- 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-lat2:7.4.1-7.4.10
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-31
Vercingetorix of the Arverni overcomes opposition to become king and unites many Gallic states under his supreme command. He enforces strict discipline and severe punishments to compel the states to supply arms and troops.
Simili ratione ibi Vercingetorix, Celtilli filius, Arvernus, summae potentiae1 adulescens, cuius pater principatum Galliae totius obtinuerat et ob eam causam, quod regnum appetebat, ab civitate erat interfectus, convocatis suis clientibus facile incendit.
In a similar manner, Vercingetorix, the son of Celtillus, an Arvernian, a young man of the greatest influence—whose father had held the supremacy of all Gaul and had been put to death by the state for this reason, because he aimed at the kingship—having called together his dependents, easily inflamed them.
Cognito eius consilio ad arma concurritur.2 Prohibetur ab Gobannitione, patruo suo, reliquisque principibus, qui hanc temptandam fortunam non existimabant; expellitur ex oppido Gergovia;
When his design was known, they rushed to arms. He was opposed by Gobannitio, his uncle, and the rest of the chiefs, who did not think this fortune should be tempted; he was expelled from the town of Gergovia.
non destitit tamen atque in agris habet dilectum egentium ac perditorum. Hac coacta manu, quoscumque adit ex civitate ad suam sententiam perducit;
However, he did not desist, but held a levy of the needy and desperate in the fields. Having collected this band, he brought over to his own opinion whomsoever he met from the state;
hortatur ut communis libertatis causa arma capiant, magnisque coactis copiis adversarios suos a quibus paulo ante erat eiectus expellit ex civitate.
he exhorted them to take up arms for the sake of the common liberty, and having gathered large forces, he expelled from the state his opponents by whom he had been cast out a little before.
Rex ab suis appellatur. Dimittit quoque versus legationes; obtestatur ut in fide maneant.
He is called king by his followers. He sends embassies in every direction; he entreats them to remain in their allegiance.
Celeriter sibi Senones, Parisios, Pictones, Cadurcos, Turonos, Aulercos, Lemovices, Andos reliquosque omnes qui Oceanum attingunt adiungit: omnium consensu ad eum defertur imperium.
He quickly wins over to himself the Senones, Parisii, Pictones, Cadurci, Turoni, Aulerci, Lemovices, Andes, and all the rest who border on the Ocean; by the consent of all, the supreme command is conferred upon him.
Qua oblata potestate omnibus his civitatibus obsides imperat, certum numerum militum ad se celeriter adduci iubet, armorum quantum3 quaeque civitas domi quodque ante tempus efficiat constituit; in primis equitatui studet.
Having been invested with this power, he demands hostages from all these states, and orders a certain number of soldiers to be brought to him quickly. He determines what quantity of arms each state should produce at home, and before what time; he especially devotes himself to the cavalry.
Summae diligentiae summam imperi severitatem addit; magnitudine supplici dubitantes cogit.
To the greatest diligence he adds the greatest severity of command; he forces the wavering by the magnitude of his punishment.
nam maiore commisso delicto igni atque omnibus tormentis necat, leviore de causa auribus desectis aut singulis effossis oculis domum remittit, ut sint reliquis documento4 et magnitudine poenae perterreant alios.
For when a greater crime has been committed, he puts them to death with fire and all kinds of tortures; for a lighter cause, having cut off their ears or gouged out one of their eyes, he sends them home, so that they may be a warning to the rest and terrify others by the severity of the punishment.
- 7.4.1summae potentiae
Genitive of quality (genitivus qualitatis) meaning "of the greatest influence/power", modifying the noun adulescens (young man).
- 7.4.2ad arma concurritur
An impersonal passive construction using the third-person singular passive of the intransitive verb concurro (to rush together). Lit. "it is rushed to arms", meaning "they rush to arms" or "the people run to arms".
- 7.4.8armorum quantum
The partitive genitive armorum (of arms) depends on the pronoun of quantity quantum (how much). The clause quantum... efficiat is an indirect question depending on constituit (he determines), with the subjunctive efficiat conveying an idea of duty or expectation ("should produce").
- 7.4.10sint reliquis documento
Double dative construction: reliquis is the dative of reference/advantage (dativus commodi), and documento is the dative of purpose/result (dativus finis), meaning "so that they might be a warning (lesson) to the rest".