De Bello Gallico 7.55

7.55.1Noviodūnum erat oppidum Aeduōrum ad rīpās Ligeris opportūnō locō positum.

Noviodunum was a town of the Aedui on the banks of the Loire, placed in a convenient spot.

7.55.2Hūc Caesar omnēs obsidēs Galliae, frūmentum, pecūniam pūblicam, suōrum atque exercitūs impedīmentōrum magnam partem contulerat;

Caesar had brought here all the hostages of Gaul, the grain, the public money, and a large part of his own and the army's baggage;

7.55.3hūc magnum numerum equōrum huius bellī causā in Ītaliā atque Hispāniā coēmptum mīserat.

he had sent here a great number of horses bought up in Italy and Spain for this war.

7.55.4Eō cum Eporēdorīx Viridomārusque vēnissent et dē statū cīvitātis cognōvissent, Litaviccum Bibractī ab Aeduīs receptum, quod est oppidum apud eōs maximae auctōritātis, Convictolitāvim magistrātum magnamque partem senātūs ad eum convēnisse, lēgātōs ad Vercingetorīgem dē pāce et amīcitiā conciliandā pūblicē missōs, nōn praetermittendum tantum commodum exīstimāvērunt.

When Eporedorix and Viridomarus came there and learned about the state of their nation, that Litaviccus had been received by the Aedui at Bibracte, which is a town of the very greatest importance among them, that Convictolitavis the magistrate and a large part of the senate had gone to meet him, and that envoys had been sent officially to Vercingetorix to arrange peace and friendship, they thought so great an advantage should not be let slip.

Note. The accusative-and-infinitive clauses Litaviccum … receptum (esse), Convictolitāvim … convēnisse and lēgātōs … missōs (esse) all report what the two men learned (cognōvissent). praetermittendum (esse) is a gerundive of obligation: 'should not be let slip'.

7.55.5Itaque interfectīs Noviodūnī custōdibus quīque eō negōtiandī causā convēnerant pecūniam atque equōs inter sē partītī sunt;

So they killed the guards at Noviodunum and those who had gathered there to trade, and divided the money and the horses among themselves.

Note. quīque = et eī quī, 'and those who'. negōtiandī causā: genitive of the gerund with causā, 'for the sake of trading'.

7.55.6obsidēs cīvitātum Bibracte ad magistrātum dēdūcendōs cūrāvērunt;

They had the hostages of the states taken to the magistrate at Bibracte;

7.55.6oppidum, quod ā sē tenērī nōn posse iūdicābant, nē cui esset ūsuī Rōmānīs, incendērunt;

the town, which they judged they could not hold, they burned, so that it should be of no use to the Romans;

Note. nē cui esset ūsuī: after nē, quis loses its qu- and means 'anyone'; ūsuī is a dative of purpose, 'of use'.

7.55.8frūmentī quod subitō potuērunt nāvibus āvexērunt, reliquum flūmine atque incendiō corrūpērunt.

what grain they could at short notice they carried off in boats, and the rest they spoiled with the river and with fire.

7.55.9Ipsī ex fīnitimīs regiōnibus cōpiās cōgere, praesidia custōdiāsque ad rīpās Ligeris dispōnere equitātumque omnibus locīs iniciendī timōris causā ostentāre coepērunt, sī ab rē frūmentāriā Rōmānōs exclūdere aut adductōs inopiā in prōvinciam expellere possent.

They themselves began to gather forces from the neighbouring districts, to post garrisons and guards along the banks of the Loire, and to show off their cavalry everywhere to strike fear, in the hope that they could cut the Romans off from their grain supply or drive them, forced by want, into the Province.

Note. sī … possent: 'in case they could', 'to see if they could', a clause expressing the hope behind their action.

7.55.10quam ad spem multum eōs adiuvābat, quod Liger ex nivibus crēverat, ut omnīnō vadō nōn posse trānsīrī vidērētur.

They were greatly helped towards this hope because the Loire had risen with the melting snows, so that it seemed it could not be crossed by a ford at all.