← Julius Caesar

Gallic War

§1.37.1-1.37.4

New Germanic Invasions and Caesar's Advance

Upon receiving embassies from the Haedui and the Treveri reporting the invasion and threat of new German tribes, Caesar quickly secures grain supplies and marches toward Ariovistus to prevent the enemy forces from uniting.

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§1.37.1

​Haec eodem tempore Caesari mandata referebantur et legati ab Haeduis et a Treveris veniebant:

​At the same time these messages were being reported to Caesar, and ambassadors were arriving from the Haedui and the Treveri.

§1.37.2

​Haedui questum1 quod Harudes, qui nuper in Galliam transportati essent, fines eorum popularentur: sese ne obsidibus quidem datis pacem Ariovisti redimere potuisse;

​The Haedui came to complain that the Harudes, who had recently been transported into Gaul, were devastating their territories, and that they had not been able to purchase peace from Ariovistus even by giving hostages.

§1.37.3

​Treveri autem,2 pagos centum Sueborum ad ripas Rheni consedisse, qui Rhenum transire conarentur; his praeesse Nasuam et Cimberium fratres. Quibus rebus Caesar vehementer commotus maturandum sibi3 existimavit, ne, si nova manus Sueborum cum veteribus copiis Ariovisti sese coniunxisset, minus facile resisti posset.4

​The Treveri, on the other hand, reported that a hundred cantons of the Suebi had settled on the banks of the Rhine, and were attempting to cross the Rhine, and that the brothers Nasua and Cimberius commanded them. Caesar, deeply disturbed by these matters, thought that he must hasten, lest, if a new force of Suebi should join with the old troops of Ariovistus, resistance might be less easily made.

§1.37.4

​Itaque re frumentaria quam celerrime potuit comparata magnis itineribus ad Ariovistum contendit.

​Therefore, having provided grain supplies as quickly as he could, he hastened toward Ariovistus by forced marches.

Syntax notes4 items
  1. 1.37.2questum

    The accusative supine of the verb queri (to complain), depending on the verb veniebant (were coming) in the preceding clause, expressing purpose after a verb of motion.

  2. 1.37.3Treveri autem

    The verb of motion and the expression of complaint (such as veniebant questum from the previous section) are omitted, which introduces the subsequent accusative and infinitive construction (consedisse).

  3. 1.37.3maturandum sibi

    Consists of the impersonal use of the gerundive maturandum [esse] and the dative of agent sibi. Literally "it must be hastened by him," meaning "he had to hasten."

  4. 1.37.3resisti posset

    The passive voice of the intransitive verb resistere (to resist). Since intransitive verbs can only be used impersonally in the passive, the passive infinitive resisti and the imperfect subjunctive posset form an impersonal construction meaning "resistance could be made."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
  • 2026-09-21 AI review — note 1
urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:1.37.1-1.37.4