Humanitext Reader

Julius Caesar · Gallic War §7.64.1-7.64.8

Vercingetorix's Cavalry Levy and Scorched-Earth Strategy

Passage 322 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Vercingetorix gathers cavalry from across Gaul and plans to cut off Roman supplies through a scorched-earth strategy, while directing offensives against the neighboring Roman Province.

§7.64.1Ipse imperat reliquis civitatibus obsides diemque ei rei constituit.
He himself demands hostages from the remaining states and appoints a day for this matter.
Omnes equites, quindecim milia numero, celeriter convenire iubet; §7.64.2peditatu quem antea habuerit se fore contentum dicit, neque fortunam temptaturum aut in acie dimicaturum, sed, quoniam abundet equitatu, perfacile esse factu frumentationibus pabulationibusque Romanos prohibere, §7.64.3aequo modo animo sua ipsi frumenta corrumpant aedificiaque incendant, qua rei familiaris iactura perpetuum imperium libertatemque se consequi videant.
He orders all the cavalry, fifteen thousand in number, to assemble quickly; he says that he will be content with the infantry which he had before, and that he will not tempt fortune or fight in a pitched battle, but, since he is abundant in cavalry, it is very easy to prevent the Romans from foraging and gathering grain, let them only with an even mind themselves destroy their own grain and burn their buildings, since they see that by this loss of private property they obtain perpetual dominion and freedom.
§7.64.4His constitutis rebus Aeduis Segusiavisque, qui sunt finitimi provinciae, decem milia peditum imperat; huc addit equites octingentos.
These things being established, he demands ten thousand infantry from the Aedui and the Segusiavi, who are neighbors to the Province; to this he adds eight hundred cavalry.
§7.64.5His praeficit fratrem Eporedorigis bellumque inferri Allobrogibus iubet.
Over these he places in command the brother of Eporedorix, and orders war to be waged against the Allobroges.
§7.64.6Altera ex parte Gabalos proximosque pagos Arvernorum in Helvios, item Rutenos Cadurcosque ad fines Volcarum Arecomicorum depopulandos mittit.
On the other side, he sends the Gabali and the neighboring cantons of the Arverni against the Helvii, likewise the Ruteni and Cadurci to lay waste the territories of the Volcae Arecomici.
§7.64.7Nihilo minus clandestinis nuntiis legationibusque Allobrogas sollicitat, quorum mentes nondum ab superiore bello resedisse sperabat.
Nevertheless, he tampers with the Allobroges by secret messengers and embassies, whose minds he hoped had not yet settled down from the former war.
§7.64.8Horum principibus pecunias, civitati autem imperium totius provinciae pollicetur.
To the chiefs of these he promises money, but to the state the dominion of the whole Province.

Notes

  1. §7.64.3corrumpant — The subjunctive in an independent clause within indirect speech (Oratio Obliqua). An original imperative or hortatory subjunctive in direct speech becomes the present subjunctive here, depending on the preceding main verb dicit.
  2. §7.64.6ad fines Volcarum Arecomicorum depopulandos — A formulation of purpose consisting of the preposition ad with the accusative noun fines and its agreeing gerundive depopulandos.
  3. §7.64.7resedisse — The perfect infinitive of the verb resido (to subside, settle down), acting as the infinitive in the accusative with infinitive (AcI) construction dependent on sperabat, with mentes as its subject.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §7.64.1-7.64.8. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:7.64.1-7.64.8

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.