2. Introduction
This is a Latin Text of Caesar’s De Bello
Gallico Book Seven 66 and 67. A slide
with the Latin is follwed by a slide of brief
commentary. It is not a difficult passage,
however, diagramming some of the
clause-heavy sentences may be
necessary.
3. 66
Interea, dum haec geruntur, hostium copiae ex Arvernis equitesque qui toti
Galliae erant imperati conveniunt. Magno horum coacto numero, cum
Caesar in Sequanos per extremos Lingonum fines iter faceret, quo facilius
subsidium provinciae ferri posset, circiter milia passuum decem ab Romanis
trinis castris Vercingetorix consedit convocatisque ad concilium praefectis
equitum venisse tempus victoriae demonstrat. Fugere in provinciam
Romanos Galliaque excedere.
4. 66
Line one: what sort of verb is geruntur?
Lines one and two: There are three verbs in the first
sentence so identifying each of the clauses is going to be
very important. The main clause is “Hostium copiae
equitesque conveniunt.” How do the remaining clauses
relate to it?
Line three: Remember that “iter faceret” is idiomatic.
How is it that there is no nominative in the last sentence?
How is Caesar getting away with only accusatives and
infinitives?
5. 66
Id sibi ad praesentem obtinendam libertatem satis esse; ad reliqui
temporis pacem atque otium parum profici: maioribus enim
coactis copiis reversuros neque finem bellandi facturos. Proinde
agmine impeditos adorirantur. Si pedites suis auxilium ferant atque
in eo morentur, iter facere non posse; si, id quod magis futurum
confidat, relictis impedimentis suae saluti consulant, et usu rerum
necessariarum et dignitate spoliatum iri.
6. 66
Line three: “reversuros” has a ur before a
noun ending. What construction does this
make it and what tense is it?
Line three: Remember that bellandi is a
gerund as a genetive with finem.
7. 66
Nam de equitibus hostium, quin nemo eorum progredi modo
extra agmen audeat, et ipsos quidem non debere dubitare, et
quo maiore faciant animo, copias se omnes pro castris
habiturum et terrori hostibus futurum. Conclamant equites
sanctissimo iureiurando confirmari oportere, ne tecto
recipiatur, ne ad liberos, ne ad parentes, ad uxorem aditum
habeat, qui non bis per agmen hostium perequitasset.
8. 66
Line five: iureiurando is another gerund from
the verb meaning to swear an oath
Line six: aditum is an accusative of aditus
meaning approach
Line seven: perequitasset is what form of the
verb perequito, -are meaning to ride
through
9. 67
Probata re atque omnibus iureiurando adactis postero die in tres partes
distributo equitatu duae se acies ab duobus lateribus ostendunt, una primo
agmine iter impedire coepit. Qua re nuntiata Caesar suum quoque
equitatum tripertito divisum contra hostem ire iubet. Pugnatur una omnibus
in partibus. Consistit agmen; impedimenta intra legiones recipiuntur. Si qua in
parte nostri laborare aut gravius premi videbantur, eo signa inferri Caesar
aciemque constitui iubebat; quae res et hostes ad insequendum tardabat
et nostros spe auxili confirmabat.
10. 67
Line one: This is another sentence with a lot
of clauses. Diagramming them might be
a good idea.
Line six: What degree is gravius?
11. 67
Tandem Germani ab dextro latere summum iugum nacti hostes loco depellunt;
fugientes usque ad flumen, ubi Vercingetorix cum pedestribus copiis consederat,
persequuntur compluresque interficiunt. Qua re animadversa reliqui ne
circumirentur veriti se fugae mandant. Omnibus locis fit caedes. Tres nobilissimi
Aedui capti ad Caesarem perducuntur: Cotus, praefectus equitum, qui
controversiam cum Convictolitavi proximis comitiis habuerat, et Cavarillus, qui
post defectionem Litavicci pedestribus copiis praefuerat, et Eporedorix, quo duce
ante adventum Caesaris Aedui cum Sequanis bello contenderant.
12. 67
Line two: “usque” is not us + que but rather
an adverb with an accusative meaning
“right up to” or “as far as”.
As you have noticed, Caesar uses a lot of
ablative absolutes. What effect does this
have on the pace of this passage?
