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2.1 Caesar, Gallic War, Book 1, Chapters 1–7

13 min readjanuary 23, 2023

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hunter_borg


AP Latin 🏛

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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 1, Chapters 1-4

Original Passage:

[
1
] 1 Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur. 2 Hi omnes lingua, institutis, legibus inter se differunt. Gallos ab Aquitanis Garumna flumen, a Belgis Matrona et Sequana dividit. 3 Horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae, propterea quod a cultu atque humanitate provinciae longissime absunt, minimeque ad eos mercatores saepe commeant atque ea quae ad effeminandos animos pertinent important, 4 proximique sunt Germanis, qui trans Rhenum incolunt, quibuscum continenter bellum gerunt. Qua de causa Helvetii quoque reliquos Gallos virtute praecedunt, quod fere cotidianis proeliis cum Germanis contendunt, cum aut suis finibus eos prohibent aut ipsi in eorum finibus bellum gerunt. 5 Eorum una pars, quam Gallos obtinere dictum est, initium capit a flumine Rhodano, continetur Garumna flumine, Oceano, finibus Belgarum, attingit etiam ab Sequanis et Helvetiis flumen Rhenum, vergit ad septentriones. 6 Belgae ab extremis Galliae finibus oriuntur, pertinent ad inferiorem partem fluminis Rheni, spectant in septentrionem et orientem solem. 7 Aquitania a Garumna flumine ad Pyrenaeos montes et eam partem Oceani quae est ad Hispaniam pertinet; spectat inter occasum solis et septentriones.
[
2
] 1 Apud Helvetios longe nobilissimus fuit et ditissimus Orgetorix. Is M. Messala, [et P.] M. Pisone consulibus regni cupiditate inductus coniurationem nobilitatis fecit et civitati persuasit ut de finibus suis cum omnibus copiis exirent: 2 perfacile esse, cum virtute omnibus praestarent, totius Galliae imperio potiri. 3 Id hoc facilius iis persuasit, quod undique loci natura Helvetii continentur: una ex parte flumine Rheno latissimo atque altissimo, qui agrum Helvetium a Germanis dividit; altera ex parte monte Iura altissimo, qui est inter Sequanos et Helvetios; tertia lacu Lemanno et flumine Rhodano, qui provinciam nostram ab Helvetiis dividit. 4 His rebus fiebat ut et minus late vagarentur et minus facile finitimis bellum inferre possent; 5 qua ex parte homines bellandi cupidi magno dolore adficiebantur. 6 Pro multitudine autem hominum et pro gloria belli atque fortitudinis angustos se fines habere arbitrabantur, qui in longitudinem milia passuum CCXL, in latitudinem CLXXX patebant.
[
3
] 1 His rebus adducti et auctoritate Orgetorigis permoti constituerunt ea quae ad proficiscendum pertinerent comparare, iumentorum et carrorum quam maximum numerum coemere, sementes quam maximas facere, ut in itinere copia frumenti suppeteret, cum proximis civitatibus pacem et amicitiam confirmare. 2 Ad eas res conficiendas biennium sibi satis esse duxerunt; in tertium annum profectionem lege confirmant. 3 Ad eas res conficiendas Orgetorix deligitur. Is sibi legationem ad civitates suscipit. In eo itinere persuadet Castico, Catamantaloedis filio, Sequano, cuius pater regnum in Sequanis multos annos obtinuerat et a senatu populi Romani amicus appellatus erat, ut regnum in civitate sua occuparet, quod pater ante habuerit; 4 itemque Dumnorigi Haeduo, fratri Diviciaci, qui eo tempore principatum in civitate obtinebat ac maxime plebi acceptus erat, ut idem conaretur persuadet eique filiam suam in matrimonium dat. 5 Perfacile factu esse illis probat conata perficere, propterea quod ipse suae civitatis imperium obtenturus esset: 6 non esse dubium quin totius Galliae plurimum Helvetii possent; se suis copiis suoque exercitu illis regna conciliaturum confirmat. 7 Hac oratione adducti inter se fidem et ius iurandum dant et regno occupato per tres potentissimos ac firmissimos populos totius Galliae sese potiri posse sperant.
[
4
] 1 Ea res est Helvetiis per indicium enuntiata. Moribus suis Orgetoricem ex vinculis causam dicere coegerunt; damnatum poenam sequi oportebat, ut igni cremaretur. 2 Die constituta causae dictionis Orgetorix ad iudicium omnem suam familiam, ad hominum milia decem, undique coegit, et omnes clientes obaeratosque suos, quorum magnum numerum habebat, eodem conduxit; per eos ne causam diceret se eripuit. 3 Cum civitas ob eam rem incitata armis ius suum exsequi conaretur multitudinemque hominum ex agris magistratus cogerent, Orgetorix mortuus est; 4 neque abest suspicio, ut Helvetii arbitrantur, quin ipse sibi mortem consciverit.

Questions about the Latin

1. What is the subject of the sentence in chapter 1, "Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres"?
2. In chapter 2, what is the verb in the sentence "Is M. Messala, [et P.] M. Pisone consulibus regni cupiditate inductus coniurationem nobilitatis fecit"?
3. In chapter 3, what is the direct object of the verb "comparare" in the sentence "constituerunt ea quae ad proficiscendum pertinerent comparare"?
4. In chapter 4, what is the verb in the sentence "In eo itinere persuadet Castico, Catamantaloedis filio, Sequano"?
5. In chapter 4, what is the grammatical function of "Sequano" in the sentence "In eo itinere persuadet Castico, Catamantaloedis filio, Sequano"?

Answers about the Latin

1. The subject of the sentence is "Gallia."
2. The verb in the sentence is "fecit."
3. The direct object of the verb "comparare" is "ea quae ad proficiscendum pertinerent."
4. The verb in the sentence is "persuadet."
5. The grammatical function of "Sequano" is the direct object of the verb "persuadet."

Translation

Chapter 1
All Gaul is divided into three parts, one of which the Belgae inhabit, 
the Aquitani another, those who in their own language are called Celts, 
in our Gauls, the third. All these differ from each other in language, 
customs and laws. The river Garonne separates the Gauls from the Aquitani; 
the Marne and the Seine separate them from the Belgae. Of all these, the 
Belgae are the bravest, because they are furthest from the civilization 
and refinement of [our] Province, and merchants least frequently resort 
to them, and import those things which tend to effeminate the mind; and 
they are the nearest to the Germans, who dwell beyond the Rhine, with whom 
they are continually waging war; for which reason the Helvetii also surpass 
the rest of the Gauls in valor, as they contend with the Germans in almost 
daily battles, when they either repel them from their own territories, 
or themselves wage war on their frontiers. One part of these, which it 
has been said that the Gauls occupy, takes its beginning at the river Rhone; 
it is bounded by the river Garonne, the ocean, and the territories of the 
Belgae; it borders, too, on the side of the Sequani and the Helvetii, upon 
the river Rhine, and stretches toward the north. The Belgae rises from 
the extreme frontier of Gaul, extend to the lower part of the river Rhine; 
and look toward the north and the rising sun. Aquitania extends from the 
river Garonne to the Pyrenaean mountains and to that part of the ocean 
which is near Spain: it looks between the setting of the sun, and the north 
star.
Chapter 2
Among the Helvetii, Orgetorix was by far the most distinguished 
and wealthy. He, when Marcus Messala and Marcus Piso were consuls, incited 
by lust of sovereignty, formed a conspiracy among the nobility, and persuaded 
the people to go forth from their territories with all their possessions, 
[saying] that it would be very easy, since they excelled all in valor, 
to acquire the supremacy of the whole of Gaul. To this he the more easily 
persuaded them, because the Helvetii, are confined on every side by the 
nature of their situation; on one side by the Rhine, a very broad and deep 
river, which separates the Helvetian territory from the Germans; on a second 
side by the Jura, a very high mountain, which is [situated] between the 
Sequani and the Helvetii; on a third by the Lake of Geneva, and by the 
river Rhone, which separates our Province from the Helvetii. From these 
circumstances it resulted, that they could range less widely, and could 
less easily make war upon their neighbors; for which reason men fond of 
war [as they were] were affected with great regret. They thought, that 
considering the extent of their population, and their renown for warfare 
and bravery, they had but narrow limits, although they extended in length 
240, and in breadth 180 [Roman] miles.
Chapter 3
Induced by these considerations, and influenced by the authority 
of Orgetorix, they determined to provide such things as were necessary 
for their expedition - to buy up as great a number as possible of beasts 
of burden and wagons - to make their sowings as large as possible, so that 
on their march plenty of corn might be in store - and to establish peace 
and friendship with the neighboring states. They reckoned that a term of 
two years would be sufficient for them to execute their designs; they fix 
by decree their departure for the third year. Orgetorix is chosen to complete 
these arrangements. He took upon himself the office of embassador to the 
states: on this journey he persuades Casticus, the son of Catamantaledes 
(one of the Sequani, whose father had possessed the sovereignty among the 
people for many years, and had been styled "friend" by the senate of the 
Roman people), to seize upon the sovereignty in his own state, which his 
father had held before him, and he likewise persuades Dumnorix, an Aeduan, 
the brother of Divitiacus, who at that time possessed the chief authority 
in the state, and was exceedingly beloved by the people, to attempt the 
same, and gives him his daughter in marriage. He proves to them that to 
accomplish their attempts was a thing very easy to be done, because he 
himself would obtain the government of his own state; that there was no 
doubt that the Helvetii were the most powerful of the whole of Gaul; he 
assures them that he will, with his own forces and his own army, acquire 
the sovereignty for them. Incited by this speech, they give a pledge and 
oath to one another, and hope that, when they have seized the sovereignty, 
they will, by means of the three most powerful and valiant nations, be 
enabled to obtain possession of the whole of Gaul.
Chapter 4
When this scheme was disclosed to the Helvetii by informers, they, 
according to their custom, compelled Orgetorix to plead his cause in chains; 
it was the law that the penalty of being burned by fire should await him 
if condemned. On the day appointed for the pleading of his cause, Orgetorix 
drew together from all quarters to the court, all his vassals to the number 
of ten thousand persons; and led together to the same place all his dependents 
and debtor-bondsmen, of whom he had a great number; by means of those he 
rescued himself from [the necessity of] pleading his cause. While the state, 
incensed at this act, was endeavoring to assert its right by arms, and 
the magistrates were mustering a large body of men from the country, Orgetorix 
died; and there is not wanting a suspicion, as the Helvetii think, of his 
having committed suicide.

Translation sourced from http://classics.mit.edu/Caesar/gallic.1.1.html

Comentarii de Bello Gallico, Book 1, Chapters 5-7

Original Passage

[
5
] 1 Post eius mortem nihilo minus Helvetii id quod constituerant facere conantur, ut e finibus suis exeant. 2 Ubi iam se ad eam rem paratos esse arbitrati sunt, oppida sua omnia, numero ad duodecim, vicos ad quadringentos, reliqua privata aedificia incendunt; 3 frumentum omne, praeter quod secum portaturi erant, comburunt, ut domum reditionis spe sublata paratiores ad omnia pericula subeunda essent; trium mensum molita cibaria sibi quemque domo efferre iubent. Persuadent Rauracis et Tulingis et Latobrigis finitimis, uti eodem usi consilio oppidis suis vicisque exustis una cum iis proficiscantur, Boiosque, qui trans Rhenum incoluerant et in agrum Noricum transierant Noreiamque oppugnabant, receptos ad se socios sibi adsciscunt.
[
6
] 1 Erant omnino itinera duo, quibus itineribus domo exire possent: unum per Sequanos, angustum et difficile, inter montem Iuram et flumen Rhodanum, vix qua singuli carri ducerentur, mons autem altissimus impendebat, ut facile perpauci prohibere possent; 2 alterum per provinciam nostram, multo facilius atque expeditius, propterea quod inter fines Helvetiorum et Allobrogum, qui nuper pacati erant, Rhodanus fluit isque non nullis locis vado transitur. 3 Extremum oppidum Allobrogum est proximumque Helvetiorum finibus Genava. Ex eo oppido pons ad Helvetios pertinet. Allobrogibus sese vel persuasuros, quod nondum bono animo in populum Romanum viderentur, existimabant vel vi coacturos ut per suos fines eos ire paterentur. Omnibus rebus ad profectionem comparatis diem dicunt, qua die ad ripam Rhodani omnes conveniant. Is dies erat a. d. V. Kal. Apr. L. Pisone, A. Gabinio consulibus.
[
7
] 1 Caesari cum id nuntiatum esset, eos per provinciam nostram iter facere conari, maturat ab urbe proficisci et quam maximis potest itineribus in Galliam ulteriorem contendit et ad Genavam pervenit. 2 Provinciae toti quam maximum potest militum numerum imperat (erat omnino in Gallia ulteriore legio una), pontem, qui erat ad Genavam, iubet rescindi. 3 Ubi de eius adventu Helvetii certiores facti sunt, legatos ad eum mittunt nobilissimos civitatis, cuius legationis Nammeius et Verucloetius principem locum obtinebant, qui dicerent sibi esse in animo sine ullo maleficio iter per provinciam facere, propterea quod aliud iter haberent nullum: rogare ut eius voluntate id sibi facere liceat. Caesar, quod memoria tenebat L. Cassium consulem occisum exercitumque eius ab Helvetiis pulsum et sub iugum missum, concedendum non putabat; 4 neque homines inimico animo, data facultate per provinciam itineris faciundi, temperaturos ab iniuria et maleficio existimabat. 5 Tamen, ut spatium intercedere posset dum milites quos imperaverat convenirent, legatis respondit diem se ad deliberandum sumpturum: si quid vellent, ad Id. April. reverterentur.

Questions about the Latin

1. In chapter 5, what is the subject of the sentence "Post eius mortem nihilo minus Helvetii id quod constituerant facere conantur, ut e finibus suis exeant"?
2. In chapter 6, what is the verb in the sentence "Erant omnino itinera duo, quibus itineribus domo exire possent: unum per Sequanos, angustum et difficile, inter montem Iuram et flumen Rhodanum, vix qua singuli carri ducerentur; alterum per provinciam nostram, multo facilius atque expeditius"?
3. In chapter 6, what does "domo" modify in the sentence "Erant omnino itinera duo, quibus itineribus domo exire possent"?
4. In chapter 7, what is the grammatical function of "suis finibus" in the sentence "Helvetii iam per angustias et fines Sequanorum suas copias traduxerant"?
5. In chapter 7, what are the verbs in the sentence "Romani eodem itinere quo Helvetii contenderunt, iter in eos fecerunt"?

Answers about the Latin

1. The subject of the sentence is "Helvetii".
2. The verbs in the sentence are "contenderunt" and "fecerunt."
3. "Domo" modifies "exire," creating the English phrase, "to go out/forth from their country (home)."
4. The grammatical function of "suis finibus" is a prepositional phrase modifying "fines."
5. The verb in the sentence is "fecerunt."

Translation

Chapter 5
After his death, the Helvetii nevertheless attempt to do that which 
they had resolved on, namely, to go forth from their territories. When 
they thought that they were at length prepared for this undertaking, they 
set fire to all their towns, in number about twelve - to their villages 
about four hundred - and to the private dwellings that remained; they burn 
up all the corn, except what they intend to carry with them; that after 
destroying the hope of a return home, they might be the more ready for 
undergoing all dangers. They order every one to carry forth from home for 
himself provisions for three months, ready ground. They persuade the Rauraci, 
and the Tulingi, and the Latobrigi, their neighbors, to adopt the same 
plan, and after burning down their towns and villages, to set out with 
them: and they admit to their party and unite to themselves as confederates 
the Boii, who had dwelt on the other side of the Rhine, and had crossed 
over into the Norican territory, and assaulted Noreia.
Chapter 6
There were in all two routes, by which they could go forth from 
their country one through the Sequani narrow and difficult, between Mount 
Jura and the river Rhone (by which scarcely one wagon at a time could be 
led; there was, moreover, a very high mountain overhanging, so that a very 
few might easily intercept them; the other, through our Province, much 
easier and freer from obstacles, because the Rhone flows between the boundaries 
of the Helvetii and those of the Allobroges, who had lately been subdued, 
and is in some places crossed by a ford. The furthest town of the Allobroges, 
and the nearest to the territories of the Helvetii, is Geneva. From this 
town a bridge extends to the Helvetii. They thought that they should either 
persuade the Allobroges, because they did not seem as yet well-affected 
toward the Roman people, or compel them by force to allow them to pass 
through their territories. Having provided every thing for the expedition, 
they appoint a day, on which they should all meet on the bank of the Rhone. 
This day was the fifth before the kalends of April [i.e. the 28th of March], 
in the consulship of Lucius Piso and Aulus Gabinius [B.C. 
58.]
Chapter 7
When it was reported to Caesar that they were attempting to make 
their route through our Province he hastens to set out from the city, and, 
by as great marches as he can, proceeds to Further Gaul, and arrives at 
Geneva. He orders the whole Province [to furnish] as great a number of 
soldiers as possible, as there was in all only one legion in Further Gaul: 
he orders the bridge at Geneva to be broken down. When the Helvetii are 
apprized of his arrival they send to him, as embassadors, the most illustrious 
men of their state (in which embassy Numeius and Verudoctius held the chief 
place), to say "that it was their intention to march through the Province 
without doing any harm, because they had" [according to their own representations,] 
"no other route: that they requested, they might be allowed to do so with 
his consent." Caesar, inasmuch as he kept in remembrance that Lucius Cassius, 
the consul, had been slain, and his army routed and made to pass under 
the yoke by the Helvetii, did not think that [their request] ought to be 
granted: nor was he of opinion that men of hostile disposition, if an opportunity 
of marching through the Province were given them, would abstain from outrage 
and mischief. Yet, in order that a period might intervene, until the soldiers 
whom he had ordered [to be furnished] should assemble, he replied to the 
ambassadors, that he would take time to deliberate; if they wanted any 
thing, they might return on the day before the ides of April [on April 
12th].

Translation sourced from http://classics.mit.edu/Caesar/gallic.1.1.html

Wrapping these lines up

Remember that despite these lines being a dry read, they describe the thought processes' of one of the greatest men in terms of power and influence in Roman history. Keep that in mind as you are moving forward.
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