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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §3.11.1-3.11.5

Division of Forces and Dispatch of Lieutenants

Passage 100 of 404 · Latin

Summary

To prevent further rebellions in Gaul and German intervention, Caesar divides his forces among his lieutenants (Labienus, Crassus, Sabinus, and Brutus) and sends them to various regions, while he himself sets out for the Veneti.

§3.11.1Itaque T. Labienum legatum in Treveros, qui proximi flumini Rheno sunt, cum equitatu mittit.
Therefore, he sends T. Labienus, the lieutenant, with the cavalry to the Treveri, who are nearest to the river Rhine.
§3.11.2Huic mandat, Remos reliquosque Belgas adeat atque in officio contineat Germanosque, qui auxilio a Belgis arcessiti dicebantur, si per vim navibus flumen transire conentur, prohibeat.
He orders him to visit the Remi and the rest of the Belgae and keep them in their allegiance, and to prevent the Germans—who were said to have been summoned by the Belgae for assistance—if they should attempt to cross the river by force in ships.
§3.11.3P. Crassum cum cohortibus legionariis XII et magno numero equitatus in Aquitaniam proficisci iubet, ne ex his nationibus auxilia in Galliam mittantur ac tantae nationes coniungantur.
He orders P. Crassus to set out for Aquitania with twelve legionary cohorts and a great number of cavalry, lest reinforcements should be sent from these nations into Gaul and such great nations be united.
§3.11.4Q. Titurium Sabinum legatum cum legionibus tribus in Venellos, Coriosolites Lexoviosque mittit, qui eam manum distinendam curet.
He sends Q. Titurius Sabinus, the lieutenant, with three legions into the Venelli, the Coriosolites, and the Lexovii, to take care that their force be kept separated.
§3.11.5D. Brutum adulescentem classi Gallicisque navibus, quas ex Pictonibus et Santonis reliquisque pacatis regionibus convenire iusserat, praeficit et, cum primum possit, in Venetos proficisci iubet.
He puts the young D. Brutus in command of the fleet and the Gallic ships, which he had ordered to assemble from the Pictones and the Santoni and the other pacified regions, and orders him to set out for the Veneti as soon as he can.
Ipse eo pedestribus copiis contendit.
He himself hastens thither with the land forces.

Notes

  1. §3.11.2Huic mandat, Remos reliquosque Belgas adeat — The conjunction ut, which introduces the object clause dependent on mandat (he orders), is omitted, with adeat, contineat, and prohibeat being in the present subjunctive. In Caesar's style, the omission of ut after verbs of ordering like mandare or imperare is common.
  2. §3.11.2auxilio — A dative of purpose, meaning "for assistance" or "to serve as aid".
  3. §3.11.4qui eam manum distinendam curet — The relative pronoun qui introduces a relative clause of purpose with the subjunctive curet ("in order to..."). Additionally, the verb curo (take care, arrange) is combined with the gerundive agreeing with the object (eam manum distinendam) to mean "to take care that the force is kept separated."
  4. §3.11.5classi Gallicisque navibus — The verb praeficio (put in command of) takes the dative case (classi, navibus) for the object of command ("the fleet and Gallic ships") and the accusative (D. Brutum) for the person appointed.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §3.11.1-3.11.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:3.11.1-3.11.5

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