Humanitext Reader

Julius Caesar · Gallic War §7.78.1-7.78.5

Expulsion of the Mandubii and Caesar's Refusal

Passage 336 of 404 · Latin

Summary

The Gauls decide to expel non-combatants from Alesia. The Mandubii, who had hosted them, are forced out with their families and beg the Romans for aid, but Caesar refuses to admit them.

§7.78.1Sententiis dictis constituunt ut ei qui valetudine aut aetate inutiles sunt bello oppido excedant, atque omnia prius experiantur, quam ad Critognati sententiam descendant: §7.78.2illo tamen potius utendum consilio, si res cogat atque auxilia morentur, quam aut deditionis aut pacis subeundam condicionem.
After these opinions were delivered, they determine that those who by reason of health or age are useless for war should depart from the town, and that they should try all expedients before descending to the proposal of Critognatus; that they should, however, adopt that plan, if circumstances should compel them and the auxiliary forces be delayed, rather than submit to any terms of surrender or peace.
§7.78.3Mandubii, qui eos oppido receperant, cum liberis atque uxoribus exire coguntur.
The Mandubii, who had received them into the town, are compelled to depart with their children and wives.
Hi, cum ad munitiones Romanorum accessissent, §7.78.4flentes omnibus precibus orabant, ut se in servitutem receptos cibo iuvarent.
When these had come near to the fortifications of the Romans, weeping, they begged with all entreaties that they would receive them as slaves and assist them with food.
§7.78.5At Caesar dispositis in vallo custodibus recipi prohibebat.
But Caesar, having stationed guards on the rampart, forbade them to be received.

Notes

  1. §7.78.1valetudine aut aetate inutiles sunt bello — valetudine and aetate are ablatives of respect or cause. bello is a dative qualifying the adjective inutiles, meaning 'for war' or 'with respect to war'.
  2. §7.78.2illo tamen potius utendum consilio ... quam aut deditionis aut pacis subeundam condicionem — This is an indirect discourse depending on constituunt, with esse omitted in both clauses. In the first clause, utendum (esse) is used with the ablative illo consilio because the verb utor governs the ablative. In the second, subeundam (esse) condicionem features the gerundive of the transitive verb subeo modifying the accusative subject condicionem.
  3. §7.78.5recipi prohibebat — prohibeo takes an accusative and infinitive (often a passive infinitive) meaning 'prevent/forbid from being...'. Here, the passive infinitive recipi ('to be received') is used, meaning 'he forbade them to be received' into the Roman lines.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §7.78.1-7.78.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:7.78.1-7.78.5

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