De Bello Gallico 7.36

7.36.1Caesar ex eō locō quīntīs castrīs Gergoviam pervēnit equestrīque eō diē proeliō levī factō perspectō urbis sitū, quae posita in altissimō monte omnēs aditūs difficilēs habēbat, dē expugnātiōne dēspērāvit, dē obsessiōne nōn prius agendum cōnstituit, quam rem frūmentāriam expedīsset.

From that place Caesar reached Gergovia in five days' marches, and on that day, after a light cavalry skirmish, he examined the site of the city; since it was set on a very high hill and all the approaches were difficult, he gave up hope of taking it by storm, and decided not to set about a blockade until he had secured his grain supply.

Note. quīntīs castrīs: 'at the fifth camp', i.e. after five days' march. nōn prius agendum … quam … expedīsset: 'that he must not set about a blockade until he had secured …'.

7.36.2At Vercingetorīx castrīs, prope oppidum positīs, mediocribus circum sē intervallīs sēparātim singulārum cīvitātium cōpiās collocāverat atque omnibus eius iugī collibus occupātīs, quā dēspicī poterat, horribilem speciem praebēbat;

But Vercingetorix, having pitched his camp near the town, had placed the forces of each state separately around himself at moderate intervals, and, having occupied all the hills of that ridge from which a view down could be had, he presented a fearsome sight;

7.36.3prīncipēsque eārum cīvitātium, quōs sibi ad cōnsilium capiendum dēlēgerat, prīmā lūce cōtīdiē ad sē convenīre iubēbat, seu quid commūnicandum, seu quid administrandum vidērētur;

and he ordered the chiefs of those states, whom he had chosen to form his council, to come to him every day at dawn, whether anything seemed to need discussing or doing;

7.36.4neque ūllum ferē diem intermittēbat quīn equestrī proeliō interiectīs sagittāriīs, quid in quōque esset animī ac virtūtis suōrum perspiceret.

nor did he let almost any day pass without testing, in a cavalry skirmish with archers mixed in, what spirit and courage there was in each of his men.

Note. neque ūllum diem intermittēbat quīn …: 'he let no day pass without …'. After a negative verb of hindering or omitting, quīn introduces the clause.

7.36.5Erat ē regiōne oppidī collis sub ipsīs rādīcibus montis, ēgregiē mūnītus atque ex omnī parte circumcīsus;

Opposite the town, at the very foot of the mountain, there was a hill, excellently fortified and steep on every side;

7.36.5quem sī tenērent nostrī, et aquae magnā parte et pābulātiōne līberā prohibitūrī hostēs vidēbantur;

if our men held it, they seemed likely to cut the enemy off from a great part of their water and from free foraging;

7.36.6sed is locus praesidiō ab hīs nōn nimis firmō tenēbātur;

but that place was held by them with a garrison that was not very strong;

7.36.7tamen silentiō noctis Caesar ex castrīs ēgressus, priusquam subsidiō ex oppidō venīrī posset, dēiectō praesidiō potītus locō duās ibi legiōnēs collocāvit fossamque duplicem duodēnum pedum ā maiōribus castrīs ad minōra perdūxit, ut tūtō ab repentīnō hostium incursū etiam singulī commeāre possent.

yet Caesar went out of the camp in the silence of the night, and before help could come from the town, drove out the garrison, took possession of the place and stationed two legions there, and he dug a double ditch twelve feet wide from the larger camp to the smaller, so that even single men could pass back and forth safe from a sudden attack by the enemy.

Note. fossam duplicem duodēnum pedum: 'a double ditch twelve feet wide'. duodēnum is an older genitive plural for duodēnōrum.