De Bello Gallico 6.12

6.12.1Cum Caesar in Galliam vēnit, alterīus factiōnis prīncipēs erant Aeduī, alterīus Sēquanī.

When Caesar came into Gaul, the Aedui were the leaders of one faction, the Sequani of the other.

6.12.2Hī cum per sē minus valērent, quod summa auctōritās antīquitus erat in Aeduīs magnaeque eōrum erant clientēlae, Germānōs atque Ariovistum sibi adiūnxerant eōsque ad sē magnīs iactūrīs pollicitātiōnibusque perdūxerant.

Since the Sequani were weaker on their own, because the highest authority had long rested with the Aedui and their dependencies were large, they had joined the Germans and Ariovistus to themselves and had won them over with great sacrifices and promises.

Note. Hī: the Sequani. Ariovistus' story is told in Book I.

6.12.3Proeliīs vērō complūribus factīs secundīs atque omnī nōbilitāte Aeduōrum interfectā tantum potentiā antecesserant, ut magnam partem clientium ab Aeduīs ad sē trādūcerent obsidēsque ab eīs prīncipum fīliōs acciperent et pūblicē iūrāre cōgerent nihil sē contrā Sēquanōs cōnsilī initūrōs et partem fīnitimī agrī per vim occupātam possidērent Galliaeque tōtīus prīncipātum obtinērent.

After fighting several successful battles and killing all the nobility of the Aedui, they grew so powerful that they drew a large part of the Aedui's dependents over to themselves, received from them the sons of their leaders as hostages, forced them to swear publicly that they would form no plan against the Sequani, held part of the neighboring land, seized by force, and had the leadership of all Gaul.

Note. nihil … cōnsilī: partitive genitive, 'no plan'. The ut-clause of result runs on through several verbs: trādūcerent, acciperent, cōgerent, possidērent, obtinērent.

6.12.5Quā necessitāte adductus Dīviciācus auxilī petendī causā Rōmam ad senātum profectus īnfectā rē redierat.

Driven by this necessity, Diviciacus had set out for Rome to the senate to ask for help and had returned without success.

Note. Diviciacus, the Aeduan leader, had spoken before the senate in Rome; Cicero knew him.

6.12.6Adventū Caesaris factā commūtātiōne rērum, obsidibus Aeduīs redditīs, veteribus clientēlīs restitūtīs, novīs per Caesarem comparātīs, quod hī, quī sē ad eōrum amīcitiam adgregāverant, meliōre condiciōne atque aequiōre imperiō sē utī vidēbant, reliquīs rēbus eōrum grātiā dignitāteque amplificātā Sēquanī prīncipātum dīmīserant.

With Caesar's arrival there was a change of affairs: the Aedui got their hostages back, their old dependencies were restored and new ones gained through Caesar, because those who had attached themselves to their friendship saw that they enjoyed better terms and fairer rule; their influence and standing were increased in every other way, and the Sequani gave up the leadership.

6.12.7In eōrum locum Rēmī successerant: quōs quod adaequāre apud Caesarem grātiā intellegēbātur, eī, quī propter veterēs inimīcitiās nūllō modō cum Aeduīs coniungī poterant, sē Rēmīs in clientēlam dicābant.

The Remi had taken their place: and since it was understood that they were equal to the Aedui in favor with Caesar, those who because of old enmities could in no way be united with the Aedui put themselves under the protection of the Remi.

Note. quōs quod adaequāre … intellegēbātur: personal passive construction, 'because they were understood to equal (the Aedui)'. sē … dicābant: dicō, -āre 'dedicate', not dīcō 'say'.

6.12.8Hōs illī dīligenter tuēbantur: ita et novam et repente collēctam auctōritātem tenēbant.

These they protected carefully, and so held an influence that was both new and suddenly acquired.

6.12.9Eō tum statū rēs erat, ut longē prīncipēs habērentur Aeduī, secundum locum dignitātis Rēmī obtinērent.

The state of affairs then was that the Aedui were held to be by far the leaders, and the Remi held the second place in dignity.