Liber I Caput XLVI

bedtime

Active Member

Boldface is questionable.

Chapter 1.46

Dum haec in colloquiō geruntur, Caesarī nūntiātum est equitēs Ariovistī propius tumulum accēdere et ad nostrōs adequitāre, lapidēs tēlaque in nostrōs coicere. Caesar loquendī fīnem facit sēque ad suōs recēpit suīsque imperāvit nē quod omnīnō tēlum in hostēs reicerent. Nam etsī sine ūllō perīculō legiōnis dēlēctae cum equitātū proelium fore vidēbat, tamen committendum non putābat ut, pulsīs hostibus, dīcī posset eōs ab sē per fidem in colloquiō circumventōs. Posteāquam in vulgus mīlitum ēlātum est quā arrogantiā in colloquiō Ariovistus ūsus omnī Galliā Rōmānīs interdīxisset, impetumque in nostrōs eius equitēs fēcissent, eaque res colloquium ut dirēmisset, multō maior alacritās studiumque pugnandī maius exercituī iniectum est.


Clause Subordination

Dum haec in colloquiō geruntur
while these things are being transacted in the conference
Caesarī nūntiātum est
it was announced to Caesar
equitēs Ariovistī propius tumulum accēdere
that the cavalry of Ariovistus were approaching nearer the mound
lapidēs tēlaque in nostrōs coicere
(and they) were casting stones and projectiles (likely spears or javelins of some sort) at them (lit. our men)
Caesar loquendī fīnem facit
Caesar made an end of his speech (lit. Caesar made an end of speaking)
sēque ad suōs recēpit
and betook himself to his men (lit. and he withdraws to his men)
suīsque imperāvit
and commanded them (lit. and he ordered his men)
nē quod omnīnō tēlum in hostēs reicerent
that they should by no means return a weapon upon the enemy (lit. that they should not throw back any projectile at all (likely spears) in (at) the enemy)
Nam etsī
for though
sine ūllō perīculō legiōnis dēlēctae cum equitātū proelium fore
that an engagement with the cavalry would be without any danger to his chosen legion (lit. that there would be a battle with the cavalry without any danger of his chosen legion)
vidēbat
he was seeing
tamen
nonetheless
committendum [esse]*
that he ought to begin (battle) (lit. that (a battle) ought to be begun (by him))*

* Note: proelium committere, ‘to commence battle’ is an idiom; here, a passive periphrastic (gerundive + form of esse) that expresses obligation or necessity and is best translated in the active.

non putābat
he was not thinking
ut
so
pulsīs hostibus
after the enemy were routed (lit. with the enemies having been repulsed)
dīcī posset
it could be said (lit. it would be able to be said)
eōs ab sē per fidem in colloquiō circumventōs*
that they had been ensnared by him under the sanction of a conference (lit. that those men had been circumvented* by him (Caesar) through the pretext of safety in the conference)

* I am unsure if Caesar meant circumventos in its literal meaning: to surround with troops in a hostile manner (besiege), or if he meant it in its figerative meaning: to deceive, outwit (circumvent.)

Posteāquam in vulgus mīlitum ēlātum est
when it was spread abroad among the common soldiery (lit. after that (posteā + quam = after which), it was spread among the masses of soldiers)
quā arrogantiā in colloquiō Ariovistus ūsus omnī Galliā Rōmānīs interdīxisset
with what haughtiness Ariovistus had behaved at the conference, and how he had ordered the Romans to quit Gaul (lit. with what haughtiness Ariovistus employed in the conference, he forbid to the Romans from all Gaul)
impetumque in nostrōs eius equitēs fēcissent
and how his cavalry had made an attack upon our men (lit. and his cavalry had made an attack against our men)
eaque res colloquium ut dirēmisset
and how this had broken off the conference (lit. so that this situation had warded off the conference)
multō maior alacritās studiumque pugnandī maius exercituī iniectum est
a much greater alacrity and eagerness for battle was infused into our army (lit. a greater alacrity by far and a greater zeal had been put to (our) army for (of) fighting)
 

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Caesar loquendī fīnem facit
Caesar made an end of his speech (lit. Caesar made an end of speaking)
If you want to stay literal (which seems to be the case), "makes".
committendum [esse]*
that he ought to begin (battle) (lit. that (a battle) ought to be begun (by him))*

* Note: proelium committere, ‘to commence battle’ is an idiom; here, a passive periphrastic (gerundive + form of esse) that expresses obligation or necessity and is best translated in the active.
There's no proelium implied here; committendum esse refers to the following ut clause: literally, "he did not think that it must be committed that..."
"That".
eōs ab sē per fidem in colloquiō circumventōs*
that they had been ensnared by him under the sanction of a conference (lit. that those men had been circumvented* by him (Caesar) through the pretext of safety in the conference)

* I am unsure if Caesar meant circumventos in its literal meaning: to surround with troops in a hostile manner (besiege), or if he meant it in its figerative meaning: to deceive, outwit (circumvent.)
It looks figurative to me. Fides is more like "faith/trust" than "safety" (you're confusing it with salus, maybe).
Posteāquam in vulgus mīlitum ēlātum est
(lit. after that (posteā + quam = after which), it was spread among the masses of soldiers)
The sense is "after it was spread...", not "after that (after the preceding), it was spread..."
quā arrogantiā in colloquiō Ariovistus ūsus omnī Galliā Rōmānīs interdīxisset
with what haughtiness Ariovistus had behaved at the conference, and how he had ordered the Romans to quit Gaul (lit. with what haughtiness Ariovistus employed in the conference, he forbid to the Romans from all Gaul)
The literal translation is more like "Having employed what haughtiness in the conference Ariovistus had forbidden the Romans from all Gaul."
eaque res colloquium ut dirēmisset
and how this had broken off the conference (lit. so that this situation had warded off the conference)
Ut here means "how", not "so that". The literal translation is "and how this thing had broken up the conference."
multō maior alacritās studiumque pugnandī maius exercituī iniectum est
(lit. a greater alacrity by far and a greater zeal had been put to (our) army for (of) fighting)
The tense of iniectum est is perfect, not pluperfect. Also "instil" or "inject" would be a more literal translation than "put". I would put "for (of) fighting" after "zeal".
 

bedtime

Active Member

If you want to stay literal (which seems to be the case), "makes".
There's no proelium implied here; committendum esse refers to the following ut clause: literally, "he did not think that it must be committed that..."
"That".
It looks figurative to me. Fides is more like "faith/trust" than "safety" (you're confusing it with salus, maybe).
The sense is "after it was spread...", not "after that (after the preceding), it was spread..."
The literal translation is more like "Having employed what haughtiness in the conference Ariovistus had forbidden the Romans from all Gaul."
Ut here means "how", not "so that". The literal translation is "and how this thing had broken up the conference."
The tense of iniectum est is perfect, not pluperfect. Also "instil" or "inject" would be a more literal translation than "put". I would put "for (of) fighting" after "zeal".
It seems that a lot of these mistakes that I've made are from me rushing the translation; everything you've suggested makes perfect sense to me.

All these corrections have been added to the final copy, and I will be rereading this chapter tonight, with its appended corrections.

Thank you!
 
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