De Bello Gallico 7.28

7.28.1Hostēs rē novā perterritī mūrō turribusque dēiectī in forō ac locīs patentiōribus cuneātim cōnstitērunt, hōc animō ut sī qua ex parte obviam contrā venīrētur aciē īnstrūctā dēpugnārent.

The enemy, terrified by the unexpected attack and driven from the wall and towers, formed up in wedges in the market-place and the more open areas, intending, if an attack came at them from any side, to draw up their line and fight it out.

Note. hōc animō ut …: 'with this intention, that …'. sī quā ex parte obviam venīrētur: impersonal passive, 'if an attack were made at them from any side'.

7.28.2Ubi nēminem in aequum locum sēsē dēmittere, sed tōtō undique mūrō circumfundī vīdērunt, veritī nē omnīnō spēs fugae tollerētur, abiectīs armīs ultimās oppidī partēs continentī impetū petīvērunt, parsque ibi, cum angustō exitū portārum sē ipsī premerent, ā mīlitibus, pars iam ēgressa portīs ab equitibus est interfecta;

When they saw that no one was coming down to the level ground, but that our men were pouring round the whole wall on every side, fearing that all hope of flight would be cut off, they threw away their arms and made with one rush for the farthest parts of the town; and some were killed by the infantry there, as they crowded one another in the narrow exit of the gates, others by the cavalry when they had already got out of the gates;

7.28.4nec fuit quisquam, quī praedae studēret.

and there was no one who cared for plunder.

7.28.4Sīc et Cēnabī caede et labōre operis incitātī nōn aetāte cōnfectīs, nōn mulieribus, nōn īnfantibus pepercērunt.

So, roused by the massacre at Cenabum and by the toil of the siege, they spared neither the old nor women nor children.

Note. Cēnabī caede: Caesar's men remembered the massacre of Roman citizens at Cenabum earlier in the year (VII.3). nōn aetāte cōnfectīs …: parcō takes the dative, 'they spared neither the old …'.

7.28.5Dēnique ex omnī numerō, quī fuit circiter mīlium XL, vix DCCC, quī prīmō clāmōre audītō sē ex oppidō ēiēcērunt, incolumēs ad Vercingetorīgem pervēnērunt.

In the end, out of the whole number, which was about forty thousand, barely eight hundred, who had rushed out of the town at the first sound of the shouting, reached Vercingetorix safely.

7.28.6Quōs ille multā iam nocte silentiō ex fugā excēpit, veritus nē qua in castrīs ex eōrum concursū et misericordiā vulgī sēditiō orerētur, ut procul in viā dispositīs familiāribus suīs prīncipibusque cīvitātum disparandōs dēdūcendōsque ad suōs cūrāret, quae cuique cīvitātī pars castrōrum ab initiō obvēnerat.

He took them in from their flight late at night and in silence, fearing that some riot might arise in the camp from their crowding in and the pity of the common people; so he posted his friends and the chiefs of the states far along the road and had them separate the men and lead them to their own people, to whatever part of the camp had been assigned to each state from the beginning.

Note. veritus nē … sēditiō orerētur: a fear clause, 'fearing that a riot might arise'. disparandōs dēdūcendōsque … cūrāret: cūrō with a gerundive, 'had them separated and led off'.