What does Labienus' decision not engage until he had determined enemy strength reveal about Roman military strategy?

It reflects caution and prudence, ensuring victory before committing troops.

It illustrates distrust towards intelligence reports received prior to engagement.

It shows a preference for guerrilla warfare as opposed to traditional pitched battles.

It indicates a reliance on divine omens rather than a practical assessment of circumstances.

In what way does the ethnographic detail provided about Gauls contribute to the overall understanding of their defeat at Caesar's hands in Chapters 38-40?

It highlights the importance of cultural differences in understanding a military conflict's success.

It conveys an obscure picture of the Gauls' domestic politics and their impact on military matters.

It suggests that Caesar had a deep admiration for Gaulish culture and traditions.

It indicates that lack of advanced weaponry was the primary reason for the Gauls' defeat.

What central idea is reinforced through alliteration in Caesar's prose concerning Roman encounters with enemy forces?

Alliteration accentuates Rome’s military discipline and cohesion against adversaries.

Alliteration creates an impressionistic portrayal lacking factual basis.

Alliteration minimizes differences between Roman legions' fighting styles and those of their foes.

Alliteration represents diverse cultural practices observed throughout various conquered regions.

What function does the frequent use of passive voice serve in describing military maneuvers in these chapters?

It emphasizes actions taken against forces rather than individuals performing acts.

It highlights individual heroism within Caesar’s forces during battles described.

It clarifies specific responsibilities among ranks within Caesar's army precisely.

It focuses attention on Caesar's direct influence on every aspect of warfare strategy.

In what way does repetition serve a purpose within Chapter 40 when describing the fortifications around Cicero's camp?

Repetition emphasizes the thoroughness of Roman preparations and instills awe at their engineering skills.

Repetition trivializes Roman efforts by making their actions seem monotonous and uninspired.

Repetition accentuates the futility of building defenses against overwhelming odds faced by Romans.

Repetition draws attention away from Cicero's leadership abilities towards mundane logistical details.

How does Caesar use repetition to create a sense of urgency or importance in particular scenes?

Flashbacks and Narrative Techniques

Foreshadowing and Hints of Future Events

In the context of Caesar's Gallic War, what would be the most plausible reason for Caesar deciding to winter one legion among the Eburones, who were governed by Ambiorix?

To maintain a strong military presence and control in a potentially hostile region.

To facilitate trade negotiations between Roman merchants and the local tribes.

To explore the possibility of establishing a permanent Roman settlement in the area.

As a gesture of goodwill and trust-building with Ambiorix and his tribe.

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7.1 Caesar, Gallic War, Book 5, Chapters 38-40

5 min read•january 26, 2023

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How to use this Study Guide:

Use this study guide as a refresher after instruction from your professional Latin instructor/teacher. As it is AP Latin, you will be expected to learn the grammar in class except for questions which we will go over again. The main purpose of this study guide is to provide 80% literal, 20% interpretative translations and to break down the text, context, and grammar. What interpretative means is that it is not the literal Latin translation but that it has been restructured in some way to better fit the modern English vernacular.

Comentarii de Bello Gallico, Book 5, Chapters 38-40

Original Passage

[

38

] 1 Hac victoria sublatus Ambiorix statim cum equitatu in Aduatucos, qui erant eius regno finitimi, proficiscitur; neque noctem neque diem intermittit peditatumque subsequi iubet. 2 Re demonstrata Aduatucisque concitatis postero die in Nervios pervenit hortaturque, ne sui in perpetuum liberandi atque ulciscendi Romanos pro eis quas acceperint iniuriis occasionem dimittant: 3 interfectos esse legatos duos magnamque partem exercitus interisse demonstrat; 4 nihil esse negoti subito oppressam legionem quae cum Cicerone hiemet interfici; se ad eam rem profitetur adiutorem. Facile hac oratione Nerviis persuadet.

[

39

] 1 Itaque confestim dimissis nuntiis ad Ceutrones, Grudios, Levacos, Pleumoxios, Geidumnos, qui omnes sub eorum imperio sunt, quam maximas manus possunt cogunt et de improviso ad Ciceronis hiberna advolant nondum ad eum fama de Tituri morte perlata. 2 Huic quoque accidit, quod fuit necesse, ut nonnulli milites, qui lignationis munitionisque causa in silvas discessissent, repentino equitum adventu interciperentur. 3 His circumventis magna manu Eburones, Nervii, Aduatuci atque horum omnium socii et clientes legionem oppugnare incipiunt. Nostri celeriter ad arma concurrunt, vallum conscendunt. 4 Aegre is dies sustentatur, quod omnem spem hostes in celeritate ponebant atque hanc adepti victoriam in perpetuum se fore victores confidebant.

[

40

] 1 Mittuntur ad Caesarem confestim ab Cicerone litterae magnis propositis praemiis, si pertulissent: obsessis omnibus viis missi intercipiuntur. 2 Noctu ex materia, quam munitionis causa comportaverant, turres admodum CXX excitantur incredibili celeritate; quae deesse operi videbantur, perficiuntur. 3 Hostes postero die multo maioribus coactis copiis castra oppugnant, fossam complent. Eadem ratione, qua pridie, ab nostris resistitur. 4 Hoc idem reliquis deinceps fit diebus. 5 Nulla pars nocturni temporis ad laborem intermittitur; non aegris, non vulneratis facultas quietis datur. 6 Quaecumque ad proximi diei oppugnationem opus sunt noctu comparantur; multae praeustae sudes, magnus muralium pilorum numerus instituitur; turres contabulantur, pinnae loricaeque ex cratibus attexuntur. 7 Ipse Cicero, cum tenuissima valetudine esset, ne nocturnum quidem sibi tempus ad quietem relinquebat, ut ultro militum concursu ac vocibus sibi parcere cogeretur.

Questions about the Latin

1. What is the subject of the verb "proficiscitur" in line 1?

2. What is the direct object of the verb "hortaturque" in line 3?

3. What is the verb tense used in the phrase "interfectos esse legatos duos" in line 3?

4. What is the subject of the verb "profitetur" in line 4?

5. What is the verb tense used in the phrase "huic quoque accidit" in line 7?

Answers about the Latin

1. Ambiorix

2. Nervios

3. Perfect passive

4. Ambiorix

5. Imperfect passive

Translation

Chapter 38

Elated by this victory, Ambiorix marches immediately with his cavalry

to the Aduatuci, who bordered on his kingdom; he halts neither day nor

night, and orders the infantry to follow him closely. Having related the

exploit and roused the Aduatuci, the next day he arrived among the Nervii,

and entreats "that they should not throw away the opportunity of liberating

themselves forever and of punishing the Romans for those wrongs which they

had received from them;" [he tells them] "that two lieutenants have been

slain, and that a large portion of the army has perished; that it was not

a matter of difficulty for the legion which was wintering with Cicero to

be cut off, when suddenly assaulted; he declares himself ready to cooperate

in that design. He easily gains over the Nervii by this

speech.

Chapter 39

Accordingly, messengers having been forthwith dispatched to the

Centrones, the Grudii, the Levaci, the Pleumoxii, and the Geiduni, all

of whom are under their government, they assemble as large bodies as they

can, and rush unexpectedly to the winter-quarters of Cicero, the report

of the death of Titurius not having as yet been conveyed to him. That also

occurred to him, which was the consequence of a necessary work - that some

soldiers who had gone off into the woods for the purpose of procuring timber

and therewith constructing fortifications, were intercepted by the sudden

arrival of [the enemy's] horse. These having been entrapped, the Eburones,

the Nervii, and the Aduatici and all their allies and dependents, begin

to attack the legion: our men quickly run together to arms and mount the

rampart; they sustained the attack that day with great difficulty, since

the enemy placed all their hope in dispatch, and felt assured that, if

they obtained this victory, they would be conquerors

forever.

Chapter 40

Letters are immediately sent to Caesar by Cicero, great rewards

being offered [to the messengers] if they carried them through. All these

passes having been beset, those who were sent are intercepted. During the

night as many as 120 towers are raised with incredible dispatch out of

the timber which they had collected for the purpose of fortification: the

things which seemed necessary to the work are completed. The following

day the enemy, having collected far greater forces, attack the camp [and]

fill up the ditch. Resistance is made by our men in the same manner as

the day before; this same thing is done afterward during the remaining

days. The work is carried on incessantly in the night: not even to the

sick, or wounded, is opportunity given for rest: whatever things are required

for resisting the assault of the next day are provided during the night:

many stakes burned at the end, and a large number of mural pikes are procured:

towers are built up, battlements and parapets are formed of interwoven

hurdles. Cicero himself, though he was in very weak health, did not leave

himself the night-time for repose, so that he was forced to spare himself

by the spontaneous movement and entreaties of the soldiers.

Translation sourced from http://classics.mit.edu/Caesar/gallic.5.5.html

Wrapping these Lines Up:

Congrats on completeing Unit 7.1! Keep it up! Remember to keep the themes, importance, focus, and language of the text in mind.

Key Terms to Review (7)

Centrones

: Centrones were a Celtic tribe that inhabited the region of modern-day France. They were known for their fierce resistance against Roman conquest.

Cicero

: Cicero was a Roman philosopher, politician, and lawyer known for his eloquent speeches and writings. He played a significant role in the late Roman Republic and is considered one of Rome's greatest orators.

Comentarii de Bello Gallico

: Comentarii de Bello Gallico is a Latin phrase that translates to "Commentaries on the Gallic War." It refers to a firsthand account written by Julius Caesar about his military campaigns in Gaul.

Imperium Romanum

: Imperium Romanum refers to "Roman Empire" in Latin. It represents both political power and territorial control held by Rome over its vast empire during different periods of its history.

Nervii

: The Nervii were a Celtic tribe in ancient Gaul known for their fierce resistance against Julius Caesar during his conquest of Gaul. They were renowned for their bravery and military skills.

Perfect Passive

: In Latin grammar, the perfect passive is a verb form that indicates an action that has been completed in the past and was performed upon the subject. It is formed by combining the perfect tense of "esse" (to be) with the past participle of a verb.

Pleumoxii

: The Pleumoxii were a Germanic tribe that lived in what is now modern-day Germany. They were known for their fierce warriors and their resistance against Roman conquest.