- Source
- Julius Caesar. Aulus Hirtius. C. Iuli Commentarii Rerum in Gallia Gestarum VII A. Hirti Commentarius VII. Holmes, T. Rice (Thomas Rice), editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1914.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:3.8.1-3.8.5
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-26
The Veneti, utilizing their powerful naval strength and influence, detain the Roman envoys, inspiring neighboring states to rebel and demand the return of their hostages from Crassus.
Huius est civitatis longe amplissima auctoritas omnis orae maritimae regionum earum, quod et naves habent Veneti plurimas, quibus in Britanniam navigare consuerunt, et scientia atque usu rerum nauticarum ceteros antecedunt et in magno impetu maris atque aperto paucis portibus interiectis,1 quos tenent ipsi, omnes fere qui eo mari uti consuerunt habent vectigales.
The influence of this state is by far the greatest of all the maritime coast of those regions, because the Veneti both possess a very large number of ships, in which they have been accustomed to sail to Britain, and surpass the rest in the knowledge and practice of navigation, and, as there are only a few harbors scattered along a violent and open sea, which they themselves hold, they have as tributaries almost all who have been accustomed to use that sea.
Ab his fit initium retinendi Silii atque Velanii,2 quod per eos suos se obsides, quos Crasso dedissent, recuperaturos existimabant.
By them a beginning was made of detaining Silius and Velanius, because they thought that through them they should recover their own hostages whom they had given to Crassus.
Horum auctoritate finitimi adducti, ut sunt Gallorum subita et repentina consilia, eadem de causa Trebium Terrasidiumque retinent et celeriter missis legatis per suos principes inter se coniurant nihil nisi communi consilio acturos3 eundemque omnes fortunae exitum esse laturos, reliquasque civitates sollicitant, ut in ea libertate quam a maioribus acceperint permanere quam Romanorum servitutem perferre malint.
The neighboring people, induced by their influence, since the designs of the Gauls are sudden and unexpected, for the same reason detain Trebius and Terrasidius, and, having quickly sent ambassadors, conspire among themselves through their leading men that they would do nothing except by common counsel and would all bear the same issue of fortune; and they solicit the remaining states, that they should prefer to remain in that liberty which they had received from their ancestors rather than endure the slavery of the Romans.
Omni ora maritima celeriter ad suam sententiam perducta communem legationem ad P. Crassum mittunt, si velit suos recuperare, obsides sibi remittat.4
The entire maritime coast having been quickly brought over to their opinion, they send a common embassy to Publius Crassus, stating that if he wished to recover his own men, he should return their hostages to them.
- 3.8.1paucis portibus interiectis
An ablative absolute construction, meaning 'with a few harbors scattered between'. It functions here adverbially to indicate reason or condition.
- 3.8.2retinendi Silii atque Velanii
A gerundive construction in the genitive case modifying the noun 'initium', meaning 'of detaining Silius and Velanius'.
- 3.8.3nihil nisi communi consilio acturos
An active future infinitive in indirect speech. The accusative subject 'se' and the auxiliary 'esse' are omitted (i.e., [se] nihil... acturos [esse]). The implied subject refers to the 'finitimi' and their allies.
- 3.8.5si velit suos recuperare, obsides sibi remittat
A conditional sentence in indirect speech where the governing verb of speaking (such as 'demanding') is omitted. The imperative 'remitte' (return!) from the direct speech is here represented by the subjunctive 'remittat' in the indirect discourse.