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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §7.57.1-7.57.4

Labienus Marches on Lutetia and Camulogenus' Marsh Defense

Passage 315 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Labienus marches toward Lutetia while leaving reinforcements at Agedincum, and the enemy forces assemble under Camulogenus, who positions his army behind a vast marsh to block the Roman advance.

§7.57.1Dum haec apud Caesarem geruntur, Labienus eo supplemento, quod nuper ex Italia venerat, relicto Agedinci, ut esset impedimentis praesidio, cum quattuor legionibus Lutetiam proficiscitur.
While these things were being done in Caesar's quarter, Labienus, having left at Agedincum the reinforcement which had recently arrived from Italy, to serve as a guard for the baggage, set out for Lutetia with four legions.
Id est oppidum Parisiorum, quod positum est in insula fluminis Sequanae. §7.57.2Cuius adventu ab hostibus cognito magnae ex finitimis civitatibus copiae convenerunt. §7.57.3Summa imperi traditur Camulogeno Aulerco, qui prope confectus aetate tamen propter singularem scientiam rei militaris ad eum est honorem evocatus. §7.57.4Is cum animadvertisset perpetuam esse paludem, quae influeret in Sequanam atque illum omnem locum magnopere impediret, hic consedit nostrosque transitu prohibere instituit.
This is a town of the Parisii, which is situated on an island in the river Sequana. When his arrival was known by the enemy, large forces assembled from the neighboring states. The chief command was conferred upon Camulogenus, one of the Aulerci, who, though almost worn out with age, was nevertheless called out to that honor because of his singular knowledge of military affairs. When he had observed that there was a continuous marsh which flowed into the Sequana and greatly obstructed all that area, he took his position here and determined to prevent our men from crossing.

Notes

  1. 7.57.1impedimentis praesidio — Double dative construction meaning 'as a guard for the baggage.' It consists of a dative of purpose (praesidio) and a dative of reference (impedimentis).
  2. 7.57.1Agedinci — Locative case of the second-declension town name Agedincum, indicating place where ('at Agedincum').
  3. 7.57.4quae influeret — Subjunctive mood (imperfect). The relative clause is subordinate to the accusative and infinitive construction (perpetuam esse paludem) introduced by animadvertisset, which represents a suboblique clause (subordinate clause in indirect discourse).

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §7.57.1-7.57.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:7.57.1-7.57.4

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