De Bello Gallico 8.5

8.5.1Cum fāma exercitūs ad hostēs esset perlāta, calamitāte cēterōrum ductī Carnutēs dēsertīs vīcīs oppidīsque, quae tolerandae hiemis causā cōnstitūtīs repente exiguīs ad necessitātem aedificiīs incolēbant (nūper enim dēvictī complūra oppida dīmīserant), dispersī profugiunt.

When the report of the army reached the enemy, the Carnutes, taught by the disaster of the others, abandoned the villages and towns in which they had been living in small buildings put up hastily out of necessity to get through the winter (for, recently conquered, they had abandoned several towns), and fled in all directions.

Note. calamitāte cēterōrum ductī: 'taught by the disaster of the others'. quae … incolēbant: the relative refers back to vīcīs oppidīsque. tolerandae hiemis causā: gerundive with causā, 'for the sake of getting through the winter'.

8.5.2Caesar ērumpentēs eō maximē tempore ācerrimās tempestātēs cum subīre mīlitēs nōllet, in oppidō Carnutum Cēnabō castra pōnit atque in tēcta partim Gallōrum, partim quae coniectīs celeriter strāmentīs tentōriōrum integendōrum grātiā erant inaedificāta, mīlitēs compēgit.

Since Caesar did not want the soldiers to face the very fierce storms that were breaking out at that very time, he pitched camp in the town of the Carnutes, Cenabum, and crowded the soldiers into shelters, partly the Gauls' houses, partly huts that had been put up by quickly throwing straw on to cover the tents.

Note. Cēnabum is Orléans, where the revolt of 52 BC had begun with a massacre of Roman traders (Book VII). tentōriōrum integendōrum grātiā: 'for the sake of covering the tents'. compēgit: from compingō, 'crammed, crowded'.

8.5.3Equitēs tamen et auxiliāriōs peditēs in omnēs partēs mittit quāscumque petīsse dīcēbantur hostēs;

However, he sends cavalry and auxiliary infantry in every direction which the enemy were said to have taken;

Note. quāscumque … petīsse dīcēbantur hostēs: 'whatever places the enemy were said to have made for'. petīsse = petīvisse.

8.5.3nec frūstrā: nam plērumque magnā praedā potītī nostrī revertuntur.

and not in vain: for our men usually return having taken much plunder.

Note. nec frūstrā: echoing Frūstrā in chapter 3. potītī: from the deponent potior, which takes the ablative (magnā praedā).

8.5.4Oppressī Carnutēs hiemis difficultāte, terrōre perīculī, cum tēctīs expulsī nūllō locō diūtius cōnsistere audērent nec silvārum praesidiō tempestātibus dūrissimīs tegī possent, dispersī magnā parte āmissā suōrum dissipantur in fīnitimās cīvitātēs.

The Carnutes, crushed by the hardship of the winter and by fear of danger, since, driven from their homes, they did not dare to stay in any place for long and could not be sheltered by the protection of the forests in the very harsh storms, were scattered, having lost a large part of their people, and dispersed into the neighbouring states.

Note. Note the asyndeton hiemis difficultāte, terrōre perīculī: 'by the hardship of winter, by fear of danger'. cum … audērent … possent: causal cum. dissipantur: historic present.