Caesar De Bello Gallico 5 42 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico

Instructor:  James Ransom

May 7, 2014

Caesar DBG 5:42

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

[42]          1         Ab hac spe repulsi Nervii vallo pedum IX et fossa pedum XV hiberna cingunt.          2         Haec et superiorum annorum consuetudine ab nobis cognoverant et, quos clam de exercitu habebant captivos, ab eis docebantur;          3         sed nulla ferramentorum copia quae esset ad hunc usum idonea, gladiis caespites circumcidere, manibus sagulisque terram exhaurire nitebantur.          4         Qua quidem ex re hominum multitudo cognosci potuit: nam minus horis tribus milium pedum XV in circuitu munitionem perfecerunt   5 reliquisque diebus turres ad altitudinem valli, falces testudinesque, quas idem captivi docuerant, parare ac facere coeperunt.

[42]             1            Ab hac spe repulsi Nervii vallo pedum IX et fossa pedum XV hiberna cingunt. Their ruse frustrated, the Nervii dug around the fort a battlement 9 feet high and a 15-foot wide ditch; “cingunt” is third person plural present indicative active of cingo, cingere, cinxi, cinctum, “to surround, encircle.”  “repulsi” is perfect passive participle of repello, repellere, reppuli, repulsum, “to reject, confute, repel.” 

2            Haec et superiorum annorum consuetudine ab nobis cognoverant et, quos clam de exercitu habebant captivos, ab eis docebantur These tactics they had picked up from our own practice of earlier years, and they received additional tips from prisoners held captive in secret; “docebantur” is third person plural imperfect indicative passive of doceo, docere, docui, doctum, “to teach, instruct.”  “habebant” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of habeo, habere, habui, habitum.  “cognoverant” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitum, “to learn, recognize.” 

3            sed nulla ferramentorum copia quae esset ad hunc usum idonea, but lacking the specialized tools needed for this sort of operation… “esset” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of sum, esse, fui, futurus.

gladiis caespites circumcidere, manibus sagulisque terram exhaurire nitebantur they were struggling to cut around clods of earth with swords, and to excavate the soil with bare hands and cloaks; “nitebantur” is third person plural imperfect indicative active of the deponent nitor, niti, nixus sum, “to struggle, strain.”  “exhaurire” is present infinitive of exhaurio, exhaurire, exhausi, exhaustum, “to take out, remove.”  “circumcidere”is present infinitive of circumcido, circumcidere, circumcidi, “to cut around or off.” 

4            Qua quidem ex re hominum multitudo cognosci potuit And this activity enabled us to count the number of the enemy force; “potuit” is third person singular perfect indicative active of possum, posse, potui. “cognosci” is present infinitive passive of cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitum. 

nam minus horis tribus milium pedum XV in circuitu munitionem perfecerunt for in under three hours they completed a trench 15 miles in circumference; “perfecerunt” is third person plural perfect indicative active of perficio, perficere, perfeci, perfectum, “to achieve, execute, complete.” 

5 reliquisque diebus turres ad altitudinem valli, falces testudinesque, quas idem captivi docuerant, parare ac facere coeperunt And on the following days they began to prepare the assault: they fashioned towers matching the height of our walls, and made grappling hooks and tortoise-style shelters, under the guidance of the same captive advisors; “coeperunt” is third person plural perfect indicative active of the defective coepi, coepisse, coeptum.  “facere” is present infinitve of facio, facere, feci, factum.  “parare” is present indicative of paro, parare, paravi, paratum.  “docuerant” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of doceo, docere, docui, doctum.