Caesar De Bello Gallico 5 47 Course Notes

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico

Instructor:  James Ransom

May 15, 2014

Caesar DBG 5:47

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

[47]          1         Hora circiter tertia ab antecursoribus de Crassi adventu certior factus eo die milia passuum XX procedit. 2 Crassum Samarobrivae praeficit legionemque attribuit, quod ibi impedimenta exercitus, obsides civitatum, litteras publicas frumentumque omne quod eo tolerandae hiemis causa devexerat relinquebat.          3         Fabius, ut imperatum erat, non ita multum moratus in itinere cum legione occurrit. 4         Labienus interitu Sabini et caede cohortium cognita, cum omnes ad eum Treverorum copiae venissent, veritus, si ex hibernis fugae similem profectionem fecisset, ut hostium impetum sustinere posset, praesertim quos recenti victoria efferri sciret, litteras Caesari remittit, quanto cum periculo legionem ex hibernis educturus esset; rem gestam in Eburonibus perscribit; docet omnes equitatus peditatusque copias Treverorum tria milia passuum longe ab suis castris consedisse.

[47]             1            Hora circiter tertia ab antecursoribus de Crassi adventu certior factus eo die milia passuum XX procedit At around 9:00 am an advance squad from Crassus arrived to assure Caesar of his imminent arrival.  On that day Caesar marched 18 miles; “procedit” is third person singular present indicative active of procedo, procedere, processi, processum, “to proceed, advance.”  “certior factus”:  see Steadman’s note 1 regarding this idiomatic participial phrase. 

2 Crassum Samarobrivae praeficit legionemque attribuit He placed Crassus in command of Samarobriva and assigned him a legion; “attribuit” is third person singular present indicative active of attribuo, attribuere, attribui, attributum, “to assign, allot.”  “praeficit” is third person singular present indicative active of praeficio, praeficere, praefici, praefectum, “to place in command.” 

quod ibi impedimenta exercitus, obsides civitatum, litteras publicas frumentumque omne quod eo tolerandae hiemis causa devexerat relinquebat because Samobriva was to serve as an army supply depot, a detention center for hostages, a repository for state documents, and a storage ground for all the corn Caesar had shipped over to provide the grain necessary to endure through the winter; “relinquebat” is third person singular imperfect indicative active of relinquo, relinquere, reliqui, relictum, “to leave behind, abandon.”  “devexerat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of deveho, devehere, devexi, devectum, “to transport (by river or sea).”  “tolerandae” is future passive participle (gerundive) of tolero, tolerare, toleravi, toleratum, “to bear, endure, tolerate.” 

3            Fabius, ut imperatum erat, non ita multum moratus in itinere cum legione occurrit Fabius with his legion, as ordered, promptly joined forces with Caesar on the way; “occurrit” is third person singular present indicative active of occurro, ocurrere, ocurri, occursum, “to run to, go to meet.”  “moratus” is perfect participle of the deponent moror, morari, moratus sum, “to linger, loiter, delay.”   “non ita multum moratus” may mean “after a short delay,” but is perhaps best read as a form of litotes=no delay at all.  “erat” is third person singular imperfect indicative active of sum, esse, fui, futurus. 

4            Labienus interitu Sabini et caede cohortium cognita Labienus, having received reports of the doom of Sabinus and the destruction of his army…; “cognita” is perfect passive participle (in ablative absolute construction) of cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitum, “to learn, to know.” 

cum omnes ad eum Treverorum copiae venissent…and now that the massed might of the Treveri had arrived at his gate; “venissent” is third person plural pluperfect subjunctive active of venio, venire, veni, ventum, “to come, to approach.” 

veritus, si ex hibernis fugae similem profectionem fecisset, ut hostium impetum sustinere posset, praesertim quos recenti victoria efferri sciret feared that a sudden departure from the camp at this point would look to an enemy (especially, as Labienus knew, an enemy delirious with its recent victory) like flight to avoid defeat in battle; “sciret” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of scio, scire, scivi, scitum.  “posset” is third person plural present imperfect subjunctive active of possum, posse, potui.  “sustinere” is present indicative active of sustineo, sustinere, sustinui, sustentum, “to hold back, check, restrain.”  “fecisset” is third person singular pluperfect subjunctive active of facio, facere, feci, factum.   

litteras Caesari remittit, quanto cum periculo legionem ex hibernis educturus esset; rem gestam in Eburonibus perscribit; thus he dispatched a reply to Caesar setting forth what dangers faced the legion should he lead it beyond the walls; described in vivid detail the events in Eberoni territory; “perscribit” is third person singular present indicative active of perscribo, perscribere, perscripsi, perscriptum, “to write in full or in detail.”  “esset” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of sum, esse, fui, futurus. “educturus” is future active participle of educo, educere, eduxi, eductum, “to lead forth, lead out.” “remittit” is third person singular present indicative active of remitto, remittere, remisi, remissum, “to send back.” 

docet omnes equitatus peditatusque copias Treverorum tria milia passuum longe ab suis castris consedisse and briefed Caesar on the massed strength of the Treveri, both infantry and cavalry, now dug in 3 miles from his camp; “consedisse” is perfect infinitive active of consido, considere, consedi, consessum, “to settle in, dig in, lodge.”  “docet” is third person singular present indicative acctive of doceo, docere, docui, doctum, “to instruct, teach.”