PUBLIUS GOES TO GERMANY; ITS GREAT FORESTS AND STRANGE ANIMALS
Initā aestāte Caesar litterīs certior fīēbat et per
explōrātōrēs cognōscēbat plūrīs cīvitātēs Galliae novīs rēbus studēre et
contrā populum Rōmānum coniūrāre obsidēsque inter sē dare atque
cum hīs Germānōs quōsdam quoque sēsē coniūnctūrōs esse. Hīs litterīs
nūntiīsque commōtus Caesar cōnstituit quam celerrimē in Gallōs
proficīscī, ut eōs inopīnantīs opprimeret, et Labiēnum lēgātum
cum duābus legiōnibus peditum et duōbus mīlibus equitum in Germānōs mittere.
Itaque rē frūmentāriā comparātā castra mōvit. Ab utrōque rēs bene gesta
est; nam Caesar tam celeriter in hostium fīnīs pervēnit ut
spatium cōpiās cōgendī nōn darētur; et Labiēnus dē Germānīs tam
grave supplicium sūmpsit ut nēmō ex eā gente in reliquum tempus Gallīs
auxilium dare audēret.
Hoc iter in Germāniam Pūblius quoque fēcit et, cum ibi morārētur,
multa mīrābilia vīdit. Praesertim vērō ingentem silvam mīrābātur, quae tantae
magnitūdinis esse dīcēbātur ut nēmō eam trānsīre posset, nec
quisquam scīret aut initium aut fīnem. Quā dē rē plūra cognōverat ā
mīlite quōdam quī ōlim captus ā Germānīs multōs annōs ibi incoluit. Ille
dē silvā dīcēns, “Īnfīnītae magnitūdinis est haec silva,” inquit; “nec
quisquam est huius Germāniae quī initium eius sciat aut ad
fīnem adierit. Nāscuntur illīc multa tālia animālium genera quālia
reliquīs in locīs nōn inveniuntur. Sunt bovēs quī ūnum cornū habent; sunt etiam
animālia quae appellantur alcēs. Hae nūllōs crūrum articulōs habent. Itaque, sī
forte concidērunt, sēsē ērigere nūllō modō possunt. Arborēs habent prō
cubīlibus; ad eās sē applicant atque ita reclīnātae quiētem capiunt.
Tertium est genus eōrum quī ūrī appellantur. Hī sunt paulō minōrēs elephantīs.
Magna vis eōrum est et magna vēlōcitās. Neque hominī neque ferae parcunt.”
(1) review: subjunctive
[i] cum-clauses: circumstantial
cum ibi morārētur, …
- while he was lingering / remained there, …
[ii] purpose
Caesar cōnstituit … proficīscī, ut eōs … opprimeret,
…
- Caesar decided to set out, in order to overwhelm them ...
[iii] result
nam Caesar tam celeriter in hostium fīnīs pervēnit ut
spatium cōpiās cōgendī nōn darētur;
- for Caesar reached the enemy’s territory so quickly that
no time was given for mustering forces.
… quae tantae magnitūdinis esse dīcēbātur (1) ut
nēmō eam trānsīre posset, nec quisquam (2) scīret aut initium aut
fīnem.
- … which was said to be of such great size (1) that
no one could cross it, (2) nor would anyone know either
its beginning or its end.
et Labiēnus dē Germānīs tam grave supplicium sūmpsit ut
nēmō … dare audēret.
And Labienus inflicted such severe punishment on the
Germans that no one … dared … to give …
nec quisquam est huius
Germāniae (1) quī initium eius sciat aut ad fīnem (2) adierit.
- Nor is there anyone in this Germany (1) who knows its
beginning or (2) has reached its end.
(2) review: indirect statement
[1] Two principal clauses with constructions that regularly
signal indirect statements:
… Caesar litterīs (1) certior fīēbat ¦ et per
explōrātōrēs (2) cognōscēbat | Caesar (1) was informed by letter(s) and
(2) learned from scouts …
[2] 4 indirect statements all dependent upon the principal
clauses:
plūrīs cīvitātēs Galliae novīs rēbus (1) studēre … |
(that) several states of Gaul were eager for revolution
et contrā populum Rōmānum (2) coniūrāre … | and were
conspiring against the Roman people
obsidēsque inter sē (3) dare … | and were
giving hostages among themselves
atque cum hīs Germānōs quōsdam quoque sēsē (4) coniūnctūrōs
esse. | and (that) certain Germans as well were going to join
themselves with them.
https://adckl.blogspot.com/search/label/indirect%20statement
(3) review: participial constructions
Translate the following extracts focussing on the constructions
in bold:
[i] Ille dē silvā dīcēns, … inquit;
[ii] Caesar cōnstituit … proficīscī, ut eōs inopīnantīs opprimeret,
…
[iii] Hīs litterīs nūntiīsque commōtus Caesar
cōnstituit …
[iv] ā mīlite quōdam quī ōlim captus ā Germānīs
[v] … atque ita reclīnātae quiētem capiunt.
[vi] Itaque rē frūmentāriā comparātā …
____________________
At the beginning of summer, Caesar was being informed by
letters and was learning through scouts that several states of Gaul were eager
for revolution, were conspiring against the Roman people, were giving hostages
among themselves, and that certain Germans as well were going to join
themselves with them. Moved by these letters and reports, Caesar decided
to set out against the Gauls as quickly as possible, in order to crush them while
they were unprepared, and to send the legate Labienus into Germany with two
legions of infantry and two thousand cavalry.
Accordingly, after the grain supplies had been arranged,
he moved camp. The operation succeeded well on both sides; for Caesar reached
the enemy’s territory so rapidly that no time was given for assembling forces;
and Labienus inflicted such severe punishment on the Germans that no one of
that people dared thereafter to give assistance to the Gauls.
This journey into Germany was also made by Publius, and while
he stayed there he saw many remarkable things. He especially admired a vast
forest, which was said to be of such great size that no one could cross it, nor
did anyone know either its beginning or its end.
On this matter he had learned more from a certain soldier who,
having been captured by the Germans at one time, lived there for
many years. Speaking about the forest, he said: “This forest is of
infinite extent; and there is no one in this part of Germany who knows its
beginning or has reached its end.
Many kinds of animals are born there which are not found in
other places. There are oxen which have a single horn; there are also animals
called elks. These have no joints in their legs. Therefore, if by chance they
fall down, they cannot by any means get up again. They use trees as resting
places; they lean against them and, thus supported, take their rest.
There is a third kind of animal called urus. These are
slightly smaller than elephants. They are very powerful and very fast. They
spare neither man nor wild beast.”
