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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §2.26.1-2.26.5

Joining of Legions and Reinforcement by Labienus

Passage 80 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar orders the twelfth and seventh legions to join forces to secure their positions. With the arrival of the two rear-guard legions and Labienus dispatching the tenth legion, the Romans mount a swift and powerful counterattack.

§2.26.1Caesar, cum VII. legionem, quae iuxta constiterat, item urgeri ab hoste vidisset, tribunos militum monuit ut paulatim sese legiones coniungerent et conversa signa in hostes inferrent.
Caesar, when he saw that the seventh legion, which had taken its position close by, was likewise hard pressed by the enemy, warned the military tribunes that the legions should gradually join together and, having turned their standards, advance against the enemy.
§2.26.2Quo facto cum aliis alii subsidium ferrent neque timerent ne aversi ab hoste circumvenirentur, audacius resistere ac fortius pugnare coeperunt.
When this was done, since they were bringing assistance to one another and did not fear that they would be surrounded by the enemy from behind, they began to resist more boldly and fight more courageously.
§2.26.3Interim milites legionum duarum quae in novissimo agmine praesidio impedimentis fuerant, proelio nuntiato, cursu incitato in summo colle ab hostibus conspiciebantur, §2.26.4et T. Labienus castris hostium potitus et ex loco superiore quae res in nostris castris gererentur conspicatus X. legionem subsidio nostris misit.
Meanwhile, the soldiers of the two legions which had been in the rear guard to protect the baggage, when the battle was reported, quickened their pace and were seen by the enemy on the top of the hill; and Titus Labienus, having gained possession of the enemy's camp and having observed from the higher ground what was going on in our camp, sent the tenth legion as a reinforcement to our men.
§2.26.5Qui cum ex equitum et calonum fuga quo in loco res esset quantoque in periculo et castra et legiones et imperator versaretur cognovissent, nihil ad celeritatem sibi reliqui fecerunt.
When they had learned from the flight of the horsemen and camp-followers in what position the state of affairs was, and in how great danger both the camp and the legions and the general were, they left nothing undone to make the utmost speed.

Notes

  1. §2.26.1conversa signa — The perfect participle 'conversa' modifies 'signa' (neuter plural accusative). Literally meaning 'turned standards', in military terminology it refers to reforming the lines back-to-back or in an outward-facing formation so that the two legions could protect each other's rear while facing the enemy.
  2. §2.26.2ne aversi ab hoste circumvenirentur — A clause of fearing introduced by 'ne' with the subjunctive 'circumvenirentur' after 'timerent'. 'aversi' is a nominative plural masculine adjective functioning predicatively, describing the state of the soldiers ('turned away' or 'from behind'). It means 'lest they should be surrounded by the enemy from the rear'.
  3. §2.26.5nihil ad celeritatem sibi reliqui fecerunt — The genitive 'reliqui' is a partitive genitive modifying the neuter pronoun 'nihil' ('nothing of left/remaining'). 'ad celeritatem' means 'with respect to speed'. Literally, 'they left nothing of remaining for themselves in respect of speed,' which is an idiomatic expression meaning 'they made the utmost possible speed' or 'they lost no time in rushing to help.'

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §2.26.1-2.26.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:2.26.1-2.26.5

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