De Bello Gallico 1.2

1.2.1Apud Helvētiōs longē nōbilissimus fuit et dītissimus Orgetorīx.

Among the Helvetii by far the noblest and richest man was Orgetorix.

Note. longē nōbilissimus: longē strengthens a superlative, 'by far the noblest'.

1.2.1Is M. Messālā, M. Pīsōne cōnsulibus regnī cupiditāte inductus coniūrātiōnem nōbilitātis fēcit et cīvitātī persuāsit ut dē fīnibus suīs cum omnibus cōpiīs exīrent: perfacile esse, cum virtūte omnibus praestārent, tōtīus Galliae imperiō potīrī.

In the consulship of Marcus Messala and Marcus Piso, led on by desire for kingship, he formed a conspiracy of the nobility and persuaded the state to leave their territory with all their forces: it would be very easy, he said, since they surpassed everyone in courage, to win control of all Gaul.

Note. M. Messālā, M. Pīsōne cōnsulibus is an ablative absolute dating the year (61 BC): 'Messala and Piso being consuls'. After the colon Caesar reports Orgetorix's argument in indirect speech: perfacile esse … potīrī, 'it was very easy … to gain control'. potior takes the genitive or ablative: tōtīus Galliae imperiō.

1.2.3Id hōc facilius iīs persuāsit, quod undique locī nātūrā Helvētiī continentur: ūnā ex parte flūmine Rhēnō lātissimō atque altissimō, quī agrum Helvētium ā Germānīs dīvidit;

He persuaded them of this all the more easily because the Helvetii are hemmed in on every side by the nature of the land: on one side by the river Rhine, very wide and very deep, which separates Helvetian land from the Germans;

Note. hōc facilius: 'the more easily for this reason', an ablative of degree of difference looking ahead to the quod clause. ūnā ex parte … alterā ex parte … tertiā: 'on one side … on another … on the third'.

1.2.3alterā ex parte monte Iūrā altissimō, quī est inter Sēquanōs et Helvētiōs;

on another side by the very high Jura range, which lies between the Sequani and the Helvetii;

1.2.3tertiā lacū Lemannō et flūmine Rhodanō, quī prōvinciam nostram ab Helvētiīs dīvidit.

on the third by Lake Geneva and the river Rhône, which separates our Province from the Helvetii.

1.2.4Hīs rēbus fīēbat ut et minus lātē vagārentur et minus facile fīnitimīs bellum īnferre possent;

Because of this it came about that they roamed less widely and could less easily make war on their neighbours;

Note. fīēbat ut: 'it came about that', followed by a result clause in the subjunctive.

1.2.5quā ex parte hominēs bellandī cupidī magnō dolōre adficiēbantur.

and on that account, being men eager for war, they were greatly aggrieved.

1.2.6Prō multitūdine autem hominum et prō glōriā bellī atque fortitūdinis angustōs sē fīnēs habēre arbitrābantur, quī in longitūdinem mīlia passuum CCXL, in lātitūdinem CLXXX patēbant.

They thought that for the size of their population and for their glory in war and courage they had narrow territory, which stretched 240 miles in length and 180 in breadth.

Note. angustōs sē fīnēs habēre: indirect statement after arbitrābantur, 'they thought they had narrow territory'. mīlia passuum CCXL: 'two hundred and forty miles'; a Roman mile is a thousand paces.