De Bello Gallico 6.22

6.22.1Agrīcultūrae nōn student, maiorque pars eōrum vīctus in lacte, cāseō, carne cōnsistit.

They take no interest in farming, and most of their food consists of milk, cheese and meat.

6.22.2Neque quisquam agrī modum certum aut fīnēs habet propriōs;

No one has a fixed amount of land or boundaries of his own;

6.22.2sed magistrātūs ac prīncipēs in annōs singulōs gentibus cognātiōnibusque hominum, quī ūnā coiērunt, quantum et quō locō vīsum est agrī attribuunt atque annō post aliō trānsīre cōgunt.

instead the magistrates and chiefs each year assign to the tribes and kinship groups who have come together as much land as they think fit and in whatever place, and a year later they force them to move elsewhere.

Note. quantum et quō locō vīsum est agrī: 'as much land and in whatever place seemed good'. annō post: 'a year later'.

6.22.3Eius reī multās adferunt causās: nē adsiduā cōnsuētūdine captī studium bellī gerendī agrīcultūrā commūtent;

They give many reasons for this: that they may not be won over by settled habit and exchange their eagerness for waging war for farming;

Note. This sentence begins a list of purpose clauses introduced by nē, which runs to the end of the chapter.

6.22.3nē lātōs fīnēs parāre studeant, potentiōrēsque humiliōrēs possessiōnibus expellant;

that they may not be eager to acquire broad estates, and the more powerful drive the weaker from their holdings;

6.22.3nē accūrātius ad frīgora atque aestūs vītandōs aedificent;

that they may not build too carefully to keep off cold and heat;

6.22.3nē qua oriātur pecūniae cupiditās, quā ex rē factiōnēs dissēnsiōnēsque nāscuntur;

that no greed for money may arise, from which come factions and quarrels;

6.22.4ut animī aequitāte plēbem contineant, cum suās quisque opēs cum potentissimīs aequārī videat.

and that they may keep the common people contented, since each man sees that his own wealth is equal to that of the most powerful.