Chapter 4.30 | Dickinson College Commentaries

Quibus rēbus cōgnitīs, prīncipēs Britanniae, quī post proelium ad Caesarem convēnerant, inter sē conlocūtī, cum equitēs et nāvēs et frūmentum Rōmānīs deësse intellegerent et paucitātem mīlitum ex castrōrum exiguitāte cōgnōscerent, quae hōc erant etiam angustiōra quod sine impedīmentīs Caesar legiōnēs trānsportāverat, optimum factū esse dūxērunt, rebelliōne factā, frūmentō commeātūque nostrōs prohibēre et rem in hiemem prōdūcere, quod eīs superātīs aut reditū interclūsīs nēminem posteā bellī īnferendī causā in Britanniam trānsitūrum cōnfīdēbant. Itaque, rūrsus coniūrātiōne factā, paulātim ex castrīs discēdere āc suōs clam ex agrīs dēdūcere coepērunt.

notes

The Britons plan to renew hostilities.

quae erant: ‘which was’ (Kelsey).

hōc…etiam angustiora: ‘even smaller (than usual for two legions) for this reason,’ explained by the quod-clause (Kelsey); ‘so much the smaller’ (Moberly)( A&G 404).

optimum factū esse: ‘that the best thing to do was’ (Kelsey); factu: supine ( A&G 510).

optimum: in predicate, after esse (Kelsey).

duxerunt: 'thought' (Allen & Judson).

rem: ‘their operations’ (Kelsey); ‘the campaign’ (Towle & Jenks).

his, etc.: ‘if these (invaders) should be,’ etc. (Kelsey).

eis…interclusis: abl. abs. of condition: ‘if these should be overcome’(Allen & Judson)( A&G 420.a).

reditu: ‘return’ (Kelsey).

postea: ‘in the future’ (Kelsey).

rursus coniuratione facta: 'they renewed their oaths of mutual fidelity' (Rice Holmes).

rursus: not ‘a second time,’ but ‘back’ from negotiations to hostilities. (Allen & Judson)

vocabulary

Britannia, -ae, f.: modern day Britain

conloquor, -ī, -locūtus sum: have a conference, converse

paucĭtas, -ātis f.: fewness, scarcity, paucity

exĭgŭĭtas, -ātis f.: littleness, smallness

angustus, -a, -um: narrow, strait, close, small

impedimentum, -i n.: baggage, equipment

transporto, -āre: carry over or across

rĕbellĭo, -ōnis f.: renewal of war, revolt

commĕātus, -ūs m.: free passage, going and coming; supply of provisions, food, forage

prōdūco, -ere, -xi, -ctum: lead or bring out, drag or draw out, lengthen, prolong

rĕdĭtus, -ūs m.: return

interclūdo, -clūdĕre, -clūsi, -clūsum: shut off, block up, hinder

nēmō, -inis m/f.: no man, no one, nobody; not one person

confīdo, -ĕre, -fĭsus sum: to have complete trust, be assured

coniūrātiō, -ōnis f.: swearing together, union confirmed by oath

paulātim adv.: by little and little, by degrees, gradually

clam adv.: secretly, in secret; prep + abl.: unknown to, without the knowledge of

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