Chapter 5.47 | Dickinson College Commentaries

Hōrā circiter tertiā ab antecursōribus dē Crassī adventū certior factus, eō diē mīlia passuum XX prōcēdit. Crassum Samarobrīvae praeficit legiōnemque eī attribuit, quod ibi impedīmenta exercitūs, obsidēs cīvitātum, litterās pūblicās, frūmentumque omne quod eō tolerandae hiemis causā dēvēxerat relinquēbat. Fabius, ut imperātum erat, nōn ita multum morātus in itinere cum legiōne occurrit. Labiēnus, interitū Sabīnī et caede cohortium cōgnitā, cum omnēs ad eum Trēverōrum cōpiae vēnissent veritus nē, sī ex hībernīs fugae similem profectiōnem fēcisset, hostium impetum sustinēre nōn posset, praesertim quōs recentī vīctōriā efferrī scīret, litterās Caesarī remittit: quantō cum perīculō legiōnem ex hībernīs ēductūrus esset; rem gestam in Ebūrōnibus perscrībit; docet omnēs equitātūs peditātūsque cōpiās Trēverōrum tria mīlia passuum longē ab suīs castrīs cōnsēdisse.

notes

Caesar marches to the rescue.

antecursoribus: the vanguard of Crassus’s cavalry or his scouts. (Allen & Greenough)

certior factus: 'having been informed' (Gaisser).

Samarobrivae: locative ( A&G 427). The message had come to Caesar at Samarobriva (modern Amiens), the winter quarters of one of his legions (Gaisser).

impedimenta: The troops who had been quartered at Atuatuca, and doubtless also the legions in the other camps, had heavy baggage with them (5.31.6). In the campaign of 52 B.C. Caesar left the baggage of the whole army at Agedincum (Sens) (7.10.3); but, as any soldier would understand, the army nevertheless took some baggage with it into the field (5.35.3). (Rice Holmes)

litteras publicas: 'the public records' (Moberly).

eo: 'to that place' (Gaisser).

Treverorum: Treveri, a Germano-Celtic tribe whose territory was next to that of the Remi, where Labienus had his winter quarters. Since the Treveri were now in full force around his camp, Labienus thought it was more prudent to stay where he was and not to risk being attacked on the march (Gaisser).

quos…sciret: 'since he knew that they' (Hodges); = cum eos sciret (Allen & Judson); relative causal clause (Gaisser) ( A&G 535.e).

quanto cum periculo: introduces indirect question. We might say 'how dangerous it would be (for him to, etc.)' (Gaisser) ( A&G 573).

rem gestam: literally 'the thing done,' i.e., 'what had happened' (the loss of Sabinus and Cotta and their legion) (Gaisser).

equitatus peditatusque: 'of cavalry and infantry' (Gaisser).

vocabulary

circǐter: (Adv.) about, approximately

antěcursor, -ōris m.: advanced guards; forerunners

adventus, -ūs m.: arrival, a coming

passus, -ūs m.: step, pace

praefǐcǐo, -fǐcere, -fēci, fectum: to place in authority over

attrĭbŭo, -ĕre, -ŭi, -ūtum: allot, assign, put in charge of

tŏlĕro, -āre: endure; hold out, sustain