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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §7.27.1-7.27.3

Caesar's Surprise Attack in the Rain and Capture of the Wall

Passage 285 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar took advantage of a heavy rain and the resulting carelessness of the Gallic sentries to order a sudden assault, leading his ready troops to swiftly capture the wall.

§7.27.1Postero die Caesar promota turri perfectisque operibus quae facere instituerat, magno coorto imbre non inutilem hanc ad capiendum consilium tempestatem arbitratus est, quod paulo incautius custodias in muro dispositas videbat, suosque languidius in opere versari iussit et quid fieri vellet ostendit.
On the following day, Caesar, having advanced the siege-tower and completed the works which he had resolved to make, since a heavy rain had started, thought this tempest not unfavorable for executing his plan, because he saw the guards posted on the wall rather less carefully than usual; and he ordered his men to engage in their work more sluggishly, and showed them what he wished to be done.
§7.27.2Legionibusque intra vineas in occulto expeditis, cohortatus ut aliquando pro tantis laboribus fructum victoriae perciperent, eis qui primi murum ascendissent praemia proposuit militibusque signum dedit.
And having got the legions ready in secret within the vineae, and having exhorted them that they should at length reap the fruit of victory in return for so great labors, he promised rewards to those who should first ascend the wall, and gave the signal to the soldiers.
§7.27.3Illi subito ex omnibus partibus evolaverunt murumque celeriter compleverunt.
They suddenly rushed forward from all quarters and quickly filled the wall.

Notes

  1. §7.27.1ad capiendum consilium — A gerundive construction with ad expressing purpose. Although consilium capere literally means 'to form a plan,' in this context it implies 'to execute a plan' or 'to take measures' by exploiting the rainy weather.
  2. §7.27.1paulo incautius — The comparative adverb incautius is modified by the ablative of degree of difference paulo. The comparative here functions as an absolute comparative, meaning 'somewhat more carelessly than usual' or 'rather carelessly.'
  3. §7.27.2qui primi murum ascendissent — primi is a nominative plural adjective functioning adverbially ('first'). The verb ascendissent in the relative clause is in the pluperfect subjunctive because it represents a future perfect relative to the past main verb proposuit in a conditional sense ('those who should have been the first to ascend').

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §7.27.1-7.27.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:7.27.1-7.27.3

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