Humanitext Reader

Julius Caesar · Gallic War §5.22.1-5.22.5

Surrender of Cassivellaunus and Terms of Tribute

Passage 178 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Cassivellaunus orders an assault on the Roman naval camp but fails, and faced with heavy losses and defections, he sues for peace. Caesar, planning to winter in Gaul, accepts the surrender under conditions of hostages, annual tribute, and safety for Mandubracius.

§5.22.1Dum haec in his locis geruntur, Cassivellaunus ad Cantium, quod esse ad mare supra demonstravimus, quibus regionibus quattuor reges praeerant, Cingetorix, Carvilius, Taximagulus, Segovax, nuntios mittit atque eis imperat uti coactis omnibus copiis castra navalia de improviso adoriantur atque oppugnent.
While these things are being transacted in these parts, Cassivellaunus sends messengers to Cantium, which we have pointed out above is on the sea, over which regions four kings presided, Cingetorix, Carvilius, Taximagulus, and Segovax, and orders them to collect all their forces and unexpectedly assault and storm the naval camp.
§5.22.2Ei cum ad castra venissent, nostri eruptione facta multis eorum interfectis, capto etiam nobili duce Lugotorige suos incolumes reduxerunt.
When they had come to the camp, our men made a sally, and having slain many of them, and also captured Lugotorix, a noble leader, brought back their own men safe and sound.
§5.22.3Cassivellaunus hoc proelio nuntiato tot detrimentis acceptis, vastatis finibus, maxime etiam permotus defectione civitatum legatos per Atrebatem Commium de deditione ad Caesarem mittit.
Cassivellaunus, when this battle was reported, having received so many losses, his territories having been ravaged, and being also especially alarmed by the defection of the states, sends ambassadors to Caesar through Commius the Atrebatian concerning a surrender.
§5.22.4Caesar, cum constituisset hiemare in continenti propter repentinos Galliae motus, neque multum aestatis superesset, atque id facile extrahi posse intellegeret, obsides imperat et quid in annos singulos vectigalis populo Romano Britannia penderet constituit; §5.22.5interdicit atque imperat Cassivellauno, ne Mandubracio neu Trinobantibus noceat.
Caesar, since he had determined to winter on the continent on account of the sudden commotions in Gaul, and not much of the summer remained, and he understood that this could easily be spun out, demands hostages, and prescribes what tribute Britain should pay each year to the Roman people; he forbids and commands Cassivellaunus not to injure Mandubracius or the Trinobantes.

Notes

  1. §5.22.1quibus regionibus — An instance of a relative adjective. It modifies the noun 'regionibus' in the relative clause 'quibus regionibus quattuor reges praeerant', referring back to the territory of 'Cantium'. It is translated as 'over which regions four kings presided'.
  2. §5.22.4id facile extrahi posse — Accusative with infinitive construction, serving as the object of 'intellegeret'. The pronoun 'id' (neuter singular) does not directly refer to 'aestas' (feminine), but to the general situation or the war itself, meaning 'that this (the military operations) could easily be spun out (or prolonged)'.
  3. §5.22.4quid... vectigalis — A partitive genitive construction. The neuter pronoun 'quid' (what) is accompanied by the genitive 'vectigalis' (of tribute), meaning 'how much tribute'. This forms an indirect question depending on 'constituit'.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §5.22.1-5.22.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:5.22.1-5.22.5

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.