Lectitō › Julius Caesar › Gallic War, Book 8
De Bello Gallico 8.17
Correus plans an ambush
Hirtius, De Bello Gallico VIII. Latin text with a sentence-by-sentence English translation, notes and vocabulary.
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Read in Lectitō8.17.1Quod cum crēbrius accideret, ex captīvō quōdam comperit Caesar Correum, Bellovacōrum ducem, fortissimōrum mīlia sex peditum dēlēgisse equitēsque ex omnī numerō mīlle, quōs in īnsidiīs eō locō collocāret, quem in locum propter cōpiam frūmentī ac pābulī Rōmānōs missūrōs suspicārētur.
When this happened rather often, Caesar learned from a certain prisoner that Correus, the leader of the Bellovaci, had picked out six thousand of the bravest infantry and a thousand cavalry from his whole force, to post them in ambush in the place to which he suspected the Romans would send men because of its plentiful grain and fodder.
Note. Quod cum: a connecting relative, 'when this…'. Correum … dēlēgisse: indirect statement after comperit. quōs … collocāret: relative clause of purpose, 'to post them'. quem in locum … missūrōs suspicārētur: 'to which place he suspected the Romans would send', missūrōs (esse) a future infinitive.
8.17.2Quō cognitō cōnsiliō legiōnēs plūrēs quam solēbat ēdūcit equitātumque, quā cōnsuētūdine pābulātōribus mittere praesidiō cōnsuērat, praemittit: huic interpōnit auxilia levis armātūrae;
When he learned of this plan, he leads out more legions than usual and sends ahead the cavalry, which he had been accustomed to send as a guard for the foragers; among them he places auxiliaries of light-armed troops;
Note. Quō cognitō cōnsiliō: ablative absolute with a connecting relative, 'when this plan was known'. plūrēs quam solēbat: 'more than he usually did'. quā cōnsuētūdine … cōnsuērat: 'as he had been accustomed'; cōnsuērat = cōnsuēverat. praesidiō: dative of purpose, 'as a guard'.
8.17.2ipse cum legiōnibus quam potest maximē appropinquat.
he himself approaches with the legions as close as he can.
Note. quam potest maximē: quam with a superlative, 'as close as he can'.
Vocabulary
| quī, quae, quod, rel. pron. | who, which |
| cum, conj. | when, while, after; since; although |
| crēbrō (adv.) | often, again and again |
| accidō, -cidere, -cidī | fall to or upon; befall, happen |
| ex, ē (prep. + abl.) | out of, from; of (ē only before consonants) |
| captīvus, -a, -um | captive |
| quīdam, quaedam, quoddam, indef. pron. | a certain, certain |
| comperiō, -īre, comperī, compertum | find out, learn |
| dux, ducis, m. and f. | leader, commander |
| fortis, -e | brave |
| mīlle, indecl. adj. | a thousand; mīlia, -ium, n. plur., thousands; |
| sex (indecl.) | six |
| pedes, peditis m. | foot soldier |
| dēligō, -ligere, -lēgī, -lēctus | choose out, choose, select |
| eques, equitis m. | horseman; (pl.) cavalry |
| que, enclitic conj. | and |
| omnis, -e | all, every |
| numerus, -ī, m. | number |
| in, prep. with acc. and abl. | with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on |
| īnsidiae, -ārum, f. plur. | ambush; plot, stratagem |
| is, ea, id, dem. pron. | this, that; he, she, it, they |
| locus, -ī, m., plur. loca, -orum, n. | place, situation |
| collocō (conlocō), -āre, -āvī, -ātum | place, station; give in marriage |
| propter, prep. with acc. | on account of, because of |
| cōpia, -ae, f. | supply, abundance; plur., forces, troops |
| frūmentum, -ī, n. | grain |
| atque, ac (conj.) | and; after comparisons: as, than (ac only before consonants) |
| pābulum, -ī, n. | food, fodder |
| Rōmānus, -a, -um | Roman |
| mittō, mittere, mīsī, missus | send |
| suspicor, -spicārī, -spicātus | suspect |
| cognōscō, -gnōscere, -gnōvī, -gnitus | find out, learn; in tenses of completed action, have found out, know |
| cōnsilium, -ī, n. | advice; plan, design, purpose; prudence |
| legiō, -ōnis f. | legion |
| multus, -a, -um | much, great; plur., many |
| quam, adv. | how? as; than; with superl., as ... as possible |
| soleō, -ēre, solitus sum | be accustomed, usually do |
| ēdūcō, -dūcere, -dūxī, -ductus | lead out, draw |
| equitātus, -ūs m. | cavalry |
| cōnsuētūdō, -inis f. | custom, habit; way of life |
| pābulātor, -ōris m. | forager |
| praesidium, -ī, n. | protection; guard, escort |
| cōnsuēscō, -suēscere, -suēvī, -suētus | become accustomed; in tenses of completed action, have become accustomed, be accustomed or wont |
| praemittō, -ere, -mīsī, -missum | send ahead |
| hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron. | this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter |
| interpōnō, -ere, -posuī, -positum | put between; bring forward (an excuse) |
| auxilium, -ī, n. | help, aid |
| levis, -e | light, slight |
| armātūra, -ae f. | armour, equipment (levis armātūra: light-armed troops) |
| ipse, ipsa, ipsum, intensive pron. | self, himself, herself, itself, themselves; often to be rendered by very |
| cum, prep, with abl. | with |
| possum, posse, potuī | be able, have power, can |
| maximē, adv. | very greatly, exceedingly, especially |
| appropinquō, -propinquāre, -propinquāvī, -propinquātus | approach to, approach |