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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §7.28.1-7.28.6

Massacre at Avaricum and Secret Reception of Survivors

Passage 286 of 404 · Latin

Summary

The cornered Gauls were thoroughly massacred in the town, and only a small remnant managed to escape to Vercingetorix's camp. To prevent unrest and confusion among his troops, Vercingetorix secretly received them at night and dispersed them into their respective tribal quarters.

§7.28.1Hostes re nova perterriti muro turribusque deiecti in foro ac locis patentioribus cuneatim constiterunt, hoc animo ut si qua ex parte obviam contra veniretur acie instructa depugnarent.
The enemy, terrified by this new turn of events and driven down from the wall and towers, drew up in wedge-formation in the forum and more open places, with this intention, that if they should be attacked from any direction, they would fight in battle array.
§7.28.2Vbi neminem in aequum locum sese demittere, sed toto undique muro circumfundi viderunt, veriti ne omnino spes fugae tolleretur, abiectis armis ultimas oppidi partes continenti impetu petiverunt,
When they saw that no one descended into the level ground, but that the enemy were pouring around the entire wall from all sides, fearing lest all hope of escape should be cut off, they threw down their arms and sought the furthest parts of the town in a continuous rush.
§7.28.3parsque ibi, cum angusto exitu portarum se ipsi premerent, a militibus, pars iam egressa portis ab equitibus est interfecta;
And there a part, while they were squeezing one another at the narrow exit of the gates, was slain by the soldiers, and another part, having already gone out of the gates, was killed by the cavalry.
§7.28.4nec fuit quisquam, qui praedae studeret.
Nor was there anyone who was eager for plunder.
Sic et Cenabi caede et labore operis incitati non aetate confectis, non mulieribus, non infantibus pepercerunt.
Thus, incited both by the slaughter of Cenabum and by the labor of the siege-work, they spared neither those worn out by age, nor women, nor infants.
§7.28.5Denique ex omni numero, qui fuit circiter milium XL, vix DCCC, qui primo clamore audito se ex oppido eiecerunt, incolumes ad Vercingetorigem pervenerunt.
Finally, out of the entire number, which was about forty thousand, scarcely eight hundred, who had cast themselves out of the town as soon as the first shout was heard, reached Vercingetorix in safety.
§7.28.6Quos ille multa iam nocte silentio ex fuga excepit, veritus ne qua in castris ex eorum concursu et misericordia vulgi seditio oreretur, ut procul in via dispositis familiaribus suis principibusque civitatum disparandos deducendosque ad suos curaret, quae cuique civitati pars castrorum ab initio obvenerat.
Vercingetorix received them in silence from their flight late at night, fearing lest any mutiny should arise in the camp from their rushing together and the sympathy of the common people; and he took care, by stationing his close friends and the leaders of the states far out on the road, that they should be separated and conducted to their own people, to that part of the camp which had fallen to each state from the beginning.

Notes

  1. §7.28.1si qua ex parte obviam contra veniretur — Impersonal passive of the intransitive verb *venire* ('to come'), meaning literally 'if it should be come against [them] from any side,' i.e., 'if they should be attacked from any direction.'
  2. §7.28.2toto undique muro circumfundi — Part of the accusative and infinitive (AcI) construction governed by the verb of perception *viderunt*. *circumfundi* is a present passive infinitive, meaning 'that [the Romans/the enemy] were being poured around the entire wall.' The accusative subject is omitted as it is obvious from the context.
  3. §7.28.4non aetate confectis, non mulieribus, non infantibus pepercerunt — The verb *parcere* ('to spare') governs the dative case; hence, *aetate confectis* (those worn out by age), *mulieribus* (women), and *infantibus* (infants) are all in the dative plural.
  4. §7.28.6disparandos deducendosque ad suos curaret — Within the clause of purpose introduced by *ut* (*ut... curaret*). The construction *curare* + gerundive (*disparandos*, *deducendos*) expresses 'to take care that something is done' or 'to have something done,' meaning Vercingetorix saw to it that the refugees were separated and led away to their respective quarters.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §7.28.1-7.28.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:7.28.1-7.28.6

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