Gallī sē omnēs ab Dīte patre prōgnātōs praedicant, idque ab Druidibus prōditum dīcunt. Ob eam causam spatia omnis temporis nōn numerō diērum sed noctium fīniunt; diēs nātālēs et mēnsum et annōrum initia sīc observant ut noctem diēs subsequātur. In reliquīs vītae īnstitūtīs hōc ferē ab reliquīs differunt quod suōs līberōs, nisi cum adolēvērunt ut mūnus mīlitiae sustinēre possint, palam ad sē adīre nōn patiuntur fīliumque puerīlī aetāte in pūblicō in cōnspectū patris adsistere turpe dūcunt.

    hōc ... quod: 'in this respect .... that' (< A&G 418).

    suōs līberōs ... nōn patiuntur: nōn patiuntur suōs līberōs palam ad sē adīre, nisi cum adolēvērunt ut mūnus mīlitiae sustinēre possint.

    suos liberos: &c.: The Romans, on the other hand, accustomed their sons to public life, and in early times even took them with them into the Senate. (Allen & Judson) Compare Roman child rearing practices

    turpe ducunt: 'they consider it disgraceful,' turpe being pred. adj. agreeing with the infin. clause (Allen & Greenough).

    palam…adire: ‘to approach them in public.’ (Walker)

    in pūblicō adsistere: 'to take a place in public', presumably at some public event.

    prōgnātus, -a, -um: sprung from

    praedĭco, -āre: vaunt, boast; tell

    Drŭĭdes, -um m.: Gallic priests

    prōdō prōdere prōdidī prōditum: hand down (a story or tradition)

    fīnĭo, -īre: limit, mark the limit, bound; determine

    nātālis –e:  of birth, natal

    mēnsis –is m.:  month

    observo –āre:  watch, note, take notice of

    subsequor –sequī –cūtus sum:  follow, succeed

    ădŏlesco, -ĕre, -ēvi, adultum: grow up, attain manhood

    mīlitia –ae f.:  military service

    pălam adv.: openly

    puerīlis –e:  boyish, youthful

    cōnspectus –ūs m.:  sight

    adsistō –sistere –stitī:  place oneself

    Text Read Aloud
    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-6/chapter-6-18