13.02.26: Level 2; Vincent (Latin Reader); XL / XLI; [1] A Sudden Attack by the British; [2] British Methods of Fighting (i) comprehension

[1] A Sudden Attack by the British

Equitēs Britannōrum et essedāriī cum equitibus Rōmānīs in itinere ācriter proeliō cōnflīxērunt. Rōmānī omnibus in partibus erant superiōrēs atque hostēs in silvās et collēs compulērunt. Dum Rōmānī sunt incautī atque castra mūniunt, subitō hostēs ex omnibus partibus contrā mīlitēs, quī prō castrīs erant in statiōne, impetum fēcērunt. Caesar duās cohortēs et partem legiōnis mīsit. Rōmānī hostēs fugāvērunt atque numerum magnum necāvērunt.

cōnflīgō, cōnflīgere, cōnflīxī,  cōnflīctus [3]: struggle; engage (in battle)

Note the difference between the Latin tense usage and the English translation:

[(i) temporal clause; clause of time] Dum Rōmānī sunt incautī atque castra mūniunt, ¦ [(ii) main clause] subitō hostēs … impetum fēcērunt. │ (i) While the Romans were careless and (were) fortifying the camp, (ii) suddenly the enemy made an attack.

The present tense is used with dum in the temporal clause (i) even though the action described in the main clause (ii) took place in the past; this conveys that both actions were happening at the same time

Dum Rōmānī sunt [present tense ≠ Engl.] incautī atque castra mūniunt [present tense ≠ Engl.], │ Literally: While the Romans are carless and (are) fortifying the camp,  [ = While the Romans were careless and (were) fortifying the camp,]

subitō hostēs … impetum fēcērunt [perfect tense = Engl.] │ suddenly the enemy made an attack

[1] Comprehension

The following statements are untrue; correct them:

[i] the Romans had charioteers

[ii] the Romans fought in higher locations

[iii] the Britons fought in the forests and hills

[iv] the Romans were always careful

[v] the Britons did not attack

[vi] the Roman soldiers were on guard inside the camp

[vii] Caesar sent three legions and part of a cohort

[viii] a large number of Romans were killed

[2] British Methods of Fighting

Hōc in genere pugnae nostrī propter arma gravia nec hostibus īnstāre poterant nec ab signīs discēdere audēbant. Nostrī equitēs magnō cum perīculō pugnābant, quod hostēs cōnsultō saepe cēdēbant atque, ubi nostrōs ā legiōnibus remōverant, ex essedīs dēsiliēbant et pedibus  contendēbant. Hostēs rārī semper pugnābant et statiōnēs intervāllīs magnīs habēbant atque integrī fessīs succēdēbant. Hīs causīs mīlitēs  Rōmānī magnā cum difficultāte contendēbant.

cōnsultō: deliberately

rārus, -a, -um: scattered

succēdō, -ere, successī, successus [3]: relieve

[2] Comprehension

What reason(s) are given for the statements in bold?

[i] nostrī propter arma gravia nec hostibus īnstāre poterant (1)

[ii] Nostrī equitēs magnō cum perīculō pugnābant, quod hostēs cōnsultō saepe cēdēbant atque, ubi nostrōs ā legiōnibus remōverant, ex essedīs dēsiliēbant et pedibus contendēbant (4)

[iii] Hostēs rārī semper pugnābant et statiōnēs intervāllīs magnīs habēbant atque integrī fessīs succēdēbant. Hīs causīs mīlitēs Rōmānī magnā cum difficultāte contendēbant (3)

____________________

[1]

[i] the Britons │ Equitēs Britannōrum et essedāriī

[ii] superior / stronger (than the Britons) │ Rōmānī … erant superiōrēs

[iii] pushed together into the forests and hills │ Rōmānī … hostēs in silvās et collēs compulērunt

[iv] careless ¦ when fortifying the camp │ Dum Rōmānī sunt incautī atque castra mūniunt

[v] made a sudden attack │ subitō hostēs … impetum fēcērunt

[vi] outside the camp / in front of the camp │ prō castrīs erant in statiōne

[vii] Caesar sent two cohorts and part of a legion │ Caesar duās cohortēs et partem legiōnis mīsit

[viii] a large number of the enemy │ Rōmānī hostēs fugāvērunt atque numerum magnum necāvērunt.

[2]

[i] heavy weapons

[ii] (1) enemy often retreated deliberately (2) drew the Romans away from the legions (3) leapt down from chariots (4) fought on foot

[iii] (1) enemy always fought in scattered order; (2) posts at wide intervals; (3) fresh soldiers relieved tired ones