De Bello Gallico 6.27

6.27.1Sunt item, quae appellantur alcēs.

There are also the animals called elks.

6.27.1Hārum est cōnsimilis caprīs figūra et varietās pellium, sed magnitūdine paulō antecēdunt mutilaeque sunt cornibus et crūra sine nōdīs articulīsque habent neque quiētis causā prōcumbunt neque, sī quō adflīctae cāsū concidērunt, ērigere sēsē aut sublevāre possunt.

Their shape and the mottling of their skins are like those of goats, but they are somewhat larger; they have stunted horns and legs without joints or knuckles, they do not lie down to rest, and if they have been knocked down by some accident and fallen, they cannot get up or raise themselves.

Note. The story that elks have no joints and cannot lie down is a traveler's tale; Pliny tells a similar one. sī quō … cāsū: 'if by some chance'.

6.27.3Hīs sunt arborēs prō cubīlibus: ad eās sē applicant atque ita paulum modo reclīnātae quiētem capiunt.

Trees serve them as beds: they lean against these and so, reclining only a little, they take their rest.

6.27.4Quārum ex vestīgiīs cum est animadversum ā vēnātōribus, quō sē recipere cōnsuērint, omnēs eō locō aut ab rādīcibus subruunt aut accīdunt arborēs, tantum ut summa speciēs eārum stantium relinquātur.

When hunters have noticed from their tracks where they usually go to rest, they either undermine all the trees in that place at the roots or cut into them, so far that the trees keep the full appearance of standing.

Note. tantum ut: 'only so far that'. summa speciēs … stantium: 'the full appearance of (trees) standing'.

6.27.4Hūc cum sē cōnsuētūdine reclīnāvērunt, īnfirmās arborēs pondere adflīgunt atque ūnā ipsae concīdunt.

When the elks lean against them as usual, they knock down the weakened trees by their weight and fall together with them.