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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §8.20.1-8.20.2

Caesar's Advance and the Bellovaci Resolving to Surrender

Passage 369 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar crosses the river and continues his advance upon learning of the enemy's defeat, while the Bellovaci, having suffered heavy losses and the death of Correus, panic at the Roman approach and resolve to send envoys and hostages to Caesar.

§8.20.1Tali modo re gesta recentibus proeli vestigiis ingressus Caesar, cum victos tanta calamitate existimaret hostes nuntio accepto locum castrorum relicturos, quae non longius ab ea caede abesse plus minus octo milibus dicebantur, tametsi flumine impeditum transitum videbat, tamen exercitu traducto progreditur.
The affair having been conducted in this manner, Caesar, having entered upon the fresh tracks of the battle, since he thought that the enemy, defeated by so great a disaster, would abandon the site of their camp upon receiving the news (which was said to be not more than about eight miles distant from that slaughter), although he saw the crossing obstructed by the river, nevertheless, having led his army across, advanced.
§8.20.2At Bellovaci reliquaeque civitates repente ex fuga paucis atque his vulneratis receptis, qui silvarum beneficio casum evitaverant, omnibus adversis, cognita calamitate, interfecto Correo, amisso equitatu et fortissimis peditibus, cum adventare Romanos existimarent, concilio repente cantu tubarum convocato conclamant, legati obsidesque ad Caesarem mittantur.
But the Bellovaci and the remaining states, having suddenly received from the flight only a few, and these wounded, who by the favor of the woods had avoided the disaster, when all things were adverse, the calamity known, Correus slain, and their cavalry and bravest infantry lost, since they thought that the Romans were approaching, having suddenly called a council by the sound of trumpets, cried out together that ambassadors and hostages should be sent to Caesar.

Notes

  1. 8.20.1plus minus octo milibus — The word milibus is an ablative of comparison or degree of difference depending on the comparative longius. The phrase plus minus (more or less, approximately) is inserted adverbially and does not affect the grammatical construction of the numeral.
  2. 8.20.2paucis atque his vulneratis receptis — An ablative absolute construction. The phrase atque his (and these [wounded]) is an idiomatic addition emphasizing that the few survivors received from the flight were moreover all wounded, highlighting their desperate state.
  3. 8.20.2conclamant, legati obsidesque ad Caesarem mittantur — A clause dependent on conclamant, featuring the present subjunctive mittantur of volition/command, with the conjunction ut omitted. It indicates that they cried out (resolved) that legates and hostages should be sent.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §8.20.1-8.20.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:8.20.1-8.20.2

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