- 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-lat2:4.33.1-4.33.3
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-28
Caesar explains the unique chariot fighting tactics of the Britons. They combine the mobility of cavalry and the stability of infantry, throwing the enemy into confusion with horses and noise, and mastering the control of their chariots.
Genus hoc est ex essedis pugnae. Primo per omnes partes perequitant et tela coiciunt atque ipso terrore equorum et strepitu rotarum ordines plerumque perturbant, et cum se inter equitum turmas insinuaverunt, ex essedis desiliunt et pedibus proeliantur.
This is the manner of fighting from chariots. First they ride through all parts and hurl their weapons, and generally throw the ranks into confusion by the very terror of the horses and the noise of the wheels; and when they have worked themselves in between the troops of cavalry, they leap down from their chariots and fight on foot.
Aurigae interim paulatim ex proelio excedunt atque ita currus conlocant ut, si illi1 a multitudine hostium premantur, expeditum ad suos receptum habeant.
The charioteers meanwhile withdraw gradually from the battle, and position the chariots in such a way that, if those warriors are hard pressed by a multitude of the enemy, they may have an unimpeded retreat to their own men.
Ita mobilitatem equitum, stabilitatem peditum in proeliis praestant, ac tantum usu cotidiano et exercitatione efficiunt uti2 in declivi ac praecipiti loco incitatos equos sustinere et brevi moderari ac flectere et per temonem percurrere et in iugo insistere et se inde in currus citissime recipere consuerint.3
Thus they display in battles the mobility of cavalry and the stability of infantry, and they achieve so much by daily practice and training that they are accustomed, even on sloping and steep ground, to check their horses at full gallop, to manage and turn them in a moment, to run along the pole, to stand on the yoke, and from there to retreat very quickly into their chariots.
- 4.33.2illi
The demonstrative pronoun "illi" (nominative plural) refers to the warriors who have leaped down to fight on foot, as opposed to the "aurigae" (charioteers) who are the subject of the main clause. It highlights the division of labor between the charioteers and the combatants.
- 4.33.3uti
An archaic or emphatic spelling variant of the conjunction "ut" (= ut), introducing the result clause correlated with the adverb "tantum".
- 4.33.3consuerint
The perfect subjunctive (contracted form for "consueverint") of the verb "consuesco" (to become accustomed), used in the "ut" clause of result. The perfect tense of this verb has a present meaning ("to be accustomed"), governing the series of complementary infinitives that follow.