De Bello Gallico 8.46

8.46.1Eā rē cognitā Caesar, cum in omnibus partibus Galliae bene rēs gerī vidēret iūdicāretque superiōribus aestīvīs Galliam dēvictam subāctamque esse, Aquītāniam numquam adīsset, per Pūblium Crassum quādam ex parte dēvīcisset, cum duābus legiōnibus in eam partem Galliae est profectus, ut ibi extrēmum tempus cōnsūmeret aestīvōrum.

When he learned of this, Caesar saw that things were going well in all parts of Gaul and judged that in the previous summers' campaigns Gaul had been defeated and subdued; but he had never visited Aquitania himself, and had conquered it only in part through Publius Crassus, so he set out with two legions for that part of Gaul, to spend the last part of the campaigning season there.

Note. superiōribus aestīvīs: 'in the previous summer campaigns'; aestīva (n. pl.) is the summer season of campaigning, or a summer camp. per Pūblium Crassum: Crassus' conquest of Aquitania is told in Book III (3.20–27). ut ibi extrēmum tempus cōnsūmeret aestīvōrum: purpose clause.

8.46.2Quam rem sīcutī cētera celeriter fēlīciterque cōnfēcit.

He accomplished this, like everything else, quickly and successfully.

Note. sīcutī cētera: 'like everything else'. celeriter fēlīciterque: a typical pair of adverbs in Caesarian narrative.

8.46.2Namque omnēs Aquītāniae cīvitātēs lēgātōs ad Caesarem mīsērunt obsidēsque eī dedērunt.

For all the states of Aquitania sent envoys to Caesar and gave him hostages.

Note. Namque explains the speed of the success: the submission came without fighting.

8.46.3Quibus rēbus gestīs ipse equitum praesidiō Narbōnem profectus est, exercitum per lēgātōs in hīberna dēdūxit: quattuor legiōnēs in Belgiō collocāvit cum M. Antōniō et C. Trebōniō et P. Vatīniō lēgātīs, duās legiōnēs in Aeduōs dēdūxit, quōrum in omnī Galliā summam esse auctōritātem sciēbat, duās in Turonīs ad fīnēs Carnutum posuit, quae omnem illam regiōnem coniūnctam Ōceanō continērent, duās reliquās in Lemovīcum fīnibus nōn longē ab Arvernīs, nē qua pars Galliae vacua ab exercitū esset.

After these achievements he himself set out for Narbo with an escort of cavalry and led the army into winter quarters through his legates. He placed four legions in Belgium with Mark Antony, Gaius Trebonius and Publius Vatinius as legates; he led two legions into the land of the Aedui, whose authority he knew to be the greatest in all Gaul; two he stationed among the Turoni near the borders of the Carnutes, to hold all that region bordering on the Ocean; and the remaining two in the territory of the Lemovices, not far from the Arverni, so that no part of Gaul should be without an army.

Note. Narbōnem: Narbo, the capital of the Province (Gallia Narbonensis). The list of winter quarters shows the legions spread so that no part of Gaul was without an army. in Belgiō: 'in Belgic territory'. quae … continērent: relative clause of purpose. nē qua pars … esset: purpose clause with the indefinite qua.

8.46.5Paucōs diēs ipse in prōvinciā morātus, cum celeriter omnēs conventūs percucurrisset, pūblicās contrōversiās cognōsset, bene meritīs praemia tribuisset (cognōscendī enim maximam facultātem habēbat, quālī quisque fuisset animō in tōtīus Galliae dēfectiōne, quam sustinuerat fidēlitāte atque auxiliīs prōvinciae illīus), hīs cōnfectīs rēbus ad legiōnēs in Belgium sē recipit hībernatque Nemetocennae.

He himself stayed a few days in the Province. He quickly went the round of all the assizes, heard public disputes, and gave rewards to those who had deserved well (for he had every opportunity of learning how each man had behaved in the revolt of all Gaul, which he had withstood through the loyalty and help of that Province); when this was done he went back to the legions in Belgium and wintered at Nemetocenna.

Note. omnēs conventūs percucurrisset: conventūs are the assize-courts the governor held on circuit. bene meritīs: 'to those who had deserved well'. quālī quisque fuisset animō: indirect question, 'what spirit each had shown'. hībernat Nemetocennae: locative, 'at Nemetocenna'.