Chapter 5.30

Hāc in utramque partem disputātiōne habitā, cum ā Cottā prīmīsque ōrdinibus ācriter resisterētur, 'Vincite,' inquit, 'sī ita vultis,' Sabīnus, et id clāriōre vōce, ut māgna pars mīlitum exaudīret; 'neque is sum,' inquit, 'quī gravissimē ex vōbis mortis perīculō terrear: hī sapient; sī gravius quid acciderit, abs tē ratiōnem repōscent quī, sī per tē liceat, perendinō diē cum proximīs hībernīs coniūnctī commūnem cum reliquīs bellī cāsum sustineant, nōn rēiectī et relēgātī longē ab cēterīs aut ferrō aut famē intereant.'

    The advice considered in a council of war.

    primis ordinibus: the chief centurions. Caesar says 'by the first ranks' (Gaisser).

    resisteretur: impersonal passive: 'a resistance was being put up' (Gaisser) ( A&G 208.d).

    qui ... terrear: '[the sort of man] who is terrified'; relative clause of characteristic (Gaisser)( A&G 535).

    ex vobis: instead of part. Gen. after gravissime. (Allen & Greenough)( A&G 346.c)

    hi: i.e. the magna pars militum who were listening. (Allen & Greenough)

    hi sapient: ‘the men will understand the matter.’ (Moberly)

    si gravius quid: 'if something (more) serious'; quid is used for aliquid after si (Gaisser) ( A&G 310.a).

    abs te rationem reposcent: 'they will demand an accounting from you' (Gaisser).

    si per te liceat: literally, 'if it should be allowed by you,' i.e., 'if you should allow it.' Introduces a future less vivid condition (Gaisser) ( A&G 516.b).

    perendino die: i.e. 'tertio die, the day after tomorrow' (Hodges); 'in two days’ time' (Gaisser)

    sustineant: &c., ‘would certainly bear only their share along with their comrades of the impending danger, and certainly would not die like outcast and banished men, far away from their friends.’ (Moberly)

    dispŭtātĭo, -ōnis f.: debate, discussion

    ācrǐter: sharply, fiercly

    resistō, resistěre, restitī: to stand back, stand still, halt

    exaudǐo, -ire, īvi, ītum: to hear or perceive clearly 

    rĕposco, -ĕre: demand

    pĕrendĭnus, -a, -um: after tomorrow

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

    coniungo, iungěre, iunxi, iunctum: to bind together, connect, join, unite

    rēǐcǐo, rēicěre, reiēci, reiectum: to throw back

    rĕlēgo, -āre: remove, banish

    intĕrĕo, -īre, -ĭi, -ĭtum: perish

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    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-5-30