15.12.24; Level 2; Practice in reading the perfect tense; a First Latin Reader (Vincent) [31]

The Return of Caesar to Gaul

Caesar had not advanced far into the island, but, as certain tribes had submitted and as winter was approaching, he decided to return to Gaul, where he had to deal with a rising of the Morini.

Britannī lēgātōs ad Caesarem dē pāce statim mīsērunt. Caesar pācem Britannis dēdit et obsidēs imperāvit. Inde, quia tempestās erat idōnea, post mediam noctem nāvēs solvit et tūtus ad continentem pervēnit. Sed duae nāvēs onerāriae quae portum capere nōn poterant, ad agrōs Morinōrum nāvigāvērunt. Morinī impetum fēcērunt contrā mīlitēs, quī hostibus multās hōrās resistēbant. Caesar omnēs equitēs statim mīsit. Proximō diē Titus Labiēnus cum legiōnibus, quās ex Britanniā redūxerat, contrā Morinōs iter fēcit. Inde Menapiī et Morinī in potestātem Caesaris sē dedērunt.

Vocabulary

continēns, continentis [3/f]: mainland

nāvīs, -is [3/f] onerāria: transport / cargo ship

tūtus, -a, -um: safe

Questions

[A] Find the Latin. Note that the literal translations can sound a little odd in English and sometimes need to be reworked to give a more fluent expression.

1. (they) … sent ambassadors / envoys … ¦ about [i.e. to discuss; agree on terms for] peace
2. (he) … gave / granted peace (to the Britons)
3. (he) … commanded hostages
4. (he) … “loosened” the ships (i.e. the ships were untied from their moorings); he set sail
5. (they) … reached (the continent)
6. (they) … sailed to the “fields” / territory (of the Morini)
7. (they) … made an attack / attacked
8. (they) … resisted the enemy
9. (he) … sent all the cavalry
10. (he) … set out i.e. marched (against the Morini)
11. (they) … gave themselves into the power of Caesar i.e. they surrendered to the control of Caesar

[B] Grammar review [1]: Identify the case(s) in each of these expressions and explain why it is used:

1. proximō diē
2. post mediam noctem
3. [i] hostibus [ii] multās hōrās ¦ resistēbant
4. [i] in potestātem [ii] Caesaris ¦ sē dedērunt
5. quās ex Britanniā redūxerat

[C] Grammar review [2]: give the first person singular present tense of the following verbs from the text:

1. dedit
2. fēcērunt
3. mīsērunt
4. nāvigāvērunt
5. pervēnit
6. poterant
7. redūxerat
8. resistēbant

____________________

The Britons immediately sent envoys to Caesar to discuss peace. Caesar granted peace to the Britons and demanded hostages. Then, because the weather was suitable, he unmoored the ships [= set sail] after midnight and safely reached the continent. But two cargo ships which were not able to get to the harbour sailed to the territory of the Morini. The Morini attacked the soldiers, who resisted the enemy for many hours. Caesar immediately sent all the cavalry. On the next day Titus Labienus marched against the Morini with the legions which he had brought back from Britannia. Then the Menapi and the Morini surrendered to the control of Caesar.