Caesar 1.2.1-3.1 Flashcards
Apud Helvetios longe nobilissimus fuit et ditissimus Orgetorix.
Orgetorix is by far the most noble and rich among the Helvitii
is M. Messala M. Pisone consulibus regni cupiditate inductus coniurationem nobilitaties fecit et civitati persuasit, ut de finibus suis cum omnibus copiis exirent
When M. Messala and M. Piso were consuls, he, having been led by the desire of the kingdom, made a conspiracy of the nobles and persuaded the citizens that they should leave from their borders with all of the troops.
perfacile esse, cum virtute omnibus praestarent, totius Galiae imperio potiri
(He said) it’s easy to seize power of all of Gaul because they exceed all Gauls in virtue.
id hoc facilius iis persuasit, quod undique loci natura Helvetii continenter: una ex parte flumine Rheno latissimo atque altissimo, qui agrum Helvetium a Germanis dividit
He persuaded them of this easily because the Helvetii are contained on all sides by the nature of the place: on one part by the Rhine river, very deep and very wide, which divides the Helvetian land from the Germans
altera ex parte monte Iura altissimo, qui est inter Sequanos et Helvetios, tertia lacu Lemanno et flumine Rhodano, qui provinciam notram ab Helvetiis dividit.
on a second part by the very tall Jura mountain, which is between the Sequani and Helvetii, on the third part by the Lemannus lake and Rhone river, which divides our province from the Helvetii.
his rebus fiebat ut et minus late vagarentur et minus facile finitimis bellum inferre possent
For these reasons it happened that they wander less widely and wage war on their neighbors less easily
qua ex parte homines bellandi cupidi magno dolore adficiebantur
For this reason, men desiring fighting were afflicted with great grief
pro multitudine autem hominum et pro gloria belli atque fortudinis angustos se fines habere arbitrabantur, qui in longitudinem milia passuum CCXL in latitudinem CLXXX patebant
Moreover on account of the great number of men and on account of the glory of war and strength they were thinking that they had narrow borders which extended 240 thousand steps in longitude and 180 thousand steps in latitude.
His rebus adducti et auctoritate Orgetorigis permoti constituerunt ea quae ad profisciscendum pertinerent comparare, iumentorum et carrorum quam maximum numerum coemere
For these reasons, having been lead and influenced by the authority of Orgetorix, the Helvetii made plans to prepare things which pertain to leaving, to buy the greatest number of mules and carts as possible
sementes quam maximas facere, ut in itinere copia frumenti suppeteret cum proximis civitatibus pacem et amicitiam confirmare
to sow as much as possible in order that an abundance of crops would be at hand on the journey, to confirm peace and friendship with neighboring states.
