Humanitext Reader

Julius Caesar · Gallic War §3.7.1-3.7.4

Sudden Rebellion in Gaul and Crassus's Envoys

Passage 96 of 404 · Latin

Summary

While Caesar sets out for Illyricum believing Gaul to be pacified, a sudden war breaks out in Gaul. The cause is Publius Crassus, wintering among the Andes, sending envoys to neighboring states due to a scarcity of food.

§3.7.1His rebus gestis cum omnibus de causis Caesar pacatam Galliam existimaret, [superatis Belgis, expulsis Germanis, victis in Alpibus Sedunis,] atque ita inita hieme in Illyricum profectus esset, quod eas quoque nationes adire et regiones cognoscere volebat, subitum bellum in Gallia coortum est.
These things having been done, when Caesar for every reason supposed Gaul to be pacified, [the Belgae having been overcome, the Germans expelled, and the Seduni in the Alps defeated,] and had thus, at the beginning of winter, set out for Illyricum, because he wished to visit those nations also and to become acquainted with the countries, a sudden war broke out in Gaul.
§3.7.2Eius belli haec fuit causa.
The cause of this war was as follows.
P. Crassus adulescens cum legione VII. proximus mare Oceanum in Andibus hiemabat.
Publius Crassus, a young man, was wintering with the seventh legion in the territory of the Andes, closest to the Ocean.
§3.7.3Is, quod in his locis inopia frumenti erat, praefectos tribunosque militum complures in finitimas civitates frumenti causa dimisit; §3.7.4quo in numero est T. Terrasidius missus in Esuvios, M. Trebius Gallus in Coriosolites, Q. Velanius eum T. Silio in Venetos.
He, because there was a scarcity of corn in these parts, sent several prefects and military tribunes into the neighboring states for the purpose of seeking corn; in which number Titus Terrasidius was sent among the Esuvii, Marcus Trebius Gallus among the Coriosolites, and Quintus Velanius with Titus Silius among the Veneti.

Notes

  1. 3.7.1superatis Belgis, expulsis Germanis, victis in Alpibus Sedunis — A threefold parallel construction of ablatives absolute, explaining the grounds on which Caesar supposed Gaul to be pacified (pacatam Galliam existimaret). The brackets [ ] indicate that they are suspected by editors to be a later interpolation.
  2. 3.7.2proximus mare Oceanum — The adjective proximus (closest) usually governs the dative, but here it takes the accusative mare Oceanum directly, functioning like the preposition prope (near).
  3. 3.7.4eum T. Silio — A manuscript variant or scribal error where the preposition cum (with) is expected. It is interpreted along with the ablative T. Silius as 'with Titus Silius'.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §3.7.1-3.7.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:3.7.1-3.7.4

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