The Society for Ancient Languages
Week Four
C. JULII CAESARI |
GAIUS JULIUS CAESAR |
LIBER IV |
BOOK 4 |
| Eadem nocte accidit ut esset luna plena, qui dies maritimos aestus maximos in Oceano efficere consuevit, nostrisque id erat incognitum. Ita uno tempore et longas naves, quibus Caesar exercitum transportandum curaverat quasque in aridum subduxerat, aestus compleverat et onerarias, quae ad ancoras erant deligatae, tempestas adflictabat, neque ulla nostris facultas aut administrandi aut auxiliandi dabatur. Compluribus navibus fractis reliquae cum essent funibus, ancoris reliquisque armamentis amissis ad navigandum inutiles, magna, id quod necesse erat accidere, totius exercitus perturbatio facta est. Neque enim naves erant aliae quibus reportari possent, et omnia deerant quae ad reficiendas naves erant usui, et, quod omnibus constabat hiemari in Gallia oportere, frumentum his in locis in hiemem provisum non erat. | That same night, it happened that the moon was full, the day which was accustomed to make the highest tides in the ocean; and this was unknown to our men. So the tide had filled the warships, by which Caesar had caused the army to be conveyed across and which he had drawn up onto dry ground; and at the same time, the storm was tossing about the transport ships which had been fastened to anchors; nor was any chance being given to our men either of attending to the matter or of helping. With many ships having been shattered, and since the rest were useless for sailing, what with cords, anchors, and remaining implements having been lost, a gigantic (as it was unavoidable to happen) uproar was made of the entire army. Nor, in fact, were there other ships by which type they were able to be brought back, and all things which were for the use of repairing the ships were missing; and since it was understood to be proper for all the men to spend the winter in Gaul, grain in these regions had not been provided for the winter. |
| Dum ea geruntur, legione ex consuetudine una frumentatum missa, quae appellabatur septima, neque ulla ad id tempus belli suspicione interposita, cum pars hominum in agris remaneret, pars etiam in castra ventitaret, ei qui pro portis castrorum in statione erant Caesari nuntiaverunt pulverem maiorem quam consuetudo ferret in ea parte videri, quam in partem legio iter fecisset. Caesar id quod erat suspicatus, aliquid novi a barbaris initum consili, cohortes quae in stationibus erant secum in eam partem proficisci, ex reliquis duas in stationem cohortes succedere, reliquas armari et confestim sese subsequi iussit. Cum paulo longius a castris processisset, suos ab hostibus premi atque aegre sustinere et conferta legione ex omnibus partibus tela conici animadvertit. Nam quod omni ex reliquis partibus demesso frumento pars una erat reliqua, suspicati hostes huc nostros esse venturos noctu in silvis delituerant; tum dispersos depositis armis in metendo occupatos subito adorti paucis interfectis reliquos incertis ordinibus perturbaverant, simul equitatu atque essedis circumdederant. | While these things are being done, (one legion, which was called the seventh, having been sent out of custom gathering grain, nor any suspicion of war having intervened up to that time, since some of the natives remained in the fields, and some were even frequently coming to camp), those who were on guard before the gates of the camp announced to Caesar that a dust cloud greater than custom might bear was seen in that region into which the legion had marched. Caesar (having suspected what this was-- some new design begun by barbarians) ordered the cohorts which were on guard to march with him into that region, two cohorts out of those remaining to succeed them, and the rest to arm and to follow him at once. When he had proceeded a little farther from camp, he perceived his troops being pressed by the enemy and scarcely able to withstand them, and, with the legion crowded together, spears being hurled from all directions. For (since, with all grain having been harvested out of the remaining regions, one part was left) the enemy, having suspected our men to be about to come hither, had hidden in the woods by night; then they attacked the scattered men (engaged in harvesting, their arms having been put aside) and the others (having been suddenly ambushed, a few killed, the ranks being unsteady). At the same time, they had surrounded them with cavalry and with war chariots. |