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Julius Caesar · Gallic War §8.6.1-8.6.4

Uprising of the Bellovaci and Mobilization

Passage 355 of 404 · Latin

Summary

Caesar stations Trebonius at Cenabum, but upon learning that the Bellovaci and their allies are planning to invade the territory of the Suessiones (allies of the Remi), he mobilizes several legions to counter the threat.

§8.6.1Caesar tempore anni difficillimo, cum satis haberet convenientes manus dissipare, ne quod initium belli nasceretur, quantumque in ratione esset, exploratum haberet sub tempus aestivorum nullum summum bellum posse conflari, Gaium Trebonium cum duabus legionibus, quas secum habebat, in hibernis Cenabi collocavit; §8.6.2ipse, cum crebris legationibus Remorum certior fieret Bellovacos, qui belli gloria Gallos omnes Belgasque praestabant, finitimasque his civitates duce Correo Bellovaco et Commio Atrebate exercitus comparare atque in unum locum cogere, ut omni multitudine in fines Suessionum, qui Remis erant attributi, facerent impressionem, pertinere autem non tantum ad dignitatem sed etiam ad salutem suam iudicaret nullam calamitatem socios optime de re publica meritos accipere, §8.6.3legionem ex hibernis evocat rursus undecimam; litteras autem ad Gaium Fabium mittit, ut in fines Suessionum legiones duas quas habebat adduceret, alteramque ex duabus ab Labieno arcessit.
At the most difficult time of the year, Caesar, since he considered it sufficient to disperse the gathering forces so that no beginning of war might arise, and because, as far as reason allowed, he was assured that no major war could be kindled before the time of summer campaigns, stationed Gaius Trebonius with the two legions which he had with him in the winter quarters at Cenabum; he himself, since he was informed by frequent embassies from the Remi that the Bellovaci, who surpassed all the Gauls and Belgae in military glory, and the neighboring states, under the leadership of Correus the Bellovacian and Commius the Atrebatian, were raising armies and assembling them in one place, so that they might make an incursion with their entire multitude into the territory of the Suessiones, who had been assigned to the Remi, and because he judged that it concerned not only his dignity but also his safety that allies who had deserved exceptionally well of the commonwealth should receive no disaster, recalled the eleventh legion again from winter quarters; moreover, he sent letters to Gaius Fabius to bring the two legions which he had into the territory of the Suessiones, and summoned one of the two from Labienus.
§8.6.4Ita, quantum hibernorum opportunitas bellique ratio postulabat, perpetuo suo labore in vicem legionibus expeditionum onus iniungebat.
Thus, as far as the convenience of the winter quarters and the plan of the war required, by his own continuous labor he imposed the burden of expeditions on the legions in turn.

Notes

  1. §8.6.1satis haberet — An idiomatic expression meaning 'to consider it sufficient to do something' when construed with an infinitive (here, dissipare). It is in the imperfect subjunctive as the verb of the cum-clause.
  2. §8.6.1exploratum haberet — The combination of habere with a perfect passive participle (exploratum). It emphasizes a persisting state of certainty resulting from prior verification, rather than a simple pluperfect, foreshadowing the development of the perfect tense in Romance languages. It governs the accusative and infinitive clause: nullum summum bellum posse conflari.
  3. §8.6.2pertinere ... iudicaret — Indirect discourse acting as the object of iudicaret. The subject of the infinitive pertinere (to concern, be of importance) is another accusative and infinitive clause: nullam calamitatem ... accipere (that the allies should receive no disaster). The overall structure means 'because he judged that it concerned his dignity and safety that the allies should not suffer any disaster.'
  4. §8.6.3alteramque ex duabus — The feminine accusative singular alteram refers to the omitted noun legionem. The phrase ex duabus (legionibus) refers to the two legions under the command of Labienus at that time, meaning 'he summoned one of the two [legions].'

Cite this passage

Julius Caesar, Gallic War §8.6.1-8.6.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0448.phi001.humanitext-lat2:8.6.1-8.6.4

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