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Caesar’s De Bello Gallico Translation NotesBOOK I:A brief description of the great divisions of Gaul, and of their inhabitants.Gallia...omnis: ‘Gaul as a whole,’ contrasted with Gaul in the narrower sense, or Celtic Gaul; Celtic Gaul also is often called Gallia. (Kelsey) historical map satellite imageGallia...divisa: Notice the order of the words. ‘Gaul, taken as a whole, is divided’. (Rice Holmes) Belgae: Belgae -arum m., the Belgae or Belgians; Aquitani, -orum m.: the Aquitani, inhabiting southwestern Gaul;Celtae, -arum m: the Celtae or Celts (Walker)Gallos...dividit: the verb is singular, because the two rivers make one boundary; as we should say, ‘is divided by the line of the Seine and Marne.’ (Allen & Judson; (A&G 317b)Garumna: Garumna, -ae m., the river Garumna now the Garonne. Matrona, -ae m.: the river Matrona, now the Marne. Sequana, -ae m.: the river Sequana, now the Seine (Walker)cultu atque humanitate: cultus indicates the outward characteristics of civilization (dress, habits of life, etc.); humanitas, the moral characteristics (refinement of thought and feeling, education, etc.) (Merryweather & Tancock). humanitate: ‘refinement’ (Kelsey provinciae: the province of Gallia Narbonensis, organized about B. C. 120. Its chief cities were Massilia (Marseilles), an old Greek free city, and the capital, Narbo (Narbonne), a Roman colony. The name Provincia has come down to us in the modern Provence. (Allen & Greenough) historical map satellite imageminime saepe: ‘very seldom’ (Walker)mercatores: nom. Traders and peddlers from Massilia (Marseilles) and northern Italy brought wine (their most attractive commodity) and other luxuries on pack mules or even on their own backs (Towle & Jenks) commeant: ‘make their way to’ (Kelsey); words of motion compounded with cum often contain an idea of ‘hither and thither’ (Walpole). Construe saepe with commeant, minime with both commeant and important; ‘least of all do traders (often resort) make frequent journeys back and forth to them and bring in', etc. (Towle & Jenks)ad effeminandos animos: ‘to weaken the courage’ (Walker)(A&G 506)qua de causa: ‘For this reason’ (Kelsey); ‘and for this reason’: referring back to proximi, etc., and further explained by quod…contendunt (A&G 404c)quoque: i.e. as well as the Belgians (Towle & Jenks); ‘also,’ always follows the emphatic word, ‘because they (just as the Belgians) dwell near the Germans.’ (Harper & Tolman) (A&G 322)in eorum finibus: eorum refers to the Germans (Walker)eorum una pars: Eorum refers back to the Gauls as a whole, not to the Helvetii, who have just been mentioned.quam Gallos obtinere: quam is the object, Gallos the subject of obtinere; the infinitive clause quam...obtinere is the subject of dictum est. The whole may be freely translated 'which, as has been said, the Gauls occupy'. (Walker)a flumine: 'at the river' (Walker)ab Sequanis: ‘on the side of the Sequani.’ (Merryweather & Tancock) (A&G 429.b)in septentriones…solem: i.e. toward the northeast (Walker). Septentriones -um m.: 'the north,' lit. the constellations of the great and little Bear. The word is used both in the singular (as a compound) and in the plural. (Allen & Judson)spectat inter etc.: i.e. 'has a northwesterly aspect'. Caesar regards the whole country from the standpoint of 'The Province'. (Walpole)Book II: Orgetorix persuades the Helvetii to invade etorix: the termination -rix, which occurs in so many Gallic names (cp. Ambiorix, Cingetorix, Dumnorix, Eporedorix, Lugotorix, Vergingetorix) means 'king'. (Stock)M. Messala et M. Pupio Pisone consulibus…: ‘61 B.C.’ (Kelsey); M. Messala, M. Piso: consuls, A. U. 693, B. C. 61, i. e. when Caesar was quaestor in Spain. (Walpole); Messala, &c.: this was B. C. 61, three years before Caesar’s first campaign in Gaul. The construction of consulibus is abl. absolute: not so formal as ‘while Messala and Piso were consuls,’ but merely ‘in their consulship.’ This was the usual way of denoting the year. (Allen & Judson, 9) (A&G 424.g)suis cum omnibus copiis: men, women, and children. (Harper & Tolman)praestarent: ‘they excelled’ (Kelsey)hōc facilius: hōc: ‘so much,’ abl. of measure with comparatives (Walpole); ‘all the easier’ (Allen & Judson) (A&G 414a)una ex parte: ‘on one side, &c’ The effect on the senses is supposed to come from the direction referred to. (Allen & Judson)(A&G 429.b)His rebus...bellum inferre possent: lit. ‘from these things it was coming about that they roamed about less widely and could less easily make war,’ etc.fiebat: the imperfect expresses that the action extended for a period of time in the past. (Allen & Greenough) (A&G 470)qua ex parte: ‘and on that account’ (Kelsey); ‘In which respect;’ lit. ‘from which side’ (Merryweather & Tancock); ‘for this reason’ (Towle & Jenks) (A&G 404)pro multitudine…pro gloria belli: Pro: ‘Considering’ (Kelsey); Pro: ‘In proportion to.’ This meaning of pro comes from its other sense of ‘in the place of;’ so, ‘in return or requital for.’ (Merryweather & Tancock); Pro: ‘in proportion to’ (Allen & Judson) (A&G 221.16)angustos…fines: ‘too small’ (Kelsey); ‘too narrow’ (Walpole); ‘too narrow limits’ (Allen & Judson)qui in longitudinem…patebant: Qui: i.e. fines (Kelsey); Milia passuum: ‘miles’; Patebant: ‘extended.’Book III: The Helvetii make preparations. Orgetorix conspires with other chiefs.his rebus adducti: ‘Prompted by these considerations’ (Kelsey); ‘induced by these considerations’ (Harper & Tolman)pertinerent: the subjunctive is used because Caesar is not giving his own opinion as to what preparations were required, but that of the Helvetii: 'to make the necessary preparations' means 'to make the preparations which, as they considered, were necessary'. (Rice Holmes) (A&G 592)quam maximum numerum: 'as great a number as possible' or 'as many...as possible'. (Walker) (A&G 291.c)ut copia suppeteret: 'in order that a supply might be at hand' (Walker)ad eas res conficiendas biennium sibi satis esse duxerunt: Ad…conficiendas: gerundive construction ‘to complete these preparations’ (Kelsey); Biennium satis esse: ‘that two years would be sufficient’ (Kelsey); Duxerunt: here a verb of thought; ‘they reckoned’ (Kelsey); Biennium…duxerunt: ‘they judged that two years were sufficient’ (Walker)ad…conficiendas: ‘to carry out these arrangements’ (Kelsey) (A&G 506)in tertium annum: in tertium annum means directly after the end of the two years' preparation; we might say, 'at the beginning of the third year'.civitates: ‘clans,’ such as the Aedui, Sequani, &c., - about 60 in all, - whose territory had no local name, but was known only by that of the clan, which was sovereign and wholly independent, except for voluntary alliances. (Allen & Judson)cuius pater...appellatus erat: this clause is parenthetical; in working out the sentence, omit it until the rest has been thoroughly grasped. Then go back and read this clause; then read the entire sentence. (Towle and Jenks)amicus: the Romans sometimes gave this distinction to barbarian chiefs whose aid they wished to gain. (Towle and Jenks)itemque: Item: ‘also’ (Kelsey, 10)qui: i.e. Dumnorixprincipatum…obtinebat: Principatum: ‘the foremost place’ (Kelsey); Distinct from regnum, and implying the influential position in his tribe of a man of high birth, wealth, and military distinction. ‘Who at that time held a leading position in his state.’ (Merryweather & Tancock); ‘highest rank,’ as distinct from political power. (Allen & Greenough)factu: ‘of accomplishment,’ lit. ‘in respect to the doing’ (Kelsey)(A&G 510).probat: ‘He showed them’ (Kelsey).obtenturus esset: ‘he was going to seize’ (Kelsey)Non esse dubium: ‘that there was no doubt’ (Kelsey)quin…possent: ‘that the Helvetians were the most powerful (people) in all Gaul, ‘ lit. ‘were able the most of the whole (of) Gaul’ (Kelsey); Quin…plurimum…possent: ‘that the Helvetii were the most powerful nation of Gaul.’ ‘Possum’ means here absolutely ‘to be powerful:’ not prolatively, ‘to be able to do a thing.’ (Moberly) (A&G 558.a)regno occupato: ‘having seized the supreme power’ (Kelsey); ‘in case they should get in their hands the royal power’ (Allen & Greenough)Book IV: Orgetorix is tried for conspiracy, but escapes. His sudden death.ea res: ‘this conspiracy.’ The generic word res is constantly used in Caesar, where in English we should use the specific words, ‘occurrence,’ ‘movement,’ ‘exploit,’ ‘misfortune,’ ‘undertaking,’ ‘intelligence,’ ‘fact,’ ‘heads of a summary,’ ‘mode of life,’ ‘supplies,’ &c., according to the context. (Moberly); ea res…enuntiata: ‘when this design was disclosed.’ No word in Latin admits of such a variety of meanings as res. The student must always determine by the context the most suitable word to employ in translating, (Harper & Tolman)ex vinculis: ‘in chains’ (Kelsey)causam dicere: ‘to plead his case’ (Kelsey)moribus suis: ‘according to their custom’ (Moberly) May be taken as an ablative of cause (A&G 404) or an ablative of specification (A&G 418) (Finch).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.’ (Allen & Greenough)familiam: ‘slaves’ (Merryweather & Tancock); ‘clansmen’: by Roman use this would mean slaves; but it is more probable that it here means all who bore his name or regarded him as their chief (Allen & Greenough); ‘all his dependants:’ the word, as being connected with famulus, properly means ‘a body of slaves;’ and is opposed to the liberi, who constitute the family, as now understood. (Moberly)ad…decem: ad with numerals denotes an approach to the number, ‘to the number of;’ hence ‘about.’ It is sometimes used as a preposition in this way, and sometimes as an adverb. (Harper & Tolman) (A&G 221.2)ne...diceret: 'to avoid pleading his case' (Walker) (A&G 531)cum…conaretur: Note the tense; it was while these measures were being carried out that Orgetorix committed suicide. (Walpole); ‘while the state was trying’ (Towle & Jenks) (A&G 546)neque abest suspicio: ‘and there is ground for suspecting,’ lit. ‘not is there lacking (ground for) suspecting.’ (Kelsey)Book V: The Helvetii burn their dwellings and secure allies.nihilo minus: ‘nevertheless’ ; lit. ‘by nothing less.’ (Kelsey)oppida sua omnia: The oppida are strongholds, while the vici are groups of houses. Vicus is the word for the street of a city, referring to the rows of houses on either side. (Harper & Tolman)praeterquam quod: i.e. praeter id (frumentum) quod (Kelsey)domum reditionis spē: ‘hope of return home.’ Domum is the accusative of limit of motion after the verbal noun reditionis. (Harper & Tolman) (A&G 427.2)usi: ‘adopting,’ or ‘to adopt’; ‘having used’ (Kelsey).consilio: ‘plan’ (Kelsey).oppidis suis vicisque exustis: ‘having burned their towns and villages,’ lit. ‘their towns and villages having been burned.’ (Kelsey)unā: adv., togetheragrum Noricum: ‘the territory of the Norici,’ corresponding, in general, with the western part of Austria south of the Danube, between Bavaria and Hungary; …now eastern Bavaria and upper Austria (Allen & Judson)receptos ad se socios sibi asciscunt: ‘they received and associated with themselves’ (lit. ‘to themselves’) ‘as allies’ (Kelsey)Book VI: The Helvetii decide to march through the Roman Province.erant: 'there were' (Stock) (A&G 284.b)itinera duo: one on each side of the Rhone (Stock) historical map satellite image tactical mapquibus...possent: 'by which they could leave home' a clause of characteritic (Walker) (A&G 535.a). There were other passes, north of the Pas de l'Ecluse (unum...Rhodanum) leading through the Jura; but they were out of the question, either because the Helvetii shrank from encountering Ariovistus, or for some other reason that Caesar ignored. (Rice Holmes) tactical map (Images: 1, 2)possent: the subjunctive is necessary because quibus is equivalent to talia ut iis; and the explanation for ducerentur is similar. (Rice Holmes) (A&G 534)vix qua: ‘It was with difficulty that here…’ (Harper & Tolman); vix: note its emphatic position before the relative. (Walker)ducerentur: 'could be drawn', another subjunctive of characteristic. The place referred to is the Pas de l'Ecluse. (Walker)vado transitur: ‘is fordable,’ lit. ‘is crossed by a ford.’ (Kelsey)Allobrogum: The country of the Allobroges lay between the Isere and the Rhone, having Vienne as its capital. (Stock) satellite imageAllobrogibus sese vel persuasuros...existimabant: 'they thought they should either persuade the Allobroges'. persuasuros (esse) is the principal verb in indirect discourse. In direct discourse their thought would be persuadebimus 'we shall persuade' (Walker) (A&G 584)quod viderentur: subordinate clause in indirect discourse (Walker) (A&G 577)bonō animō: 'of a friendly disposition' or 'well-disposed' (Walker) (A&G 415)vel coacturos (esse): 'or should compel them'; in the same construction as persuasuros (Walker)ut paterentur: a noun clause, object of both persuasuros and coacturos (Walker)is dies erat a. d. V Kal. Apr. L. Pisone, A. Gabinio consulibus: a. d. V. Kal. Apr.: ante diem quintum Kalendas Apriles, ‘the fifth day before the Calends of April,’ March 28 by our calendar. (Kelsey)Piso, -onis m.: Lucius Calpurnius Piso, Caesar’s father-in-law, consul 58 B. C.Gabinius, -ni m.: Aulus Gabinius, consul with Lucius Piso, 58 B. C. (Walker)Book VII: Caesar hastens to Gaul and delays the Helvetii by a pretext.Caesari: he had been consul in the year 59, and at the end of his year of office he had immediately become proconsul of Gaul. He was at this time near Rome, preparing to leave for his province. The news merely hastened his movements. (Walker)id: 'this fact', explained by its appositive, the clause eos...conari, 'that they were planning, etc.' (Walker)Caesari cum id nuntiatum esset…maturat: Note the position of Caesari. The cum clauses with the subjunctive denote nothing more than a part of a past series of events. Often an English expression can be found much more simple, and conveying the temporal idea much less awkwardly than a heavy sentence introduced by when; e.g. the sentence means, ‘Caesar, on receipt of the news that…hastened.’ (Harper & Tolman)quam maximis potest itineribus: stronger than quam maximis itineribus; ‘with the utmost possible speed.’ (Kelsey); (by the greatest marches that he is able to make), ‘with all possible speed’…. We learn from Plutarch that he travelled 90 miles a day. (Towle & Jenks)ulteriorem: = transalpinam, ‘beyond the Alps’ from Rome. (Walker)provinciae...imperat: 'he levied upon the province.' (Walker) tactical mapcertiores facti sunt: ‘were informed,’ lit. ‘were made more certain.’ (Walker)qui dicerent: ‘in order to say.’ (Kelsey)L. Cassium: This officer was defeated in 107 B.C. by the Tigurini, one of the four Helvetian tribes. According to the Epitome of Livy (ch. 65, with which cf. Orosius, v, 15, §§ 23-4), the defeat took place in the country of the Nitiobroges, which corresponded with the departments of Lotet-Garonne and Tarn-et-Garonne. (Rice Holmes)occisum...pulsum...missum: these are perfect passive infinitives in indirect discourse, and depend on memoriā tenebat, which is equivalent to a verb of knowing. The perfect infinitive represents the action as past at the time of tenebat; "that Lucius Cassius had been slain," etc. (Walker) (A&G 584)sub iugum: 'under the yoke.' The ' yoke' was composed of two javelins planted in the ground and crossed above by a third. The troops were disarmed before they defiled under it; and in doing so they were of course obliged to stoop, and were mocked by their enemies. (Rice Holmes)concedendum non putabat: ‘did not think that the request ought to be granted’ ; less freely, ‘that the concession ought to be made.’ (Kelsey) (A&G 500)data facultate: = si facultas data esset, ‘if opportunity should have been granted.’ (Kelsey) (A&G 420)si quid vellent: quid: ‘anything’ (Kelsey)(A&G 310.a); vellent, reverterentur: ‘they want,’ ‘they should return’ (Kelsey) (A&G 588) ................
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