Lectitō › Julius Caesar › Gallic War, Book 8
De Bello Gallico 8.51
Caesar welcomed in Italy
Hirtius, De Bello Gallico VIII. Latin text with a sentence-by-sentence English translation, notes and vocabulary.
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Read in Lectitō8.51.1Exceptus est Caesaris adventus ab omnibus mūnicipiīs et colōniīs incrēdibilī honōre atque amōre.
Caesar's arrival was greeted by all the towns and colonies with incredible honour and affection.
Note. Exceptus est … adventus: 'his arrival was received'. incrēdibilī honōre atque amōre: ablatives of manner.
8.51.2Tum prīmum enim veniēbat ab illō ūniversae Galliae bellō.
For this was the first time he had come since that war against all Gaul.
Note. ab illō ūniversae Galliae bellō: the great revolt of 52 BC, which Caesar had just put down.
8.51.2Nihil relinquēbātur quod ad ōrnātum portārum, itinerum, locōrum omnium quā Caesar itūrus erat excōgitārī poterat.
Nothing was left undone that could be devised to decorate the gates, the roads and all the places through which Caesar was to pass.
Note. Nihil relinquēbātur quod … excōgitārī poterat: 'nothing was left undone that could be devised'. quā Caesar itūrus erat: 'by which Caesar was going to pass'.
8.51.3Cum līberīs omnis multitūdō obviam prōcēdēbat, hostiae omnibus locīs immolābantur, triclīniīs strātīs fora templaque occupābantur, ut vel exspectātissimī triumphī laetitia praecipī posset.
The whole population came out to meet him with their children, sacrificial victims were offered everywhere, couches were spread and the forums and temples were filled with them, so that the joy of a long-awaited triumph could be tasted in advance.
Note. obviam prōcēdēbat: 'went out to meet (him)'. triclīniīs strātīs: couches spread for public banquets. ut … laetitia praecipī posset: result clause; the welcome was like a triumph celebrated in advance.
8.51.3Tanta erat magnificentia apud opulentiōrēs, cupiditās apud humiliōrēs.
Such was the splendour among the rich, and the eagerness among the humbler people.
Note. Tanta erat magnificentia … cupiditās: two nouns with one verb, a brief summary sentence.
Vocabulary
| excipiō, -cipere, -cēpī, -ceptus | take out or up, receive, welcome, entertain |
| sum, esse, fuī, futūrus | be |
| adventus, -ūs, m. | approach, arrival |
| ā, ab (prep. + abl.) | away from, from; by (ā only before consonants) |
| omnis, -e | all, every |
| mūnicipium, -ī n. | municipium, a self-governing Italian town with Roman citizenship |
| et, conj. | and; et ... et, both ... and |
| colōnia, -ae f. | settlement, colony |
| incrēdibilis, e | incredible |
| honor, -ōris, m. | honor |
| atque, ac (conj.) | and; after comparisons: as, than (ac only before consonants) |
| amor, -ōris, m. | love |
| tum, adv. | then, at that time |
| prīmum, adv. | first, in the first place |
| enim, conj. | for |
| veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventus | come |
| ille, illa, illud, dem. pron. | that; he, she, it, they; ille ... hīc, see hīc |
| ūniversus, -a, -um | all together, whole, entire, all |
| bellum, -ī, n. | war |
| nihil, n., indecl. | nothing |
| relinquō, -linquere, -līquī, -lictus | leave behind, leave |
| quī, quae, quod, rel. pron. | who, which |
| ad, prep. with acc. | to, toward; at, near; for |
| ōrnātus, -ūs m. | decoration, adornment |
| porta, -ae, f. | gate; door |
| iter, itineris, n. | a going, journey, march; iter facere, to journey, march |
| locus, -ī, m., plur. loca, -orum, n. | place, situation |
| quā, adv. | in which place, where |
| eō, īre, iī, itus | go |
| excōgitō, -cōgitāre, -cōgitāvī, -cōgitātus | think out, contrive, devise, invent |
| possum, posse, potuī | be able, have power, can |
| cum, prep, with abl. | with |
| līberī, -ōrum, m. plur. | children |
| multitūdō, -tūdinis, f. | multitude |
| obviam, adv. | in the way, opposite, face to face; obviam fierī, to meet; obviam īre, to go to meet |
| prōcēdō, -ere, -cessī, -cessum | go forward, advance |
| hostia, -ae f. | sacrificial victim |
| immolō, -molāre, -molāvī, -molātus | sacrifice (the victim was sprinkled with consecrated meal) |
| triclīnium, -ī n. | dining couch (for three); dining room |
| sternō, -ere, strāvī, strātus | spread out; furnish with couches (of a room) |
| forum, -ī n. | market place, public square |
| templum, -ī, n. | sanctuary, temple |
| que, enclitic conj. | and |
| occupō, -cupāre, -cupāvī, -cupātus | seize; fill |
| ut, conj. | as; when; that; ita ut, as |
| vel | or; vel … vel: either … or |
| exspectātus, -a, -um | awaited, longed for, welcome |
| triumphus, -ī m. | triumph, a victorious general's procession |
| laetitia, -ae, f. | joy |
| praecipiō, -cipere, -cēpī, -ceptus | take beforehand, anticipate; order, charge |
| tantus, -a, -um | so great or much |
| magnificentia, -ae, f. | splendor, magnificence |
| apud, prep, with acc. | among, with |
| opulentus, -a, -um | rich, wealthy, powerful |
| cupiditās, -tātis, f. | desire, longing, eagerness |
| humilis, -e | low; humble, poor |