Humanitext Reader

Julius Caesar · Gallic War §7.39.1-7.39.3

Eporedorix Reveals Litaviccus's Plot to Caesar

Passage 297 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Introducing the influential Aeduan youths Eporedorix and Viridomarus, including their rivalry. Upon discovering Litaviccus's conspiracy, Eporedorix reports it to Caesar at midnight, urging him to prevent the defection of their state.

§7.39.1Eporedorix Aeduus, summo loco natus adulescens et summae domi potentiae, et una Viridomarus, pari aetate et gratia, sed genere dispari, quem Caesar ab Diviciaco sibi traditum ex humili loco ad summam dignitatem perduxerat, in equitum numero convenerant nominatim ab eo evocati.
Eporedorix the Aeduan, a young man born of the highest rank and of the greatest influence at home, and along with him Viridomarus, of equal age and influence, but of unequal birth, whom Caesar, after he had been handed over to him by Diviciacus, had raised from a humble position to the highest dignity, had assembled in the number of the cavalry, having been summoned by him by name.
§7.39.2His erat inter se de principatu contentio, et in illa magistratuum controversia alter pro Convictolitavi, alter pro Coto summis opibus pugnaverant.
These men had a rivalry between themselves for the leadership, and in that dispute over the magistracy, the one had fought with all his might for Convictolitavis, the other for Cotus.
§7.39.3Ex eis Eporedorix cognito Litavicci consilio media fere nocte rem ad Caesarem defert; orat ne patiatur civitatem pravis adulescentium consiliis ab amicitia populi Romani deficere; quod futurum provideat, si se tot hominum milia cum hostibus coniunxerint, quorum salutem neque propinqui neglegere, neque civitas levi momento aestimare posset.
From among them, Eporedorix, having learned of Litaviccus's plan, reports the matter to Caesar about midnight; he begs him not to suffer the state to defect from the friendship of the Roman people through the depraved counsels of these young men; he urges him to foresee what would happen if so many thousands of men should join themselves with the enemy, whose safety neither their kinsmen could neglect, nor the state regard as of light importance.

Notes

  1. 7.39.1summae domi potentiae — Genitive of quality. `domi` is a locative meaning 'at home' or 'in their own state'.
  2. 7.39.1ab Diviciaco sibi traditum — The perfect passive participle `traditum` agrees with `quem` (Viridomarus). `sibi` refers to the subject of the relative clause, `Caesar` (indirect reflexive).
  3. 7.39.3quod futurum provideat — The relative pronoun `quod` functions as a connecting relative ('and this'), in the accusative neuter singular, acting as the subject accusative of the future infinitive `futurum` (with `esse` omitted). `provideat` is a subjunctive of command in indirect discourse, dependent on `orat`.
  4. 7.39.3quorum salutem — The antecedent of the relative pronoun `quorum` is `tot hominum milia`. `posset` is in the imperfect subjunctive in a relative clause in indirect discourse, following the historical presents `defert` and `orat` (sequence of tenses).

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §7.39.1-7.39.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:7.39.1-7.39.3

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.