Week 13: Translation
Caesar, De Bello Gallico (DBG), Book 5.24, Lines 1-22; Book 5.25, Lines 1-13; Book 5.26, Lines 1-14; Book 5.27, Lines 1-26
Book 5.24
[1] Subductīs nāvibus, conciliōque Gallōrum Samarobrīvae
With the boats having been beached and the council of the Gauls at Samarobriva perāctō, quod eō annō frūmentum in Galliā propter siccitātēs
having been completed because in this year grain in Gaul because of a drought angustius prōvēnerat, coāctus est aliter āc superiōribus annīs
had grown more limited, he was compelled differently from earlier years exercitum in hībernīs collocāre, legiōnēsque in plūrēs cīvitātēs
to set up the army in winter quarters and divide the legions into more states
[5] distribuere. Ex quibus ūnam in Morinōs dūcendam C. Fabiō
From which [legions] Caesar gave one to the legate Gaius Fabius to be led into [the territory of] the Morini
lēgātō dedit, alteram in Nerviōs Q. Cicerōnī, tertiam in another [he gave] to Quintus Cicero [to be led] into [the territory of] the Nervi, a third [he gave] [to be led] into
Esubiōs L. Rōsciō; quārtam in Rēmīs cum T. Labiēnō
[the territory of] the Esubii to Lucius Roscius; a fourth he ordered to winter in [the territory of] the Remi with Titus Labienus. in cōnfīniō Trēverōrum hiemāre iussit. Trēs in Belovacīs in the neighborhood of the Treveri. He set up three [legions] in [the territory of] the Bellovaci: collocāvit: eīs M. Crassum quaestōrem et L.
he put the questor Marcus Crassus and the legates Lucius
[10] Munātium Plancum et C. Trebōnium lēgātōs praefēcit.
Munatius Plancus, and Gaius Trebonius in command of these men [eīs].
Ūnam legiōnem, quam proximē trāns Padum cōnscrīpserat,
He sent one legion, which he had recently enlisted across the Po river, et cohortēs V in Ebūrōnēs, quōrum pars māxima est inter Mosam
and five cohorts into the Eburones, of which the greatest part is between the Mosa
āc Rhēnum, quī sub imperiō Ambiorīgis et Catuvolcī
and Rhine rivers, which were under the command of Ambiorix and Catuvolcus. erant, mīsit.
[15] Hīs mīlitibus Q. Titūrium Sabīnum et L.
He ordered the legates Quintus Titurius Sabinus and Lucius
Aurunculēium Cottam lēgātōs praeesse iussit. Ad hunc modum
Aurunculeius Cotta to be in command of these soldiers. In this way, distribūtīs legiōnibus facillimē inopiae frūmentāriae sēsē medērī with the legions having been divided, he thought that he was able to easily remedy the lack of grain. posse exīstimāvit. Atque hārum tamen omnium legiōnum hīberna,
And yet the winter quarters of all these legions praeter eam quam L. Rōsciō in pācātissimam et quiētissimam
(except that one which he had given to Lucius Roscius to be led into the most peaceful and quiet
[20] partem dūcendam dederat, mīlibus passuum centum continēbantur.
area) were contained within one hundred miles [literally, 100 thousands of paces—1,000 “paces” or 1 Roman mile ≈ 1 modern-day mile].
Ipse intereā, quoad legiōnēs collocātās mūnītaque hīberna
He, meanwhile, until he had learned that the legions were set up and the winter quarters fortified, cōgnōvisset, in Galliā morārī cōnstituit. decided to hang back in Gaul.
Book 5.25
[1] Erat in Carnūtibus summō locō nātūs Tasgētius, cūius
There was among the Carnutes Tasgetius, born of very high rank, whose māiōrēs in suā cīvitāte rēgnum obtinuerant. Huic Caesar prō ēius
ancestors had held the sovereignty in his state. To this man Caesar on account of his virtūte atque in sē benevolentiā, quod in omnibus bellīs singulārī prowess and attachment toward him, had restored the position of his ancestors, because in all his wars.
ēius operā fuerat ūsus, māiōrum locum restituerat. Tertium iam
he had availed himself of his valuable services. Already after this third year,
[5] hunc annum rēgnantem inimīcī palam multīs ex cīvitāte
his enemies, with [there being] many instigators openly from the state, . auctōribus interfēcērunt. Dēfertur ea rēs ad Caesarem.
killed him who was ruling [regnantem]. This event was related to Caesar.
Ille veritus, quod ad plūrēs pertinēbat, nē cīvitās eōrum impulsū
That man [Tasgetius] having feared, because it had an impact on many [or, less literally: “because several were involved in the act”], that the state at their instigation, dēficeret, L. Plancum cum legiōne ex Belgiō celeriter in might revolt, orders Lucius Plancus, with a legion, to proceed quickly from Belgium
Carnūtēs proficīscī iubet ibīque hiemāre, quōrumque operā
to the Carnutes, and winter there, and [he orders L. Plancus] to send to him [se = Caesar]
[10] cōgnōverat Tasgētium interfectum, hōs comprehēnsōs ad sē
those men having been arrested, by whose instrumentality/service he had learned that Tasgetius mittere. Interim ab omnibus lēgātīs quaestōribusque, quibus
was killed. In the meantime, he was apprised by all the lieutenants and questors to whom
legiōnēs trādiderat certior factus est in hīberna perventum he had assigned the legions, that they had arrived in winter-quarters [literally, “that it had been arrived”] locumque hībernīs esse mūnītum. and that the place for the quarters had been fortified.
Book 5.26
[1] Diēbus circiter quindecim quibus in hīberna ventum est
After about fifteen days, during which [days] they had come into winter-quarters [literally, “it had been arrived”], initium repentīnī tumultūs āc dēfectiōnis ortum est ab
the beginning of a sudden insurrection and revolt arose from
Ambiorīge et Catuvolcō; quī, cum ad fīnēs rēgnī suī Sabīnō
Ambiorix and Cativolcus, who, although at the borders of their kingdom
Cottaeque praestō fuissent frūmentumque in hīberna
they had met Sabinus and Cotta and had conveyed corn into [our] winter-quarters,
[5] comportāvissent, Indutiomārī Trēverī nūntiīs impulsī suōs
stirred up by the messages of Indutiomarus of the Treviri concitāvērunt subitōque oppressīs līgnātōribus māgnā manū
excited their people, and after having suddenly assailed the wood-gatherers [i.e., the soldiers engaged in procuring wood],
ad castra oppūgnātum vēnērunt. came with a large body to attack the camp.
Cum celeriter nostrī arma cēpissent vāllumque ascendissent
When our men had speedily taken up arms and had ascended the rampart, atque ūnā ex parte Hispānīs equitibus ēmīssīs equestrī
and with the Spanish cavalry having been sent out on one side, had been superior [or: “conquerors”] in cavalry
[10] proeliō superiōrēs fuissent, dēspērātā rē hostēs suōs ab
battle, the enemy, with this thing having been despaired of [i.e., after hope in the effort had been given up], oppūgnātiōne redūxērunt. Tum suō mōre conclāmāvērunt,
drew off their troops from the assault. Then they shouted, according to their custom, utī aliquī ex nostrīs ad colloquium prōdīret: habēre sēsē, quae that some of our men should go forward to a conference, [alleging] that they had some things which dē rē commūnī dīcere vellent, quibus rēbus contrōversiās minuī
they desired to say about the common interest, by which things they hoped their disputes posse spērārent. could be removed/lessened [minui].
Book 5.27
[1] Mittitur ad eōs colloquendī causā C. Arpinēius, eques
Gaius Arpineius, a Roman knight, the intimate friend of Quintus Titurius,
Rōmānus, familiāris Q. Titūrī, et Q. Iūnius ex
and [with him] Quintus Junius, a certain man [quidam] from
Hispāniā quīdam, quī iam ante mīssū Caesaris ad Ambiorigem
Spain, who already on previous occasions, had been accustomed to go to Ambiorix, by Caesar's sending ventitāre cōnsuērat; apud quōs Ambiorix ad hunc modum is sent to them for the purpose of a conference [Mittitur…causā]; before them Ambiorix spoke to this effect:
[5] locūtus est: sēsē prō Caesaris in sē beneficiīs plūrimum eī
that he confessed, that on account of Caesar's kindness toward him, he owed very much to him, cōnfitērī dēbēre, quod ēius operā stīpendiō līberātus esset
because by his aid he had been freed from a tribute quod Aduātucīs fīnitimīs suīs pendere cōnsuēsset, quodque eī
which he had been accustomed to pay to the Aduatuci, his neighbors; and because et fīlius et frātris fīlius ab Caesare remīssī essent, quōs Aduātucī both [his own] son and the son of his brother had been sent back to him [ei], [those ones] whom,
obsidum numerō mīssōs apud sē in servitūte et catēnīs tenuissent;
having been sent in the number of hostages, the Aduatuci, had detained among them in slavery and in chains;
[10] neque id quod fēcerit dē oppūgnātiōne castrōrum aut iūdiciō aut and that he [Ambiorix] had not done that which he had done concerning the attack of the camp either by [his own] judgment voluntāte suā fēcisse sed coāctū cīvitātis, suaque esse ēiusmodī
or by his own will, but by the compulsion of the state, and his commands were of that nature imperia ut nōn minus habēret iūris in sē m9ultitude quam ipse in
that the people had as much authority over him as he did over multitūdinem. Cīvitātī porrō hanc fuisse bellī causam, quod
the people. To the state, moreover, the cause of the war was this—that [or: “because”] repentīnae Gallōrum coniūrātiōnī resistere nōn potuerit.
he could not withstand the sudden conspiracy of Gauls.
[15] Id sē facile ex humilitāte suā probāre posse, quod nōn adeō sit
That he could prove this [id] easily from his own weakness, since he was not so little imperītus rērum ut suīs copiīs populum Rōmānum superārī posse
versed in affairs [so as to presume] that with his forces he could conquer the Roman people.
9ommune9t. Sed esse Galliae 9commune cōnsilium: omnibus hībernīs
But that it was the common resolution of Gaul: that this day was appointed
Caesaris oppūgnandīs hunc esse dictum diem, nē qua legiō alterae
for the storming of all Caesar’s winter quarters, in order that no legion should legiōnī subsidiō venīre posset. Nōn facile Gallōs Gallīs negāre
be able to come to the relief of another legion. That the Gauls could not easily deny Gauls,
[20] potuisse, praesertim cum dē recuperandā commūnī lībertāte
especially when a measure seemed entered into for recovering their common freedom. cōnsilium initum vidērētur.
Quibus quoniam prō pietāte satisfēcerit, habēre nunc sē
By means of which things he had done enough for the sake of patriotism [his duty], now he has ratiōnem officī prō beneficiīs Caesaris: monēre, ōrāre
the justification of duty on account of the kindnesses of Caesar: that he warned, that he begged
Titūrium prō hospitiō ut suae āc mīlitum salūtī cōnsulat.
Titurius on the basis of hospitality to consult for his own and his soldiers’ safety.
[25] Māgnam manum Germānōrum conductam Rhēnum trānsīsse;
That a large force of the Germans had been hired and had crossed the Rhine; hanc adfore bīduō.
[and] that this [band] would arrive in two days.