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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §1.46.1-1.46.4

Attack by Ariovistus's Cavalry and End of Talks

Passage 46 of 404 · Latin

Summary

During the conference, Ariovistus's cavalry attacks the Romans, prompting Caesar to break off the talks and forbid counterattacks to avoid any accusation of treachery. This incident greatly increases the morale of the Roman army.

§1.46.1Dum haec in conloquio geruntur, Caesari nuntiatum est equites Ariovisti propius tumulum accedere et ad nostros adequitare, lapides telaque in nostros coicere.
While these things were being transacted in the conference, it was announced to Caesar that the cavalry of Ariovistus were approaching nearer the mound, and were riding up to our men, and casting stones and weapons at them.
§1.46.2Caesar loquendi finem fecit seque ad suos recepit suisque imperavit ne quod omnino telum in hostes reicerent.
Caesar made an end of speaking, and retreated to his men, and commanded them that they should not cast back any weapon at all at the enemy.
§1.46.3Nam etsi sine ullo periculo legionis delectae cum equitatu proelium fore videbat, tamen committendum non putabat ut, pulsis hostibus, dici posset eos ab se per fidem in conloquio circumventos.
For though he saw that a battle of his chosen legion with the cavalry would be without any danger, yet he did not think he should allow it to happen that, after the enemy were repulsed, it could be said they had been entrapped by him under pledge of faith in the conference.
§1.46.4Postea quam in vulgus militum elatum est qua arrogantia in conloquio Ariovistus usus omni Gallia Romanis interdixisset, impetumque in nostros eius equites fecissent, eaque res conloquium ut diremisset, multo maior alacritas studiumque pugnandi maius exercitui iniectum est.
After it was spread abroad among the common soldiers with what arrogance Ariovistus, conducting himself in the conference, had forbidden the Romans all Gaul, and that his cavalry had made an attack on our men, and how that circumstance had broken off the conference, a much greater alacrity and a greater eagerness for fighting was infused into the army.

Notes

  1. §1.46.1propius tumulum — The comparative adverb propius directly governs the accusative tumulum as a preposition. Adverbs like prope, propius, and proxime can take the accusative or dative case.
  2. §1.46.2ne quod — Following the conjunction ne, the adjectival indefinite pronoun quod (neuter accusative singular of qui/quod) is used in the sense of "any". This follows the rule where the prefix ali- of aliquis is dropped after si, nisi, ne, or num.
  3. §1.46.3committendum non putabat ut — An impersonal construction with the gerundive committendum (with esse omitted). The phrase committere ut (+ subjunctive) means "to allow it to happen that" or "to bring it about that."
  4. §1.46.3per fidem — Literally "through faith," but here in the sense of "by abuse of faith" or "under the pretense of pledge," modifying circumventos (circumvented, entrapped).
  5. §1.46.4eaque res conloquium ut diremisset — A hyperbaton occurs where the conjunction ut is placed after eaque res. This ut is an interrogative adverb meaning "how," introducing an indirect question with diremisset (imperfect subjunctive) depending on elatum est.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §1.46.1-1.46.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:1.46.1-1.46.4

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