Latin III
Instructor: James Ransom
January 3, 2014
Caesar, DBG 1:3
Course Notes
© 2014 James Ransom, M.A., J.D.
[3] 1 His rebus adducti et
auctoritate Orgetorigis permoti constituerunt ea quae ad proficiscendum
pertinerent comparare, iumentorum et carrorum quam maximum numerum coemere,
sementes quam maximas facere, ut in itinere copia frumenti suppeteret, cum
proximis civitatibus pacem et amicitiam confirmare.
His
rebus adducti et auctoritate Orgetorigis permoti constituerunt ea quae ad proficiscendum
pertinerent comparare Mindful
of these considerations, and at Orgetorix’s instigation, the Helvetii decided
to get ready everything they thought was needed for a migration; “comparare”
is present infinitive of comparo, comparare, comparavi, comparatum,
“to prepare, place together.” “pertinerent”
is third person plural imperfect subjunctive active of pertineo, pertinere, pertinui,
to pertain or relate to. “profiscendum”
is gerund of the deponent verb proficiscor, proficisci, profectus sum,
“to set out, depart, leave.””constituerunt” is third person plural perfect
indicative active of constituo, constituere, constitui,
constitutum, “to decide, resolve, confirm.” “Orgetorigis”=genitive.
iumentorum et carrorum quam maximum
numerum coemere, sementes quam maximas facere, ut in itinere copia frumenti
suppeteret buy
up as many pack animals and wagons as they could, sow as much seed as possible
to ensure a supply of corn on the journey; “coemere” is present infinitive of coemo, coemere, coemi, coemptum,
“to buy up.” “suppeteret” is third
person singular imperfect subjunctive active of suppeto, suppetere, suppetivi,
suppetitum, “suffice, be at hand.”
“frumenti”= plural of frumento, m., “grain, corn, wheat.”
cum proximis civitatibus pacem et
amicitiam confirmare and
to establish peaceful relations with neighboring states; “confirmare” is present
infinitive active of confirmo, confirmare, confirmavi,
confirmatum, “to establish, strengthen, confirm.”
2 Ad eas res
conficiendas biennium sibi satis esse duxerunt; in tertium annum profectionem
lege confirmant.
Ad eas res conficiendas biennium sibi
satis esse duxerunt They
considered that two years would suffice for these preparations; “duxerunt” is third person
plural perfect indicative active of duco, ducere, duxi, ductum. “conficiendas” is the future passive
participle (i.e., gerundive) of conficio, conficere, confeci, confectum,
“to prepare, accomplish, complete.” “eas
res”=the preparations just enumerated in the previous sentence.
in tertium annum profectionem lege
confirmant and
passed a law confirming their decision to migrate in the third year; “profectionem” is accusative
singular of the third declension noun profectio, profectionis, f., “departure.”
3 Ad eas res conficiendas
Orgetorix deligitur. Is sibi legationem ad civitates suscipit. In eo itinere
persuadet Castico, Catamantaloedis filio, Sequano, cuius pater regnum in
Sequanis multos annos obtinuerat et a senatu populi Romani amicus appellatus
erat, ut regnum in civitate sua occuparet, quod pater ante habuerit;
Ad eas res conficiendas Orgetorix
deligitur. Is sibi legationem ad civitates suscipit. Orgetorix was put in charge of organizing
the migration, and on his own initiative undertook a diplomatic mission to the
neighboring states; “suscepit is third person singular perfect indicative active
of suscipio,
suscipere, suscepi, susceptum “to undertake.” “conficiendas” is the future passive
participle (=gerundive) of conficio. “deligitur” is third person singular present
indicative passive of deligo, deligare, deligavi, deligatum,
“to select.”
In eo itinere persuadet Castico,
Catamantaloedis filio, Sequano, cuius pater regnum in Sequanis multos annos
obtinuerat et a senatu populi Romani amicus appellatus erat In the course of his mission he
persuaded the Sequani Casticus, son of Catamantaloedis (who had held reign over
the Sequani for many years, and had been named a friend of the Roman people by
the Senate); “appellatus erat” is third person singular pluperfect
indicative passive of appello, appellare, appellavi, appellatus. “obtinuerat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative
active of obtineo, obtinere, obtinui, obtentum, “to hold, possess.”
ut regnum in civitate sua occuparet, quod
pater ante habuerit to
seize the rule in his own right which his father had held before him; “habuerit”
is third person singular perfect subjunctive active of habeo, habere, habui, habitum. “occuparet” is third person singular
imperfect subjunctive active of occupo, occupare, occupavi, occupatum.
4
itemque Dumnorigi Haeduo, fratri Diviciaci, qui eo tempore principatum in
civitate obtinebat ac maxime plebi acceptus erat, ut idem conaretur persuadet
eique filiam suam in matrimonium dat.
____________________________________________________ itemque
Dumnorigi Haeduo, fratri Diviciaci, qui eo tempore principatum in civitate
obtinebat ac maxime plebi acceptus erat and he likewise persuaded the Aeduan Dumnorix, brother of
Diviciacus, who at that time ruled the Aeduans and enjoyed wide popularity; “eo tempore”=ablative of time. “obtinebat”
is third person singular imperfecct indicative active of obtineo,
obtinere, obtinui, obtentum, “to obtain, hold, possess, maintain.” “acceptus” is perfect passive participle of accipio,
accipere, accepi, acceptum, “to receive, accept.” “plebi”: dative of interest.
ut idem conaretur persuadet eique filiam
suam in matrimonium dat and further
attempting to persuade Dumnorix, Orgetorix gave him his daughter in marriage; “conaretur”
is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of the deponent verb conor,
conari, conatus, “to attempt, try”; subjunctive of purpose after “ut.” “suam” is feminine accusative singular of the
possessive adjective suus, sua, suum. “suam” agrees in gender and number
with “filiam.” “persuadet”: historical present. “eique”= “ei”+”que.” “dat” is third person singular present
indicative active of do, dare, dedi, datum. Historical present.
5 Perfacile factu esse illis probat
conata perficere, propterea quod ipse suae civitatis imperium obtenturus esset: 6 non esse dubium quin totius Galliae
plurimum Helvetii possent; se suis copiis suoque exercitu illis regna
conciliaturum confirmat.
Perfacile
factu esse illis probat conata perficere, He told them they would succeed in the attempt with the utmost
ease, [“He”= Orgetorix; them=Dumnorix and Casticis (see sentence 3
above); “illis…conata=“their goal”=the plot to seize power in their respective
states which Oregetorix is urging upon Dumnorix and Casticis] “factu”=ablative of specification qualifying “perfacile”;
“very easy to do.” “illis”: i.e., Casticus and Dumnorix; dative of indirect
object after “probat.” “probat” is third
person singular present indicative active of probo, probare, probavi, probatum;
historical present. “conata” is
accusative plural of the noun conatum, conati, n., lit. “the
things attempted.” “perficere” is present active infinitive of perficio,
perficere, perfeci, perfectum, “to achieve, carry out, perform.”
propterea quod ipse suae civitatis
imperium obtenturus esset because
he himself was about to seize power in his own state; [“ipse”=he=Oregtorix;
“suae civitatis imperium”= “his own state”=Oregorix’s people, the
Helvetians]. “obtenturus esset” is third
person singular imperfect subjunctive active of obtineo, obtinere, obtinui,
obtentum, “to obtain, hold, possess, maintain.” Subjunctive as a subordinate clause in
indirect discourse.
non esse dubium quin totius Galliae
plurimum Helvetii possent There
was no doubt that the Helvetians were the most powerful people in the whole of
Gaul; “dubium” is accusative singular of the adjective dubius,
dubia, dubium; controlled by the infinitive “esse.” The conjunction “quin” after the negative non
= “that.” “possent” is third person
plural imperfecti subjunctive active of possum, posse, potui. Edwards:
“the quin-clause of the text
is equivalent to: quin omnium Gallorum Helvetii
potentissimi essent.”
se suis copiis suoque exercitu illis
regna conciliaturum confirmat and
he pledged that with his own military resources and army he would win them
their kingdoms; “exercitu”=ablative of means.
“illis”=Casticus and Dumnorix. “regna”: accusative plural of regnum, regni, n. “conciliaturum” is future indicative active
of concilio,
conciliare, conciliavi, conciliatum.
“confirmat” is third person singular present indicative active of confirmo,
confirmare, confirmavi, confirmatum.
7 Hac
oratione adducti inter se fidem et ius iurandum dant et regno occupato per tres
potentissimos ac firmissimos populos totius Galliae sese potiri posse sperant.
____________________________________________________
Hac oratione adducti
inter se fidem et ius iurandum dant Convinced
by this speech, they exchanged guarantees and swore an oath; “Hac oratione”: ablative of cause. “adducti” is masculine nominative plural of
the perfect passive participle of adduco, adducere, adduxi, adductum,
agreeing with “ei” understood, i.e., the trio of Orgetorix, Casticus, and
Dumnorix. “dant” is third person plural
present indicative active of do, dare, dedi, datum.
et regno occupato per
tres potentissimos ac firmissimos populos totius Galliae sese potiri posse
sperant and they hoped that
when they had seized power they would be able, through the efforts of its three
most powerful and indefatigable peoples, to seize control throughout Gaul; [the three peoples
are the Sequani, the Aeduani, and the Helvetii]. “regno oppucato”: ablative absolute, denoting time when: “when they had seized power.” “potentissimos” and “firmissimos”:
superlatives. Galliae: genitive singular of Gallia, Galliae, f. “sese”:
accusative plural, reduplication of the reflexive pronoun “se”; subject
of “posse.” “potiri” is present
infinitive of the deponent verb potior,
potiri, potitus, “get possession of, gain,” completing the meaning of “posse.” “sperant” is third person plural present
indicative active of spero, sperare, speravi, speratum, i.e.,
the collective hopes of Orgetorix, Casticus and Dumnorix.
