| [20] Diviciacus multis cum lacrimis Caesarem
complexus obsecrare coepit
ne quid gravius in fratrem statueret:
scire se illa esse vera, nec
quemquam ex eo plus quam
se doloris capere, propterea quod,
cum ipse gratia plurimum domi
atque in reliqua Gallia, ille minimum propter
adulescentiam posset, per se crevisset; quibus opibus
ac nervis non solum ad minuendam gratiam,
sed paene ad perniciem suam uteretur.
Sese tamen et amore fraterno et existimatione vulgi commoveri. Quod si quid ei a Caesare gravius accidisset, cum ipse eum locum amicitiae apud eum teneret, neminem existimaturum [esse] non sua voluntate factum [esse]; qua ex re futurum [esse] uti totius Galliae animi a se averterentur. Haec cum pluribus verbis flens a Caesare peteret, Caesar eius dextram prendit; consolatus rogat finem orandi faciat; tanti eius apud se gratiam esse ostendit uti et rei publicae iniuriam et suum dolorem eius voluntati ac precibus condonet. Dumnorigem ad se vocat, fratrem adhibet; quae in eo
reprehendat ostendit; quae ipse
intellegat, quae civitas queratur proponit;
monet ut in reliquum tempus omnes suspiciones
vitet; praeterita amp;se
Diviciaco fratri condonare dicit. Dumnorigi custodes ponit, ut quae
agat, quibuscum loquatur scire possit.
[21] Eodem die ab exploratoribus certior factus hostes sub monte consedisse milia passuum ab ipsius castris octo, qualis esset natura montis et qualis in circuitu ascensus qui cognoscerent misit. Renuntiatum est facilem esse. De tertia vigilia T. Labienum, legatum pro praetore, cum duabus legionibus et iis ducibus qui iter cognoverant summum iugum montis ascendere iubet; quid sui consilii sit ostendit. Ipse de quarta vigilia eodem itinere quo hostes ierant ad eos contendit equitatumque omnem ante se mittit. P. Considius, qui rei militaris peritissimus
habebatur et in exercitu L. Sullae
et postea in M. Crassi fuerat,
cum exploratoribus praemittitur.
|
[1.20] Divitiacus, embracing Caesar, begins to implore him,
with many tears, that "he would not pass any very severe sentence upon
his brother; saying, that he knows that those charges are true, and that
nobody suffered more pain on that account than he himself did; for when
he himself could effect a very great deal by his influence at home and
in the rest of Gaul, and he [Dumnorix] very little on account of his youth,
the latter had become powerful through his means, which power and strength
he used not only to the lessening of his [Divitiacus] popularity, but almost
to his ruin; that he, however, was influenced both by fraternal affection
and by public opinion. But if any thing very severe from Caesar should
befall him [Dumnorix], no one would think that it had been done without
his consent, since he himself held such a place in Caesar's friendship:
from which circumstance it would arise, that the affections of the whole
of Gaul would be estranged from him." As he was with tears begging these
things of Caesar in many words, Caesar takes his right hand, and, comforting
him, begs him to make an end of entreating, and assures him that his regard
for him is so great, that he forgives both the injuries of the republic
and his private wrongs, at his desire and prayers. He summons Dumnorix
to him; he brings in his brother; he points out what he censures in him;
he lays before him what he of himself perceives, and what the state complains
of; he warns him for the future to avoid all grounds of suspicion; he says
that he pardons the past, for the sake of his brother, Divitiacus. He sets
spies over Dumnorix that he may be able to know what he does, and with
whom he communicates.
[1.21] Being on the same day informed by his scouts, that the enemy had encamped at the foot of a mountain eight miles from his own camp; he sent persons to ascertain what the nature of the mountain was, and of what kind the ascent on every side. Word was brought back, that it was easy. During the third watch he orders Titus Labienus, his lieutenant with praetorian powers, to ascend to the highest ridge of the mountain with two legions, and with those as guides who had examined the road; he explains what his plan is. He himself during the fourth watch, hastens to them by the same route by which the enemy had gone, and sends on all the cavalry before him. Publius Considius, who was reputed to be very experienced in military affairs, and had been in the army of Lucius Sulla, and afterward in that of Marcus Crassus, is sent forward with the scouts. |
"lacrimis"
lacrima, -ae f. tear
with many tears
"complexus"
complector, -i, -plexus to embrace
"obsecrare"
obsecro, obsecrare to beg
"coepit"
coepi, coepisse , coeptum def. verb (only perf. stem),
to begin
"ne" : that not
purpose clause
"statueret"
statuo, -ere, -ui, -tutum to decide
subj. of purpose clause
"scire"
scire, scio, scivi, scitum
scire se subj. acc. = that he knew
begin of a long passage of indirect speech
"vera"
verus, -a, um true
neut. pl.
"quid gravius"
somthing more severe
comp. of gravis, -e
"quemquam"
quisquam, quicquam anyone (subj. acc)
nec quemquam = and that no one
"ex eo"
= on accout of that fact
" quam se"
=more than he himself
"plus ... doloris capere"
dolor, doloris f. grief
= to have more [of] grief
"cum"
temporal cum with subj. cum ipse ... plurimum ... posset
lit. while he himself was able [to do] very much
"gratia"
gratia, -ae f. influence
abl. of means
" in reliqua Gallia"
in the rest of Gaul
"ille minimum propter adulescentiam
posset"
lit. he (i.e. his brother) was able [to do] the least
because of his youth
"crevisset"
cresco, -ere, crevi, cretum to grow, increase
= Dumnorix had increased (in influence) through his (Diviciacus')
help
"opibus"
ops, opis f. plur. resources
abl. caused by the following utor, uti
" ad perniciem suam"
pernicies, -ei f. destruction = for his own destruction
"uteretur"
utor, uti, usus sum dep. to use
"ad minuendam"
gerund of minuo, -ere, -ui, -utum to diminish
lit. for the diminishing
"Sese"
se ...commoveri that he would be moved
"fraterno"
fraternus, -a, -um brotherly
"existimatione"
existimatio, -ionis f. opinion
"vulgi "
vulgus, -i m. common people, multitude
"commoveri"
pass. inf. of commoveo, -êre, -ui to move
"et amore fraterno et existimatione
vulgi"
= both by affection for his brother and by public opinion
"accidisset"
accido, -erem -idi to happen
"quid ei a Caesare gravius"
quid ... gravius something rather grave
"locum amicitiae"
[while he holds this] place of friendship
"apud eum"
with him (i.e. Caesar)
"teneret"
teneo, -êrem -ui, -tum to hold
"neminem"
nemo, neminis nobody
"existimaturum [esse]"
existimo, -âre to think, suppose
"non sua voluntate"
not without his own (i.e. Diviciacus) will voluntas, -atis
f. will, consent
"non factum [esse]
= that it was not done (after existaturm [esse])
"qua ex re"
= for which reason
lit. out of which thing
"futurum [esse]"
= it would come about
"animi totius Galliae"
the minds of all [the people of] of Gaul
"averterentur"
averto, -ere,o turn - ti , -sum
to turn away imperf. sub. pass. = would
be turned away
"cum ... peteret"
when he was seeking
"pluribus verbis"
instrumental abl. with many words
"flens"
fleo, flere, flevi, fletum to weep
"cum ... peteret"
when he was seeking
"dextram"
dexter, -tra, -trum right [hand]
"prendit"
prendo, -ere, prendi, prensum to grasp, take
"consolatus"
consolo, consolare to comfort
= having comforted [him]
"rogat"
rogo, rogare to ask
"orandi"
oro, orare to ask, beg, pray
gerund = that he make an end of pleading
"tanti"
tantus, -a,-um of such great
"apud se"
with him (Caesar), in his estimation
"gratiam"
gratia, -ae f. influence
"ostendit"
ostendo, -ere, -tendi, -sum to show, assure
"iniuriam"
inuria, -ae f. injury, offence
"dolorem"
dolor, -oris f. grief
"precibus"
prex, precis f. prayer, request
"condonet"
condono, condonare to pardon, disregard
"eius voluntati ac precibus"
dative of indir. object on account of the meaning 'give' or 'present'
in condonet
= in response to his wish and prayers
"adhibet"
adhibeo, -ere, -hibui, -hibitum
bring forward, summon
"reprehendat"
reprehendo, -ere, -si, -sum
to censure
"ostendit"
ostendo, -ere, -di, -sum to show, explain
"queratur"
quaeror, -i, quaesus sum to complain
"proponit"
propono, -ere, -posui, -positum to put before, spell out
"monet"
moneo, monêre, -ui, -itum to warn
"suspiciones"
suspicio, -onis f. suspicion
"praeterita"
praeteritus, -a, um past (matters)
neuter plural: = the past
"in reliquum tempus"
= for the future
"se Diviciaco fratri
condonare"
= that he would disregard for (dative of ref.) the sake of his
brother Diviciacus
" ab"
to express the agent with the passive
"monte"
mons, montis m. mountain
sub monte = at the foot of an elevation
"Eodem die"
abl. of time: on the same day
"certior factus"
aliquem certiorem facere: to inform someone
"consedisse"
consedo, -ere, -edi to settle, encamp
"qualis esset"
indir. question: of what sort is ...
"circuitu"
circuitus, -ûs circumference
"ascensus"
ascensus, -ûs ascent
"qui cognoscerent"
relative clause of purpose: in order to find out (lit.
who should find out)
"Renuntiatum est"
it was reported back
"facilem"
facilis, -e easy
"De tertia vigilia"
abl. of time: shortly after the third watch
"legatum pro praetore"
When a lieutenant was give a special responsibility, to act outside
the presence of the commander, he was called 'lieutenant in place of the
general', or as we say 'second in command.'
"qui iter cognoverant"
= who had explored the approach
"ascendere"
ascendo, -ere, -di to ascend
"[cum ...] iis ducibus"
and with those as guides, referring to the patrols previously
sent out.
"summum iugum montis"
= the highest ridge of the mountain
iugum, -i yoke, ridge
"ostendit"
ostendo, -ere, -di, -sum to show, point out
"quid sui consilii si"
= what his plan was (lit. 'what is of his plan')
"contendit"
contendo, -ere, -di to hasten
"eodem itinere quo hostes ierant"
= along the same route which the enemy had taken
eodem itinere, quo instrumental abl.
"ante"
prep. with acc. before, in front of
"peritissimus"
peritus, -a, um experienced
"habebatur"
= was held to be, was considered
"exercitu"
exercitus, -ûs m. army
"rei militaris"
= in the art of war (lit. [ very experienced] of military
matters)
"fuerat"
had been
"postea"
later on
"praemittitur"
was sent in advance, ahead (hist. presence)