Humanitext Reader

Julius Caesar · Gallic War §7.61.1-7.61.5

Roman River Crossing and Division of Enemy Forces

Passage 319 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Upon discovering that the Romans had crossed the river under the cover of a storm, the enemy, believing the Romans were fleeing in three different directions, divided their own forces into three parts.

§7.61.1Eo cum esset ventum, exploratores hostium, ut omni fluminis parte erant dispositi, inopinantes, quod magna subito erat coorta tempestas, ab nostris opprimuntur;
When they had arrived there, the enemy's scouts, who were stationed along every part of the river, being off their guard because a great storm had suddenly arisen, were overwhelmed by our men.
§7.61.2exercitus equitatusque equitibus Romanis administrantibus, quos ei negotio praefecerat, celeriter transmittitur.
The army and cavalry were quickly transported across, under the direction of the Roman knights whom he had put in charge of that business.
§7.61.3Vno fere tempore sub lucem hostibus nuntiatur in castris Romanorum praeter consuetudinem tumultuari et magnum ire agmen adverso flumine sonitumque remorum in eadem parte exaudiri et paulo infra milites navibus transportari.
At almost one and the same time, just before dawn, it was reported to the enemy that there was an unusual commotion in the Roman camp, that a large column was marching upstream, that the sound of oars was heard in the same direction, and that a little lower down soldiers were being ferried over in ships.
§7.61.4Quibus rebus auditis, quod existimabant tribus locis transire legiones atque omnes perturbatos defectione Aeduorum fugam parare, suas quoque copias in tres partes distribuerunt.
Having heard these things, because they thought that the legions were crossing in three places and that all, thrown into confusion by the defection of the Aedui, were preparing for flight, they also distributed their own forces into three parts.
§7.61.5Nam praesidio e regione castrorum relicto et parva manu Metiosedum versus missa, quae tantum progrediatur, quantum naves processissent, reliquas copias contra Labienum duxerunt.
For, having left a guard opposite the camp and sent a small force toward Metiosedum, which was to advance only as far as the ships had proceeded, they led the rest of their forces against Labienus.

Notes

  1. 7.61.1cum esset ventum — Impersonal passive construction using the neuter singular of the perfect passive subjunctive of the intransitive verb venio. Semantically equivalent to 'when they (the Roman troops) had arrived there' (cum venissent).
  2. 7.61.2equitibus Romanis administrantibus — Ablative absolute construction consisting of the noun equitibus Romanis (ablative) and the present participle administrantibus (ablative), expressing the attendant circumstance ('with the Roman knights managing/directing').
  3. 7.61.3hostibus nuntiatur — The impersonal passive verb nuntiatur ('it is reported') takes four accusative and infinitive (AcI) clauses in parallel as its subject: (1) tumultuari (itself an impersonal passive infinitive, 'that a tumult was being made'), (2) ire ('that a large column was marching'), (3) exaudiri ('that the sound of oars was being heard'), and (4) transportari ('that soldiers were being ferried').
  4. 7.61.5quae tantum progrediatur — The verb progrediatur in the relative clause introduced by quae is in the present subjunctive, expressing a subjunctive of purpose or characteristic, defining the mission assigned to the small force ('which was to advance only as far...').

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §7.61.1-7.61.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:7.61.1-7.61.5

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.