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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §6.10.1-6.10.5

Movements of the Suebi and Retreat to the Bacenis Forest

Passage 224 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar learns of the Suebi's movements and orders the Ubii to secure their provisions and evacuate. Later, through the Ubii's scouts, he receives a report that the Suebi are awaiting them at the entrance of the Bacenis forest.

§6.10.1Interim paucis post diebus fit ab Vbiis certior Suebos omnes in unum locum copias cogere atque eis nationibus quae sub eorum sint imperio denuntiare, ut auxilia peditatus equitatusque mittant.
Meanwhile, a few days after, he is informed by the Ubii that all the Suebi are collecting their forces into one place, and are ordering those nations which are under their dominion to send assistance of infantry and cavalry.
§6.10.2His cognitis rebus rem frumentariam providet, castris idoneum locum deligit; Vbiis imperat ut pecora deducant suaque omnia ex agris in oppida conferant, sperans barbaros atque imperitos homines inopia cibariorum adductos ad iniquam pugnandi condicionem posse deduci; §6.10.3mandat, ut crebros exploratores in Suebos mittant quaeque apud eos gerantur cognoscant.
Having learned these things, he provides for a supply of corn, and selects a proper place for a camp; he orders the Ubii to drive off their cattle and bring all their property from the fields into the towns, hoping that barbarous and unskilled men, being driven by a scarcity of provisions, might be brought to an unfavorable condition for fighting; he charges them to send frequent scouts into the territory of the Suebi, and to learn what is going on among them.
§6.10.4Illi imperata faciunt et paucis diebus intermissis referunt: Suebos omnes, posteaquam certiores nuntii de exercitu Romanorum venerint, cum omnibus suis sociorumque copiis, quas coegissent, penitus ad extremos fines se recepisse: §6.10.5silvam esse ibi infinita magnitudine, quae appellatur Bacenis; hanc longe introrsus pertinere et pro nativo muro obiectam Cheruscos ab Suebis Suebosque ab Cheruscis iniuriis incursionibusque prohibere: ad eius initium silvae Suebos adventum Romanorum exspectare constituisse.
They perform his commands, and, after an interval of a few days, report: that all the Suebi, after more certain intelligence concerning the Roman army had arrived, had retreated with all their own forces and those of their allies which they had collected, deep into their outermost territories; that there is a forest there of infinite magnitude, which is called Bacenis; that this extends far into the interior, and, opposed as a natural wall, protects the Cherusci from the Suebi, and the Suebi from the Cherusci, from mutual injuries and incursions; that at the entrance of this forest the Suebi had determined to await the arrival of the Romans.

Notes

  1. 6.10.1fit ab Vbiis certior — A passive construction with the subject omitted. The verb fit is the third-person singular present indicative of fio (to become), which, combined with the comparative adjective certior, functions as 'is informed'. The implied subject is Caesar from the previous chapter. The subsequent accusative with infinitive clause (Suebos... cogere... atque... denuntiare) expresses the content of the information (indirect discourse).
  2. 6.10.2sperans barbaros atque imperitos homines inopia cibariorum adductos ad iniquam pugnandi condicionem posse deduci — The present participle sperans (hoping) modifies the subject of the main clause (Caesar) and governs the accusative with infinitive clause (homines... posse deduci) as its object. The adjectives barbaros atque imperitos modify the noun homines. The perfect passive participle adductos modifies homines and is accompanied by the ablative of cause/means inopia (by the scarcity). The verb posse functions auxiliary-like, governing the present passive infinitive deduci (to be brought) to mean 'could be brought'.
  3. 6.10.4quas coegissent — A relative clause subordinate to indirect discourse (governed by referunt). In direct discourse, this would be in the indicative (quas coegerant), but because it is a subordinate clause within indirect discourse, the pluperfect subjunctive coegissent is used. This is due to sequence of tenses relative to the historical present referunt.
  4. 6.10.5pro nativo muro obiectam — The perfect passive participle obiectam (thrown in the way, opposed) modifies the feminine singular pronoun hanc (= silvam, this forest), which is the subject of the infinitive clause. The prepositional phrase pro nativo muro (pro + ablative) means 'as a natural wall' or 'in place of a natural wall', qualifying the participle.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §6.10.1-6.10.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:6.10.1-6.10.5

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