De Bello Gallico 8.10

8.10.1Huius mūnītiōnis duplex erat cōnsilium.

This fortification had a double purpose.

Note. Huius mūnītiōnis duplex erat cōnsilium: Hirtius explains the purpose of the elaborate works.

8.10.1Namque et operum magnitūdinem et timōrem suum spērābat fīdūciam barbarīs allātūrum, et cum pābulātum frūmentātumque longius esset proficīscendum, parvīs cōpiīs castra mūnītiōne ipsā vidēbat posse dēfendī.

For he hoped that the size of the works and his apparent fear would give the barbarians confidence; and since they would have to go rather far to forage and gather grain, he saw that the camp could be defended by a small force because of the fortification itself.

Note. timōrem suum: 'his own fear', i.e. the appearance of fear. allātūrum (esse): future infinitive. pābulātum frūmentātumque: supines of purpose after a verb of motion. esset proficīscendum: impersonal gerundive, 'it would be necessary to set out'.

8.10.2Interim crēbrō paucīs utrimque prōcurrentibus inter bīna castra palūde interiectā contendēbātur;

Meanwhile there was frequent fighting between the two camps across the marsh that lay between them, with a few men running forward from each side;

Note. crēbrō: adverb, 'frequently'. paucīs utrimque prōcurrentibus: ablative absolute. contendēbātur: impersonal passive, 'there was fighting'.

8.10.2quam tamen palūdem nōnnumquam aut nostra auxilia Gallōrum Germānōrumque trānsībant ācriusque hostēs īnsequēbantur, aut vicissim hostēs eādem trānsgressī nostrōs longius summovēbant.

this marsh, however, our Gallic and German auxiliaries sometimes crossed and pursued the enemy rather fiercely, or in turn the enemy crossed by the same way and drove our men back a good distance.

Note. quam … palūdem: connecting relative used as an adjective, 'this marsh'. eādem: supply viā, 'by the same way'.

8.10.3Accidēbat autem cōtīdiānīs pābulātiōnibus (id quod accidere erat necesse, cum rārīs disiectīsque ex aedificiīs pābulum conquīrerētur), ut impedītīs locīs dispersī pābulātōrēs circumvenīrentur;

In the daily foraging it happened (as was bound to happen, since the fodder was gathered from scattered buildings far apart) that foragers scattered in difficult country were cut off;

Note. id quod accidere erat necesse: a parenthesis, 'as was bound to happen'. ut … circumvenīrentur: noun clause after Accidēbat, 'it happened that … were cut off'.

8.10.4quae rēs, etsī mediocre dētrīmentum iūmentōrum ac servōrum nostrīs adferēbat, tamen stultās cōgitātiōnēs incitābat barbarōrum, atque eō magis, quod Commius, quem profectum ad auxilia Germānōrum arcessenda docuī, cum equitibus vēnerat;

and although this caused our men only moderate loss of pack animals and slaves, it still roused foolish thoughts among the barbarians, and all the more because Commius, who I said had set out to bring German help, had arrived with cavalry;

Note. quae rēs: connecting relative, 'this thing'. eō magis, quod: 'all the more because'. quem profectum … docuī: Hirtius refers back to his own earlier statement (sentence 40), 'whom I said had set out'.

8.10.4quī, tametsī numerō nōn amplius erant quīngentī, tamen Germānōrum adventū barbarī nītēbantur.

and although they were no more than five hundred in number, the barbarians relied on the arrival of the Germans.

Note. tametsī … tamen: 'although … still'. Germānōrum adventū … nītēbantur: nītor takes the ablative, 'relied on the arrival of the Germans'.