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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §1.41.1-1.41.5

Restoration of Morale and the March toward Ariovistus

Passage 41 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar's speech dramatically restored the morale of the soldiers, with the Tenth Legion and others expressing their apologies and loyalty. Caesar set out on a route reconnoitered by Diviciacus, and on the seventh day, he was informed that Ariovistus's forces were nearby.

§1.41.1Hac oratione habita mirum in modum conversae sunt omnium mentes summaque alacritas et cupiditas belli gerendi innata est,
When this speech had been delivered, the minds of all were changed in a wonderful manner, and the greatest eagerness and desire for waging war were inspired.
§1.41.2princepsque X. legio per tribunos militum ei gratias egit quod de se optimum iudicium fecisset, seque esse ad bellum gerendum paratissimam confirmavit.
And the Tenth Legion, being the first, expressed its thanks to him through the military tribunes for having passed the most favorable judgment on them, and declared that they were fully prepared to wage war.
§1.41.3Deinde reliquae legiones cum tribunis militum et primorum ordinum centurionibus egerunt uti Caesari satis facerent: se neque umquam dubitasse neque timuisse neque de summa belli suum iudicium sed imperatoris esse existimavisse.
Then the remaining legions exerted themselves through the military tribunes and the centurions of the first rank to make amends to Caesar, stating that they had never either doubted or feared, nor had they ever thought that the judgment concerning the supreme conduct of the war belonged to them, but to the commander.
§1.41.4Eorum satisfactione accepta et itinere exquisito per Diviciacum, quod ex Gallis ei maximam fidem habebat, ut milium amplius quinquaginta circuitu locis apertis exercitum duceret, de quarta vigilia, ut dixerat, profectus est.
Having accepted their apology, and after the route had been reconnoitered through Diviciacus—in whom, of all the Gauls, Caesar had the greatest confidence—so that he might lead the army through open country by a detour of more than fifty miles, he set out, as he had said, during the fourth watch.
§1.41.5Septimo die, cum iter non intermitteret, ab exploratoribus certior factus est Ariovisti copias a nostris milia passuum IIII et XX abesse.
On the seventh day, since he did not interrupt the march, he was informed by scouts that Ariovistus's forces were twenty-four miles distant from our men.

Notes

  1. 1.41.2princeps — The adjective princeps (first, chief) is used here predicatively to modify the subject X. legio, functioning adverbially to mean "the Tenth Legion was the first to..." or "the Tenth Legion first of all...".
  2. 1.41.3cum tribunis militum et primorum ordinum centurionibus egerunt uti — The idiom agere cum aliquo uti... means "to plead with, negotiate with, or urge someone to...". The subject is the remaining legions (reliquae legiones), who urged the military tribunes and centurions to act as intermediaries to make amends (satis facerent) to Caesar.
  3. 1.41.4ei maximam fidem habebat — The subject of habebat is Caesar (the main subject of the sentence). ei is a dative referring to Diviciacus, and the phrase fidem habere means "to have/place trust in someone." Thus, it translates to "Caesar had the greatest confidence in him."
  4. 1.41.4ut milium amplius quinquaginta circuitu locis apertis exercitum duceret — This ut clause explains the purpose or the details of the reconnoitered route (itinere exquisito); namely, a route that would allow Caesar "to lead the army through open country by a detour of more than fifty miles."

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §1.41.1-1.41.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:1.41.1-1.41.5

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