De Bello Gallico 3.1

3.1.1Cum in Ītaliam proficīscerētur Caesar, Ser. Galbam cum legiōne XII. et parte equitātūs in Nantuātēs, Veragrōs Sedūnōsque mīsit, quī ā fīnibus Allobrogum et lacū Lemannō et flūmine Rhodanō ad summās Alpēs pertinent.

When Caesar was setting out for Italy, he sent Servius Galba with the twelfth legion and part of the cavalry against the Nantuates, the Veragri and the Seduni, who stretch from the territory of the Allobroges, Lake Geneva and the river Rhône to the highest Alps.

Note. Ser. is short for Servius. legiōne XII: the twelfth legion (duodecimā). quī … pertinent: the peoples 'stretch' from the lake to the Alps.

3.1.2Causa mittendī fuit quod iter per Alpēs, quō magnō cum perīculō magnīsque cum portōriīs mercātōrēs īre cōnsuērant, patefierī volēbat.

The reason for sending him was that he wanted the route through the Alps opened, along which merchants had been used to travel at great danger and with heavy tolls.

Note. Causa mittendī: gerund in the genitive, 'the reason for sending'. patefierī is the passive infinitive of patefaciō, 'to be opened up'.

3.1.3Huic permīsit, sī opus esse arbitrārētur, utī in hīs locīs legiōnem hiemandī causā conlocāret.

He allowed Galba, if he thought it necessary, to station the legion in those places for the winter.

3.1.4Galba secundīs aliquot proeliīs factīs castellīsque complūribus eōrum expugnātīs, missīs ad eum undique lēgātīs obsidibusque datīs et pāce factā, cōnstituit cohortēs duās in Nantuātibus conlocāre et ipse cum reliquīs eius legiōnis cohortibus in vīcō Veragrōrum, quī appellātur Octodūrus hiemāre;

After fighting several successful battles and storming a number of their forts, when envoys had been sent to him from all sides, hostages given and peace made, Galba decided to station two cohorts among the Nantuates and to winter himself with the remaining cohorts of that legion in a village of the Veragri called Octodurus;

Note. A long string of ablative absolutes sets the scene before the main verb cōnstituit: proeliīs factīs, castellīs expugnātīs, lēgātīs missīs, obsidibus datīs, pāce factā.

3.1.5quī vīcus positus in valle nōn magnā adiectā plānitiē altissimīs montibus undique continētur.

this village lies in a valley, with a small plain beside it, and is shut in on all sides by very high mountains.

3.1.6Cum hic in duās partēs flūmine dīviderētur, alteram partem eius vīcī Gallīs ad hiemandum concessit, alteram vacuam ab hīs relictam cohortibus attribuit.

Since it was divided into two parts by a river, he granted one part of the village to the Gauls to winter in, and assigned the other, which they had left empty, to his cohorts.

Note. ad hiemandum: gerund of purpose after ad, 'for wintering'.

3.1.6Eum locum vallō fossāque mūnīvit.

He fortified this place with a rampart and a ditch.