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.

    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).

    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

    dēvĕho, -ĕre, -xi, -ctum: transport

    intĕrĭtus, -ūs m.: destruction, ruin, annihilation

    hībernus, -a, -um: referring to winter; hīberna, -ōrum n.: winter quarters

    prǒfectǐo, -ōnis f.: a going away, departure

    praesertim: especially, chiefly, principally

    effěro, -ferre, extǔli, ēlātum: to bring or carry out; to lift up, raise; to inspire, elate

    rěmitto, -mittěre, -mīsi, -missum: to let go back, drive back

    perscrībo, -ěre, -psi, -ptum: to write in full, to write out

    ěquǐtātus, -ūs m.: cavalry

    pědǐtātus, -ūs m.: foot soldiers, infantry  

    consido, -ere, -sēdi, -sessum: take position

    Text Read Aloud
    Maps and Images - OLD
    Article Nav
    Previous
    English
    Christopher Francese, Caesar: Selections from the Gallic War. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2011, revised and enlarged 2018. ISBN: 978-1-947822-02-3. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/caesar/book-5/chapter-5-47