Caesar De Bello Gallico 5 45 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico

Instructor:  James Ransom

May 12, 2014

Caesar DBG 5:45

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

[45] 1       Quanto erat in dies gravior atque asperior oppugnatio, et maxime quod magna parte militum confecta vulneribus res ad paucitatem defensorum pervenerat, tanto crebriores litterae nuntiique ad Caesarem mittebantur; quorum pars deprehensa in conspectu nostrorum militum cum cruciatu necabatur.         2       Erat unus intus Nervius nomine Vertico, loco natus honesto, qui a prima obsidione ad Ciceronem perfugerat suamque ei fidem praestiterat.      3       Hic servo spe libertatis magnisque persuadet praemiis, ut litteras ad Caesarem deferat.    4       Has ille in iaculo illigatas effert et Gallus inter Gallos sine ulla suspicione versatus ad Caesarem pervenit.      5       Ab eo de periculis Ciceronis legionisque cognoscitur.

1          Quanto erat in dies gravior atque asperior oppugnatio, et maxime quod magna parte militum confecta vulneribus res ad paucitatem defensorum pervenerat With each passing day the struggle grew more intense and more desparate, not least because, with the greater part of the force casualties, the whole burden of defense fell on the few remaining troops; “pervenerat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of pervenio, pervenire, perveni, perventum.  “confecta” is perfect passive participle of conficio, conficere, confeci, confectum, fig. “to finish, destroy.”  “erat” is third person singular imperfect indicative active of sum, esse, fui, futurus. 

tanto crebriores litterae nuntiique ad Caesarem mittebantur And with each passing day, more runners bearing communiques were sent to Caesar; “mittebantur” is third person plural imperfect indicative passive of mitto, mittere, misi, missum.   

quorum pars deprehensa in conspectu nostrorum militum cum cruciatu necabatur some of these were captured and tortured in sight of our soldiers, then killed; “necabatur” is third person singular imperfect indicative passive of neco, necare, necavi, necatum.  “deprehensa” is perfect passive participle of deprehendo, deprehendere, deprehendi, deprehensum, “to seize, apprehend.” 

2          Erat unus intus Nervius nomine Vertico, loco natus honesto, qui a prima obsidione ad Ciceronem perfugerat suamque ei fidem praestiterat Now, there was in the camp a Nervian named Vertico, born of honest stock, who had defected to Cicero at the start of the siege, and shown exemplary loyalty; “praestiterat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of praesto, praestare, praestiti, praestatum, “to stand out, to excel.”  “perfugerat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of perfugio, perfugere, perfugi, “to flee, desert.” “erat” is third person singular imperfect indicative active of sum, esse, fui, futurus. 

3          Hic servo spe libertatis magnisque persuadet praemiis, ut litteras ad Caesarem deferat Vertico induced one of his slaves, by the promise of freedom and a large reward, to try to get a message through to Caesar; “deferat” is third person singular present subjunctive active of defero, deferre, detuli, delatum, “to bear, carry, bring.”  “persuadet” is third person singular present indicative active of persuadeo, persuadere, persuasi, persuasum, “to prevail upon, persuade, induce.” 

4          Has ille in iaculo illigatas effert et Gallus inter Gallos sine ulla suspicione versatus ad Caesarem pervenit The slave smuggled the message out in a javelin, and mingling as a Gaul among Gauls without arousing the least suspicion, made his way to Caesar; “pervenit” is third person singular present indicative active of pervenio, pervenire, perveni,  perventum.  “versatus” is perfect passive participle of the deponent versor, versari, versatus sum, “to move around, dwell.” “effert” is third person singular present indicative active of effero, efferre, exuli, elatum, “to bring or carry out, forth, or away.”  “illigatas” is perfect passive participle of illigo, illigare, illigavi, illigatum, “to attach, fasten.” 

5          Ab eo de periculis Ciceronis legionisque cognoscitur Through him, Caesar was made aware of the danger to Cicero and the legion; “cognoscitur” is third person singular present indicative passive of cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitum.