| [2] Apud Helvetios longe nobilissimus
fuit et ditissimus Orgetorix. Is, M.
Messala, [et P.] M. Pisone consulibus, regni cupiditate
inductus coniurationem nobilitatis
fecit et civitati persuasit ut de finibus
suis cum omnibus copiis exirent: perfacile esse,
cum virtute omnibus praestarent,
totius Galliae imperio potiri.
Id hoc facilius
iis persuasit, quod undique loci
natura Helvetii continentur: una
ex parte flumine Rheno latissimo atque altissimo,
qui agrum Helvetium a Germanis dividit;altera
ex parte monte Iura altissimo,
qui est inter Sequanos et Helvetios; tertia lacu
Lemanno et flumine Rhodano, qui provinciam nostram ab Helvetiis dividit.
His rebus fiebat ut et minus late vagarentur et minus facile finitimis bellum inferre possent; qua ex parte homines bellandi cupidi magno dolore adficiebantur. Pro multitudine autem hominum et pro gloria belli atque fortitudinis angustos se fines habere arbitrabantur, qui in longitudinem milia passuum CCXL, in latitudinem CLXXX patebant. |
[1.2] Among the Helvetii, Orgetorix was by far the most
distinguished and wealthy. He, when Marcus Messala and Marcus Piso were
consuls, incited by lust of sovereignty, formed a conspiracy among the
nobility, and persuaded the people to go forth from their territories with
all their possessions, [saying] that it would be very easy, since they
excelled all in valor, to acquire the supremacy of the whole of Gaul.
To this he the more easily persuaded them, because the Helvetii, are confined on every side by the nature of their situation; on one side by the Rhine, a very broad and deep river, which separates the Helvetian territory from the Germans; on a second side by the Jura, a very high mountain, which is [situated] between the Sequani and the Helvetii; on a third by the Lake of Geneva, and by the river Rhone, which separates our Province from the Helvetii. From these circumstances it resulted, that they could range less widely, and could less easily make war upon their neighbors; for which reason men fond of war [as they were] were affected with great regret. They thought, that considering the extent of their population, and their renown for warfare and bravery, they had but narrow limits, although they extended in length 240, and in breadth 180 [Roman] miles. |
"longe nobilissimus"
nobilis, -e - nobilior, nobilissimus
by far the most respected
"ditissimus"
dives, divitis - comp. ditior sup.
ditissimus
rich, wealthy
"Is"
is ... fecit et ... persuasit
main clause: he ... brought about and persuaded
"regni"
regnum, -i n. power, control, kingdom
"cupiditate"
cupiditas, -atis f. desire
"M. Messala, [et P.] M. Pisone consulibus"
abl. abolute: while M. & P. were consuls
"inductus"
induco, -ere, -xi, -tus: to induce, influence
"coniurationem"
coniratio, -ionis f. conspiracy, plot, alliance
"nobilitatis"
nobilitas, -tis f. nobility
"civitati persuasit"
persuadeo, -ere, -si : to persuade (takes dative)
"ut de finibus suis cum
omnibus copiis exirent"
purpose clause: he persuaded the people to leave
"cum omnibus copiis"
= with all their possessions
copiae, -arum f. among other meanings: resourses,
wealth
"virtute"
virtus, virtutis f. valor
ablative of specification: = in respect to valor
"perfacile esse"
indirect speech, dependent on persuasit = he persuaded the tribe that
it would be easy
"praestarent"
praesto, praestare" : to excell
"imperio"
imperium, ii. n. here: rule
imperio potiri: to acquire the rule, dominance
"potiri"
potior, potiri, deponent: to get possession of, obtain;
be master of
"totius Galliae"
of all of Gaul
"id"
demonstr. pronoun: is, ea, id = that [course of action]
"hoc"
ablative: on this account [referring to what follows]
= to this course of action he persuaded them all the easier on
this account because ...
"facilius"
comparative of facilis -e : easy
"continentur"
contineo, -tinere, -tinui, -tentus: of regions - hem in, bound,
border
"iis persuasit"
persuadeo takes the dative: her persuaded them
"loci natura"
natura is ablative: by the nature of the place
"latissimo"
superlative of latus, -a, um: wide = very wide
"altissimo"
superlative of altus, -a, um: high, dep = very deep
"agrum"
agrum, -i n. region, territory
"una ex parte"
on the one side
"monte"
mons, montis m. mountain
"altissimo"
= very high (by the very high Jura mountain)
"altera ex parte"
= on the second sid
"tertia"
= tertia ex parte: on the third side
"fiebat"
fio, fieri, factus irr. verb, used as passive of facio, facere:
be made, be done; come about, happen
"finitimis"
finitimi, -orum m. neighbors
from finitimus, -a, um neighboring, bordering, adjoining
"ut et minus late
vagarentur"
vagor, vagari, -atus: wander about, roam about
result clause: so that they roamed about less wide
"qua ex parte"
for which reason
"bellandi cupidi"
bello, bellare, -avi, -atum: wage war, fight
bellandi is gerund: [eager] of waging war
"dolore"
dolor, doloris m. : grief, pain, anguish
"adficiebantur"
adficio, =ficere, -feci, -fectum: to influence, work upon, to
affect
"multitudine"
multitudo, -inis f.: great number, amount
"fortitudinis"
fortitudo, -inis f. strength, courage, valor
"angustos se fines habere arbitrabantur"
indirect speech: they thought that they had a [too] confined
territory
"angustos"
angustus, -a, -um: narrow, confined, scanty
longitudo, -inis: length
"passuum"
passus, -ûs step
duo milia passum: two [Roman] miles