Immaculate Conception Academy

Latin 3

Instructor:  James Ransom
2^nd Quarter 2017-2018

Caesar DBG 1.5 Course Notes

Updated 11/11/2017

[5]        1       Post eius mortem nihilo minus Helvetii id quod constituerant facere conantur, ut e finibus suis exeant.        2       Ubi iam se ad eam rem paratos esse arbitrati sunt, oppida sua omnia, numero ad duodecim, vicos ad quadringentos, reliqua privata aedificia incendunt;   3      frumentum omne, praeter quod secum portaturi erant, comburunt, ut domum reditionis spe sublata paratiores ad omnia pericula subeunda essent; trium mensum molita cibaria sibi quemque domo efferre iubent.   4       Persuadent Rauracis et Tulingis et Latobrigis finitimis, uti eodem usi consilio oppidis suis vicisque exustis una cum iis proficiscantur, Boiosque,     5 qui trans Rhenum incoluerant et in agrum Noricum transierant Noreiamque oppugnabant, receptos ad se socios sibi adsciscunt.

[5]            1          Post eius mortem nihilo minus Helvetii id quod constituerant facere conantur, ut e finibus suis exeant. After his death, the Helvetii nevertheless attempted to carry out their plan and emigrate from their land;

“nihilo minus”:  comparative adverb [parvus, minor, minimus]; “nihilo” is ablative degree of difference.

“id quod”:  “that which”; “id” is the object of “facere.” 

“ut…exeant”:  “namely, that…” “exeant” is third person plural present subjunctive active of exeo, exire, exivi, exitus; subjunctive in purpose clause with “ut,” in apposition to “id”; “that they would depart.”  

“conantur” is third person plural present indicative active of the deponent conor, conari, conatus sum, “to try, attempt.” 

“constituerant” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of constituo, constituere, constitui, constitutum, “to plan, confirm, resolve, decide.” 

2  Ubi iam se ad eam rem paratos esse arbitrati sunt, oppida sua omnia, numero ad duodecim, vicos ad quadringentos, reliqua privata aedificia incendunt; When at length they believed they were ready for the migration, they set fire to all 12 of their towns, as well as 400 villages and the remaining private buildings;

the adverb “iam” = “already, soon.”

“ad eam rem”:

 “se”:  accusative of the reflexive pronoun and “accusative subject of the infinitive” of “paratos esse.” “for this matter. 

“arbitrati sunt”:  perfect of the deponent arbitror, arbitrari, arbitratus sum (1), “to judge”; so “they thought that.” 

“paratos” is accusative masculine plural perfect passive participle of paro, parare, paravi, paratum, “to prepare.” 

 “ad eam rem” = “for that thing,” i.e., the emigration.

“numero”:  ablative of respect. 

“ad” here = “up to; around.”

“incendunt” is third person plural present indicative active of incendo, incendere, incendi, incensum, “to set on fire, ignite, burn, kindle,” governing the accusative “reliqua privata aedificia.” 

Immaculate Conception Academy

Latin III:  Caesar, De Bello Gallico
Instructor:  James Ransom
November 11, 2017

Caesar, DBG 1:4

Course Notes

11/11/2017 Update

[4]        1       Ea res est Helvetiis per indicium enuntiata. Moribus suis Orgetoricem ex vinculis causam dicere coegerunt; damnatum poenam sequi oportebat, ut igni cremaretur.    2       Die constituta causae dictionis Orgetorix ad iudicium omnem suam familiam, ad hominum milia decem, undique coegit, et omnes clientes obaeratosque suos, quorum magnum numerum habebat, eodem conduxit; per eos ne causam diceret se eripuit.    3       Cum civitas ob eam rem incitata armis ius suum exequi conaretur multitudinemque hominum ex agris magistratus cogerent, Orgetorix mortuus est;      4       neque abest suspicio, ut Helvetii arbitrantur, quin ipse sibi mortem consciverit.

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1          Ea res est Helvetiis per indicium enuntiata This plot was betrayed to the Helvetians by an informer;

“enuntiata est” is perfect passive of  enuntio, enuntiare, enuntiavi,

enuntiatum, “report, disclose, reveal, declare.”

 “indicium” is accusative singular of the second declension noun indicium, indicii, n., “evidence, report, token, sign.” The literal sense is here anthropomorphized (i.e., the “evidence” of the plot is provided to the Helvetians by a spy, agent, or turncoat). 

“Helvetiis”:  masculine dative plural   

Moribus suis Orgetoricem ex vinculis causam dicere coegerunt As precedent required, they forced Orgetorix to plead his cause in chains;

“moribus suis”:  ablative of respect, “according to their customs.”

“causam dicere”:  idiomatic, “to plead (his) case.”   

“vinculis” is ablative plural of vinculum, vinculi n. (2), “chain.” 

“coegerunt” is third person plural perfect indicative active of cogo, cogere, coegi, coactum, “to force, compel, require.” 

“Orgetoricem”:  accusative object of “coegerunt,” but also accusative subject of “dicere.”

damnatum poenam sequi oportebat, ut igni cremaretur were he found guilty, the law required that he be burnt alive;

“cremaretur” is third-person singular imperfect passive subjunctive (in an ut clause of indirect command) of cremo, cremare, cremavi, crematum, “to burn, destroy by fire, cremate.” 

 “damnatum” is the perfect passive participle of damno, damnare, damnavi, damnatum, “sentence, declare guilty, condemn, convict.”  The participle conveys a conditional sense; “if convicted.” 

“poenam” is accusative singular of poena, poenae, f.  

“sequi” is present infinitive of the deponent sequor, sequi, secutus sum.  

“igni”:  ablative of means

“oportebat” is third person singular imperfect indicative active of the impersonal  oportet, oportere, oportuit, “to be necessary, proper, required.” 

damnatum poenam sequi oportebat: damnatum agrees with eum understood as object of sequi; ‘if condemned’ (Kelsey); poenam: subject of sequi; ‘the penalty,’ defined by the following ut-clause (Kelsey); poenam sequi oportebat: ‘the penalty would inevitably follow,’ lit. ‘it was necessary that the penalty follow.’ (Kelsey); In this sentence the subject of oportebat is the clause damnatum…sequi; the subject of sequi is poenam; and ut…cremaretur is in apposition with poenam, defining the puishment. Translate, ‘he was doomed, if condemned, to be burned by fire’; lit. ‘it must needs be that the penalty should overtake him condemned of being burned with fire.’ 

2          Die constituta causae dictionis Orgetorix ad iudicium omnem suam familiam, ad hominum milia decem, undique coegit, On the day set for oral argument, Oregorix summoned to the trial court from every corner of the realm his family and personal militia, numbering some ten thousand men;

“coegit”:  third person singular perfect indicative active of cogo, cogere, coegi, coactum, “to collect, assemble, gather together.” Orgetorix is the subject.

“Die constituta”:  ablative of time when, “on the established day.”  “constituta” is feminine ablative singular of the perfect passive participle of constituo, constituere, constitui, constitutum, “to confirm; decide, resolve.”   

“dictionis causae”: “for the pleading of the case.” 

“dictionis” is genitive singular of dictio, dictionis, f., “speech, oratory.” 

“causae” is genitive singular of causa, causae, f. , “case, claim, contention.” 

“iudicum” is accusative singular of iudicum, iudici, n., “trial, judgment, decision.” 

“ad…milia decem”:  “up to” or “approximately” 10,000

“undique”=whencesoever, from all parts, from all corners.  

et omnes clientes obaeratosque suos, quorum magnum numerum habebat, eodem conduxit; and he also deployed there all his vassals and debtors, of whom he had a great number;

“conduxit” is third person singular perfect indicative active of (con-)duco, ducere, dixi, dictum; its subject is “Orgetorix” understood. 

“eodem,” an ablative of place where, modifies “conduxit.” 

The adjective “obaeratos” is masculine accusative plural of obaeratus, obaeratum, obaerata (1/2), “indebted.” 

per eos ne causam diceret se eripuit and through their interference he escaped trial;

 “ne causam diceret”=Oregetorix avoided having to plead his case (cf. “causam dicere” supra at 4.1.) subjunctive in negative clause of purpose.

 “diceret” is third perfect singular imperfect subjunctive active of dico, dicere, dixi, dictum (3). 

“eos” is accusative plural of is, ea, id. 

  “eripuit” is third person singular perfect indicative active of eripio, eripere, eripui, ereptum, “to snatch away, rescue, escape.”  “se”=reflexive.