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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §8.39.1-8.39.4

Caesar's Decision to March on Uxellodunum

Passage 388 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar receives reports from Caninius about the situation of Drappes and Uxellodunum, and decides that their obstinacy must be severely punished to prevent general rebellion in Gaul, prompting him to hasten there with his cavalry.

§8.39.1Ibi crebris litteris Canini fit certior quae de Drappete et Lucterio gesta essent, quoque in consilio permanerent oppidani.
There, by frequent letters from Caninius, Caesar is informed of what had been done regarding Drappes and Lucterius, and in what plan the townspeople were persisting.
§8.39.2Quorum etsi paucitatem contemnebat, tamen pertinaciam magna poena esse adficiendam iudicabat, ne universa Gallia non sibi vires defuisse ad resistendum Romanis, sed constantiam putaret, neve hoc exemplo ceterae civitates locorum opportunitate fretae se vindicarent in libertatem, §8.39.3cum omnibus Gallis notum esse sciret reliquam esse unam aestatem suae provinciae, quam si sustinere potuissent, nullum ultra periculum vererentur.
Although he despised their small numbers, yet he judged that their obstinacy ought to be punished with a severe penalty, lest the whole of Gaul should think that it was not strength that had been lacking to them for resisting the Romans, but constancy; and lest, by this example, other states, relying on the natural strength of their positions, should assert themselves into liberty, since he knew it was well known to all the Gauls that only one summer remained of his province, which if they could hold out through, they would have no further danger to fear.
§8.39.4Itaque Q. Calenum legatum cum legionibus reliquit qui iustis itineribus subsequeretur; ipse cum omni equitatu quam potest celerrime ad Caninium contendit.
Therefore, he left Quintus Calenus, his lieutenant, with the legions to follow him by regular marches; he himself, with all the cavalry, hastened to Caninius as quickly as possible.

Notes

  1. §8.39.1quoque — This is the masculine singular ablative form of the interrogative pronoun qui (quo) with the conjunction -que attached, not the adverb quoque ('also'). It modifies consilio to mean 'and in what plan,' leading the second indirect question clause in parallel with the preceding quae ... gesta essent.
  2. §8.39.2non sibi vires defuisse — sibi is the dative of the reflexive pronoun, indicating to whom strength was lacking. It refers back to the subject of the clause (Gallia), meaning 'that strength had not been lacking to them (the Gauls)'.
  3. §8.39.3cum omnibus Gallis notum esse sciret — A nested infinitive structure: sciret (since he knew) governs the accusative and infinitive clause notum esse (that it was known), which in turn takes the accusative and infinitive clause reliquam esse unam aestatem (that only one summer remained) as its subject.
  4. §8.39.3quam si sustinere potuissent — A relative connection where the relative pronoun quam (referring to aestatem) functions as the direct object within the conditional clause si ... potuissent. The pluperfect subjunctive potuissent represents a future-perfect action viewed from the past.

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §8.39.1-8.39.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:8.39.1-8.39.4

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