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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §8.52.1-8.52.5

Labienus's Command and Curio's Proposal in the Senate

Passage 401 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar returns to his army after touring Gallia Togata and appoints Labienus as its commander. In Rome, the tribune Curio proposes the mutual disarmament of Caesar and Pompey to the senate, but his attempt to bring it to a vote is obstructed by the consuls and Pompey's supporters.

§8.52.1Cum omnes regiones Galliae togatae Caesar percucurrisset, summa celeritate ad exercitum Nemetocennam rediit legionibusque ex omnibus hibernis ad fines Treverorum evocatis eo profectus est ibique exercitum lustravit.
When Caesar had traversed all the districts of togated Gaul, he returned with the greatest speed to the army at Nemetocenna, and having summoned the legions from all the winter quarters to the territory of the Treveri, he set out thither and there reviewed the army.
§8.52.2T. Labienum Galliae togatae praefecit, quo maiore commendatione conciliaretur ad consulatus petitionem.
He appointed T. Labienus over togated Gaul, so that he might be reconciled with greater favor for the candidacy for the consulship.
Ipse tantum itinerum faciebat, quantum satis esse ad mutationem locorum propter salubritatem existimabat.
He himself made only as much of a journey as he estimated to be sufficient for a change of places for the sake of health.
§8.52.3Ibi quamquam crebro audiebat Labienum ab inimicis suis sollicitari certiorque fiebat id agi paucorum consiliis, ut interposita senatus auctoritate aliqua parte exercitus spoliaretur, tamen neque de Labieno credidit quidquam neque contra senatus auctoritatem ut aliquid faceret potuit adduci.
There, although he frequently heard that Labienus was being solicited by his enemies, and was informed that it was being agitated by the counsels of a few that, by interposing the authority of the senate, he should be deprived of a part of his army, yet he neither believed anything concerning Labienus, nor could he be induced to do anything against the authority of the senate.
Iudicabat enim liberis sententiis patrum conscriptorum causam suam facile obtineri.
For he judged that his cause would easily be maintained by the free opinions of the conscript fathers.
§8.52.4Nam C. Curio, tribunus plebis, cum Caesaris causam dignitatemque defendendam suscepisset, saepe erat senatui pollicitus, si quem timor armorum Caesaris laederet, et quoniam Pompei dominatio atque arma non minimum terrorem foro inferrent, discederet uterque ab armis exercitusque dimitteret: fore eo facto liberam et sui iuris civitatem.
For C. Curio, tribune of the plebs, when he had undertaken to defend the cause and dignity of Caesar, had often promised the senate that, if the fear of Caesar's arms injured anyone, and since Pompey's domination and arms brought no small terror to the forum, both should depart from arms and dismiss their armies; that by this act the state would be free and of its own right.
§8.52.5Neque hoc tantum pollicitus est, sed etiam per se discessionem facere coepit; quod ne fieret consules amicique Pompei iusserunt atque ita rem morando discusserunt.
Nor did he only promise this, but even began by himself to bring about a division; which the consuls and the friends of Pompey ordered not to be done, and thus by delaying they dispersed the matter.

Notes

  1. 8.52.2quo maiore commendatione conciliaretur — The conjunction 'quo' is used instead of 'ut' to introduce a purpose clause containing a comparative adjective ('maiore'). The subject of the passive verb 'conciliaretur' is Labienus, meaning 'so that he (Labienus) might be won over with greater favor' or 'gain greater support' for Caesar's consular candidacy.
  2. 8.52.3id agi paucorum consiliis, ut... spoliaretur — The accusative and infinitive phrase 'id agi' ('that this was being done/agitated') is followed by the appositional 'ut' clause explaining the plot. The subject of the subjunctive 'spoliaretur' is Caesar, who is being 'deprived' of the ablative of separation 'aliqua parte exercitus'.
  3. 8.52.4fore eo facto liberam et sui iuris civitatem — 'fore' is the shortened form of the future infinitive 'futurum esse', functioning within the indirect discourse dependent on 'pollicitus erat'. 'sui iuris' is a genitive of description meaning 'of its own right' or 'independent', which, together with 'liberam', describes the 'civitatem' (the state).
  4. 8.52.5discessionem facere — 'discessio' refers to the voting procedure in the Roman Senate where senators physically divided themselves by walking to different sides of the chamber. The phrase means 'to make a division' or 'to bring the matter to a vote'.
  5. 8.52.5quod ne fieret consules amicique Pompei iusserunt — 'quod' is a connecting relative pronoun referring to the attempt to bring about a division ('discessionem facere'). Although 'iubeo' usually takes an accusative with infinitive, here it is construed with 'ne' and the subjunctive to express an indirect command or prevention ('ordered that this should not happen').

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §8.52.1-8.52.5. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:8.52.1-8.52.5

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