflictati, multis vulneribus acceptis resistebant et magna parte diei consumpta, cum a prima luce ad horam octavam pugnaretur, nihil quod ipsis esset indignum committebant.         6         Tum Tito Balventio, qui superiore anno primum pilum duxerat, viro forti et magnae auctoritatis, utrumque femur tragula traicitur; 7 Quintus Lucanius, eiusdem ordinis, fortissime pugnans, dum circumvento filio subvenit, interficitur;  8         Lucius Cotta legatus omnes cohortes ordinesque adhortans in adversum os funda vulneratur.

[35]             1            Quo praecepto ab eis diligentissime observato, His men precisely followed his tactics; “observato” is perfect passive participle of observo, observare, observavi, observatum, “to heed, regard, respect.”

cum quaepiam cohors ex orbe excesserat atque impetum fecerat, hostes velocissime refugiebant when one of the cohorts ventured out of the circle to mount an attack, the enemy would immediately retreat;  “refugiebant” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of refugio, refugere, refugi, “to run away, escape.”  “fecerat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of facio, facere, feci, factum, “to make, to do.”  “excesserat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of excedo, excedere, excessi, excessum, “to go out, go forth from.”

2            Interim eam partem nudari necesse erat et ab latere aperto tela recipi This maneuver necessarily left a gap in the line, exposing us to fire on the open flank; “recipi” is present passive infinitive of recipio, recipere, recepi, receptum, “to receive, to take.”  “nudari” is present passive infinitive of nudo, nudare, nudavi, nudatum, “to make naked, strip bare.”

3            Rursus cum in eum locum unde erant egressi reverti coeperant, et ab eis qui cesserant et ab eis qui proximi steterant circumveniebantur Then when they sought to return to position they were swamped both by those enemy who had retreated and those who had stood fast; “circumveniebantur” is third person plural imperfect passive indicative of circumvenio, circumvenire, circumveni, circumventum, “to surround, beset, overwhelm.” “steterant” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of sto, stare, steti, statum, “to stand, remain.”  “cesserant” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of cedo, cedere, cessi, cessum, “to withdraw, fall back.”  “coeperant” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of the defective coepi, coepisse, coeptum, “to begin.” “reverti” is present infinitive of the deponent revertor, reverti, reversus sum, “ to return, turn back.”  “erant egressi” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of the deponent egredior, egredi, egressus sum, “to march forth.” 

4            sin autem locum tenere vellent, nec virtuti locus relinquebatur, neque ab tanta multitudine coniecta tela conferti vitare poterant but if they tried to maintain a static formation they lacked a way to bring their force to bear against the enemy, and could not avoid the missile fire from the numerous enemy fighters; “poterant” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of the irregular possum, posse, potui.  “vitare” is present infinitive active of vito, vitare, vitavi, vitatum, “to avoid, shun.” “vellent” is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of volo, velle, volui, “to wish, to want.” “tenere” is present infinitive of teneo, tenire, tenui, tentum, “to hold, maintain.” 

5            Tamen tot incommodis conflictati, multis vulneribus acceptis resistebant et magna parte diei consumpta, cum a prima luce ad horam octavam pugnaretur, nihil quod ipsis esset indignum committebant Under such unfavorable conditions the men nevertheless put up a fight, incurring no discredit while sustaining many casualties in a battle lasting from dawn till mid-afternoon; “committebant” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of committo, committere, commisi, commissum, “to begin, commence, carry on.”  “esset” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of sum, esse, fui, futurus.  “pugnaretur” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive passive of pugno, pugnare, pugnavi, pugnatum.  “consumpta” is perfect passive participle of consumo, consumere, consumpsi, consumptum, “consume, spend.”  “resistebant” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of resisto, resistere, restiti, “withstand, oppose, resist.”  “conflictati” is perfect passive participle of conflicto, conflictare, conflictavi, conflictatum, “to assail, torment, buffet.”

6            Tum Tito Balventio, qui superiore anno primum pilum duxerat, viro forti et magnae auctoritatis, utrumque femur tragula traicitur Then Titus Balventius, who had been a high-ranking centurion over the previous year, was transfixed by a javelin through the thighs; “traicitur” is third person singular present indicative passive of traicio, traicere, traieci, traiectum, “to pierce, transfix.” “duxerat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of duco, ducere, duxi, ductum, “to lead.” 

7 Quintus Lucanius, eiusdem ordinis, fortissime pugnans, dum circumvento filio subvenit, interficitur and Quintus Lucanius, another leading soldier, went to the rescue of his beleaguered son and was killed fighting most courageously; “interficitur” is third person singular present indicative passive of interficio, interficere, interfeci, interfectum, “to kill, destroy.”  “subvenit” is third person singular present indicative active of subvenio, subvenire, subveni, subventum, “to assist, come to the aid of.”  “pugnans” is present participle of pugno, pugnare, pugnavi, pugnatum, “to fight, give battle.” 

8            Lucius Cotta legatus omnes cohortes ordinesque adhortans in adversum os funda vulneratur. The legate Cotta, while rallying all the ranks, was wounded by a slingshot taken full in the face; “vulneratur” is third person singular present indicative passive of vulnero, vulnerare, vulneravi, vulneratum, “to wound, injure.”  “adhortans” is present participle of adhortor, adhortari, adhortatus sum, “to encourage, exhort.”