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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §7.9.1-7.9.6

Caesar's Concentration of Legions and the Siege of Gorgobina

Passage 267 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar leaves the forces under Brutus's command and makes a secret forced march via Vienna to concentrate his legions in their winter quarters. Upon learning of this, Vercingetorix returns to the territory of the Bituriges and begins to besiege Gorgobina, a town of the Boii.

§7.9.1At Caesar biduum in his locis moratus, quod haec de Vercingetorige usu ventura opinione praeceperat, per causam supplementi equitatusque cogendi ab exercitu discedit; Brutum adulescentem his copiis praeficit;
But Caesar, having delayed for two days in these places, because he had anticipated by anticipation that these things would happen regarding Vercingetorix, departs from the army under the pretext of collecting reinforcements and cavalry; he places the young Brutus in command of these forces.
§7.9.2hunc monet, ut in omnes partes equites quam latissime pervagentur: daturum se operam, ne longius triduo ab castris absit.
He instructs him that the cavalry should range as widely as possible in all directions, saying that he would take care not to be absent from the camp longer than three days.
§7.9.3His constitutis rebus suis inopinantibus quam maximis potest itineribus Viennam pervenit.
Having settled these matters, while his own men were not expecting it, he arrived at Vienna by forced marches as long as he could.
§7.9.4Ibi nactus recentem equitatum, quem multis ante diebus eo praemiserat, neque diurno neque nocturno itinere intermisso per fines Aeduorum in Lingones contendit, ubi duae legiones hiemabant, ut, si quid etiam de sua salute ab Aeduis iniretur consili, celeritate praecurreret.
Having there met with the fresh cavalry which he had sent forward there many days before, without interrupting his march either by day or by night, he hastened through the territory of the Aedui into that of the Lingones, where two legions were wintering, so that, if any plan should be formed by the Aedui even concerning his own safety, he might forestall it by his speed.
§7.9.5Eo cum pervenisset, ad reliquas legiones mittit priusque omnes in unum locum cogit quam de eius adventu Arvernis nuntiari posset.
When he had arrived there, he sends to the remaining legions and gathers them all into one place before his arrival could be announced to the Arverni.
§7.9.6Hac re cognita Vercingetorix rursus in Bituriges exercitum reducit atque inde profectus Gorgobinam, Boiorum oppidum, quos ibi Helvetico proelio victos Caesar collocaverat Aeduisque attribuerat, oppugnare instituit.
Having learned of this, Vercingetorix leads his army back again into the territory of the Bituriges, and setting out from there, resolved to attack Gorgobina, a town of the Boii, whom Caesar had settled there after they were defeated in the Helvetian battle, and had assigned to the Aedui.

Notes

  1. §7.9.1usu ventura — The future participle `ventura` (with `esse` omitted) forms an accusative with infinitive construction with `haec` as its subject, depending on `opinione praeceperat` (had anticipated). `usu venire` is an idiomatic expression meaning 'to actually happen' or 'to come to pass'.
  2. §7.9.3rebus suis inopinantibus — An ablative absolute construction consisting of the possessive adjective used substantively `suis` (his own men) and the present participle `inopinantibus`. It means 'while his own men were not expecting it', emphasizing the secrecy and lightning speed of Caesar's movements.
  3. §7.9.4quid etiam de sua salute ab Aeduis iniretur consili — `consili` is a partitive genitive modifying the neuter pronoun `quid` (literally, 'what of plan', meaning 'any plan/plot'). The imperfect subjunctive `iniretur` in the conditional clause (si-clause) expresses Caesar's subjective anticipation or apprehension.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §7.9.1-7.9.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:7.9.1-7.9.6

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