- 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-lat2:8.36.1-8.36.6
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-04
Caninius learns the exact location of Drappes' camp from prisoners and launches a surprise attack. Seizing the high ground, the Roman forces crush the off-guard enemy, capturing Drappes himself.
Re bene gesta Caninius ex captivis comperit partem copiarum cum Drappete esse in castris a milibus longe non amplius XII.
Having successfully completed the operation, Caninius learned from the prisoners that a part of the forces was in the camp with Drappes, not more than twelve miles away.
Qua re ex compluribus cognita, cum intellegeret fugato duce altero perterritos reliquos facile opprimi posse, magnae felicitatis1 esse arbitrabatur neminem ex caede refugisse in castra qui de accepta calamitate nuntium Drappeti perferret.2
When this fact was confirmed by several of them, since he understood that the rest, terrified by the flight of the other leader, could be easily crushed, he considered it a matter of great fortune that no one had fled from the slaughter back to the camp who might carry the news of the disaster they had suffered to Drappes.
Sed in experiendo cum periculum nullum videret, equitatum omnem Germanosque pedites, summae velocitatis homines, ad castra hostium praemittit; ipse legionem unam in trina castra3 distribuit, alteram secum expeditam ducit.
But seeing no danger in making the attempt, he sends ahead all the cavalry and the German infantry, men of the greatest speed, to the enemy’s camp; he himself distributes one legion among the three camps, and leads the other with him, light-armed.
Cum propius hostes accessisset, ab exploratoribus quos praemiserat cognoscit castra eorum, ut barbarorum fere consuetudo est, relictis locis superioribus ad ripas fluminis esse demissa; at Germanos equitesque imprudentibus omnibus4 de improviso advolasse proeliumque commisisse.
When he had come closer to the enemy, he learns from the scouts whom he had sent ahead that their camp, as is generally the custom of barbarians, had been pitched lower down on the banks of the river, leaving the higher ground; and that the Germans and the cavalry had flown upon them unexpectedly when they were all off their guard, and had joined battle.
Qua re cognita legionem armatam instructamque adducit. Ita repente omnibus ex partibus signo dato loca superiora capiuntur.
Having learned this, he leads up the legion, armed and drawn up for battle. Thus, when the signal was suddenly given from all sides, the higher ground is seized.
Quod ubi accidit, Germani equitesque signis legionis visis vehementissime proeliantur. Confestim cohortes undique impetum faciunt omnibusque aut interfectis aut captis magna praeda potiuntur. Capitur ipse eo proelio Drappes.
When this happened, the Germans and the cavalry, seeing the standards of the legion, fight most fiercely. Immediately the cohorts make an attack from all sides, and having either killed or captured all of them, they obtain great booty. Drappes himself is captured in that battle.
- 8.36.2magnae felicitatis
Predicate genitive (genitive of quality), functioning as the complement of "arbitrabatur" with the infinitive clause "neminem ... refugisse" as its subject.
- 8.36.2qui ... perferret
Subjunctive imperfect, expressing a subjunctive of characteristic modifying the antecedent "neminem" ("no one of such a kind as to carry...").
- 8.36.3trina castra
The distributive numeral "trina" is used instead of the cardinal "tria" because "castra" is a plural-only noun (plurale tantum) with a singular meaning.
- 8.36.4imprudentibus omnibus
Ablative absolute, meaning "while all were unaware" or "off their guard", describing the circumstance of the surprise attack.