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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §5.54.1-5.54.5

Defiance of the Senones and Widespread Unrest in Gaul

Passage 210 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar maintains control over most of Gaul through intimidation and encouragement, but the Senones defy him by expelling King Cavarinus. Rebellious sentiments spread throughout Gaul, making almost every state except the Aedui and Remi suspect to the Romans.

§5.54.1At Caesar principibus cuiusque civitatis ad se evocatis alias territando, cum se scire quae fierent denuntiaret, alias cohortando magnam partem Galliae in officio tenuit.
But Caesar, having summoned the chiefs of each state to him, kept a great part of Gaul in its allegiance, at one time by terrifying them, when he declared that he knew what was going on, at another time by encouraging them.
§5.54.2Tamen Senones, quae est civitas in primis firma et magnae inter Gallos auctoritatis, Cavarinum, quem Caesar apud eos regem constituerat, cuius frater Moritasgus adventu in Galliam Caesaris cuiusque maiores regnum obtinuerant, interficere publico consilio conati, cum ille praesensisset ac profugisset, usque ad fines insecuti §5.54.3regno domoque expulerunt et, missis ad Caesarem satisfaciendi causa legatis, cum is omnem ad se senatum venire iussisset, dicto audientes non fuerunt.
Nevertheless, the Senones, which is a state particularly powerful and of great authority among the Gauls, having attempted by a public resolution to put to death Cavarinus, whom Caesar had appointed king among them, whose brother Moritasgus and whose ancestors had held the kingdom before the arrival of Caesar in Gaul, pursued him even to the borders when he had suspected their design and fled; they expelled him from his kingdom and home, and, though they sent ambassadors to Caesar for the purpose of making excuses, when he ordered their entire senate to come to him, they were not obedient to his command.
§5.54.4Ac tantum apud homines barbaros valuit esse aliquos repertos principes inferendi belli tantamque omnibus voluntatum commutationem attulit, ut praeter Aeduos et Remos, quos praecipuo semper honore Caesar habuit, alteros pro vetere ac perpetua erga populum Romanum fide, alteros pro recentibus Gallici belli officiis, nulla fere civitas fuerit non suspecta nobis.
And so much influence did the fact that some had been found to be the leaders in initiating war have among these barbarous people, and such a great change of feeling did it bring to all, that, except for the Aedui and the Remi, whom Caesar always held in especial honor, the former for their ancient and unbroken fidelity toward the Roman people, the latter for their recent services in the Gallic war, there was scarcely any state that was not suspected by us.
§5.54.5Idque adeo haud scio mirandumne sit, cum compluribus aliis de causis, tum maxime quod ei, qui virtute belli omnibus gentibus praeferebantur, tantum se eius opinionis deperdidisse ut a populo Romano imperia perferrent gravissime dolebant.
And indeed, I do not know whether this is to be wondered at, both for several other reasons, and especially because those who were preferred to all nations in valor of war, were grieving most bitterly that they had lost so much of that reputation that they had to endure the commands of the Roman people.

Notes

  1. 5.54.1alias ... alias — Used adverbially, meaning 'at one time ... at another time ...'. Instead of acting as accusative pronouns, they here coordinate the two ablative gerunds `territando` and `cohortando` to contrast Caesar's dual methods of intimidation and encouragement.
  2. 5.54.2magnae inter Gallos auctoritatis — A genitive of quality (or description) modifying the preceding noun `civitas`, indicating the high standing and influence of the Senones among the Gauls.
  3. 5.54.2adventu in Galliam Caesaris — The noun `adventu` is an ablative of time, meaning 'at the arrival of Caesar in Gaul', specifying the timeframe in the past during which they held the kingship.
  4. 5.54.4esse aliquos repertos principes inferendi belli — An accusative with infinitive clause functioning as the subject of the main verb `valuit`. Literally, 'that some had been found to be the leaders of initiating war', which exerted a strong influence on the overall rebellious mood.
  5. 5.54.5haud scio mirandumne sit — An idiomatic construction introducing an indirect question with `-ne`. Similar to `haud scio an`, it literally translates as 'I do not know whether it should be wondered at', but functions to express a mild assertion: 'it is probably not to be wondered at' or 'it is hardly surprising.'
  6. 5.54.5tantum se eius opinionis deperdidisse — An accusative with infinitive clause functioning as the object of the main verb `dolebant`. `eius opinionis` is a partitive genitive depending on `tantum`, meaning 'had lost so much of that reputation.'

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §5.54.1-5.54.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:5.54.1-5.54.5

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