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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §7.18.1-7.18.4

Vercingetorix's Ambush Plan and Caesar's Night March

Passage 276 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar learns that Vercingetorix is attempting to ambush Roman foragers and marches toward the enemy camp by night. The Gauls, alerted by scouts, hide their baggage in the woods and draw up on high ground, prompting Caesar to prepare his troops for battle.

§7.18.1Cum iam muro turres appropinquassent, ex captivis Caesar cognovit Vercingetorigem consumpto pabulo castra movisse propius Avaricum atque ipsum cum equitatu expeditisque, qui inter equites proeliari consuessent, insidiarum causa eo profectum, quo nostros postero die pabulatum venturos arbitraretur.
When the towers had already approached the wall, Caesar learned from the prisoners that Vercingetorix, having consumed all the forage, had moved his camp closer to Avaricum, and that he himself had set out with the cavalry and the light-armed infantry who were accustomed to fight among the cavalry, for the purpose of an ambush, to that place where he thought our men would come on the following day to forage.
§7.18.2Quibus rebus cognitis media nocte silentio profectus ad hostium castra mane pervenit.
Having learned these facts, he set out in silence at midnight and arrived at the enemies' camp in the morning.
§7.18.3Illi celeriter per exploratores adventu Caesaris cognito carros impedimentaque sua in artiores silvas abdiderunt, copias omnes in loco edito atque aperto instruxerunt.
They, having quickly learned of Caesar's arrival through scouts, hid their wagons and baggage in the denser woods, and drew up all their forces on high and open ground.
§7.18.4Qua re nuntiata Caesar celeriter sarcinas conferri, arma expediri iussit.
When this was reported, Caesar quickly ordered the baggage to be piled together and the arms to be got ready.

Notes

  1. 7.18.1Vercingetorigem — Subject of the accusative and infinitive clauses (indirect discourse) depending on cognovit. The two clauses Vercingetorigem ... movisse and atque ipsum [Vercingetorigem] ... profectum [esse] are joined by atque.
  2. 7.18.1consuessent — In the relative clause qui ... consuessent, the verb is in the subjunctive pluperfect consuessent (a syncopated form of consuevissent), used because it is a subordinate clause in indirect discourse (Oration Obliqua).
  3. 7.18.1pabulatum — A supine in the accusative (of purpose) after the verb of motion venturos [esse], meaning 'to forage' or 'for the purpose of gathering fodder'.
  4. 7.18.4sarcinas conferri — iussit takes an accusative with a passive infinitive construction: 'he ordered the baggage (sarcinas) to be piled together (conferri) and the arms (arma) to be prepared (expediri)'. The action required of the soldiers is expressed passively.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §7.18.1-7.18.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:7.18.1-7.18.4

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