Humanitext Reader

Julius Caesar · Gallic War §7.76.1-7.76.6

Commanders of the Gallic Relief Army and the March

Passage 334 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Although Caesar had previously granted privileges to the tribe of Commius due to his past services, the whole of Gaul united to assert their liberty and marched toward Alesia with a massive army.

§7.76.1Huius opera Commi, ut antea demonstravimus, fideli atque utili superioribus annis erat usus in Britannia Caesar; quibus ille pro meritis civitatem eius immunem esse iusserat, iura legesque reddiderat atque ipsi Morinos attribuerat.
Caesar, as we have shown before, had in previous years used the faithful and useful services of this Commius in Britain; in return for which merits he had ordered his state to be free from tribute, had restored its rights and laws, and had assigned the Morini to him himself.
§7.76.2Tamen tanta universae Galliae consensio fuit libertatis vindicandae et pristinae belli laudis recuperandae, ut neque beneficiis neque amicitiae memoria moverentur, omnesque et animo et opibus in id bellum incumberent.
Yet so great was the unanimity of all Gaul in asserting their liberty and recovering their former military glory, that they were moved neither by favors nor by the memory of friendship, and all applied themselves to this war with both spirit and resources.
§7.76.3Coactis equitum VIII milibus et peditum circiter CCL haec in Aeduorum finibus recensebantur, numerusque inibatur, praefecti constituebantur.
Eight thousand cavalry and about two hundred and fifty thousand infantry having been assembled, these forces were reviewed in the territory of the Aedui, their number was calculated, and commanders were appointed.
§7.76.4Commio Atrebati, Viridomaro et Eporedorigi Aeduis, Vercassivellauno Arverno, consobrino Vercingetorigis, summa imperi traditur.
The supreme command is entrusted to Commius the Atrebatian, Viridomarus and Eporedorix the Aeduans, and Vercassivellaunus the Arvernian, a cousin of Vercingetorix.
His delecti ex civitatibus attribuuntur, quorum consilio bellum administraretur.
To these are assigned chosen men from the states, by whose counsel the war might be conducted.
§7.76.5Omnes alacres et fiduciae pleni ad Alesiam proficiscuntur, §7.76.6neque erat omnium quisquam qui aspectum modo tantae multitudinis sustineri posse arbitraretur, praesertim ancipiti proelio, cum ex oppido eruptione pugnaretur, foris tantae copiae equitatus peditatusque cernerentur.
All set out for Alesia, eager and full of confidence, nor was there anyone of them all who thought that even the mere sight of so great a multitude could be sustained, especially in a double-fronted battle, when a sally would be fought from the town and outside such great forces of cavalry and infantry would be seen.

Notes

  1. 7.76.1opera Commi ... usus erat — The deponent verb utor (to use) governs the ablative case. Here, the feminine ablative singular opera (services, assistance) is its object, with fideli atque utili acting as agreeing ablative adjectives. huius Commi is a genitive modifying opera.
  2. 7.76.1quibus pro meritis — An instance of relative connection (linking relative) referring back to the previous statement. quibus functions as a relative adjective modifying meritis, meaning "in return for these merits".
  3. 7.76.2libertatis vindicandae et pristinae belli laudis recuperandae — A parallel structure using the gerundive construction, both in the genitive case modifying the noun consensio (unanimity). The combination of nouns and gerundives functions as genitives of specification or objective genitives defining the content of consensio.
  4. 7.76.6aspectum modo tantae multitudinis sustineri posse — An accusative with infinitive clause (indirect statement) serving as the object of arbitraretur (thought). aspectum is the subject accusative, with the passive infinitive sustineri depending on posse. The adverb modo modifies aspectum, meaning "even the mere sight".

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §7.76.1-7.76.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:7.76.1-7.76.6

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