C. Iulius Caesar, Commentāriōrum dē Bellō Gallicō 5.28
Tier 2
Arpīnēius et Iūnius dīxērunt lēgātīs omnia quae audīvērunt. lēgātī erant permōtī quamquam hostēs dīxērant ea. cum humilis cīvitās Ebūrōnum nōn posset facere bellum contra Rōmām suā sponte, lēgātī putābant verba Ambiorigis esse vēra. itaque Arpīnēius et Iūnius dēferunt rem ad cōnsilium et māgna contrōversia existit inter eōs.
Lucius Aurunculēius Cotta et complūrēs trībūnī exīstimābant nihil agendum esse sine cōnsiliō neque discēdendum esse ex castrīs sine mandatū Caesaris. L. Aurunculēius Cotta dīxit, “mīlitēs possunt sustinēre oppūgnatum ā Gallīs et Germānīs quod iamiam sustinuerant prīmum impetum hostium fortissimē. necesse est mūnīre castra. nōs etiam habēmus satis frūmentī et subsidia ventūra sunt et ex proximīs castrīs et ā Caesare. postrēmō, quid est turpius quam capere cōnsilium dīctum ā hoste?”
Tier 3
Arpīnēius et Iūnius dēferunt ad lēgātōs rēs quae audiērunt. illī (lēgātī) repentīnā rē perturbātī, etsī ea dīcēbantur ab hoste, tamen nōn exīstimābant neglegenda et permovēbantur māximē hāc rē quod vix erat crēdendum īgnōbilem atque humilem cīvitātem Ebūrōnum ausam esse facere bellum populō Rōmānō suā sponte. itaque Arpīnēius et Iūnius dēferunt rem ad cōnsilium et māgna contrōversia existit inter eōs.
Lucius Aurunculēius complūrēsque trībūnī mīlitum et centuriōnēs prīmōrum ōrdinum exīstimābant nihil agendum esse temerē neque discēdendum esse ex hībernīs iniūssū Caesaris; docēbant quantāsvis magnās cōpiās, etiam cōpiās Germānōrum posse sustinērī mūnītīs hībernīs: rem esse testimōniō, quod sustinuerint prīmum impetum hostium fortissimē, multīs vulneribus inlātīs; rē frūmentāriā nōn premī; intereā subsidia conventūra sunt et ex proximīs hībernīs et ā Caesare; postrēmō quid esse levius aut turpius quam capere cōnsilium dē summīs rēbus auctōre hoste.
Tier 4
Arpīnēius et Iūnius quae audiērunt ad lēgātōs dēferunt. illī repentīnā rē perturbātī, etsī ab hoste ea dīcēbantur, tamen nōn neglegenda exīstimābant māximēque hāc rē permovēbantur, quod cīvitātem īgnōbilem atque humilem Ebūrōnum suā sponte populō Rōmānō bellum facere ausam vix erat crēdendum. itaque ad cōnsilium rem dēferunt māgnaque inter eōs exsistit contrōversia. L. Aurunculēius complūrēsque tribūnī mīlitum et prīmōrum ōrdinum centuriōnēs nihil temerē agendum neque ex hībernīs iniūssū Caesaris discēdendum exīstimābant; quantāsvis magnās etiam cōpiās Germānōrum sustinērī posse mūnītīs hībernīs docēbant: rem esse testimōniō, quod prīmum hostium impetum multīs ūltrō vulneribus inlātīs fortissimē sustinuerint; rē frūmentāriā nōn premī; intereā et ex proximīs hībernīs et ā Caesare conventūra subsidia; postrēmō quid esse levius aut turpius quam auctōre hoste dē summīs rēbus capere cōnsilium?
C. Iulius Caesar, Commentāriōrum dē Bellō Gallicō 5.29
Tier 2
Q. Titūrius Sabīnus clāmābat contrā ea. dīxit, “erit sērō! faciemus postquam māiōrēs manūs hostium iunxērunt cum Germānīs aut postquam alia castra accēpērunt calamitātem. tempus cōnsulendī est breve! Caesar iamiam advēnit in Ītaliā et hostēs cēpērunt cōnsilia mala quod ipse abest. si Caesar in Gallia esset, neque Carnutes Tasgetium interfecissent neque Eburones ad castra Romana venissent.
“egō nōn cēpī hoc cōnsilium ā hostibus sed spectō rem veram: Rhēnum est prope nōs ergō Germānī sunt prope nōs; mors Ariovistī et nostrae superiōrēs vīctōriae sunt māgnō dolōrī Germānīs; tota Gallia ardet et odit imperium populī Rōmānī quod accēpērunt tot iniūriās et superior glōria exstincta est. postremō, cur Ambiorix nisi certā rē hoc dicat?
“mea sententia in utramque partem est tūta. sī nihil sit dūrius, nōs perveniemus ad proximam legiōnem cum nūllō perīculō; sī omnis Gallia laboret cum Germānīs, ūna spēs est in celeritāte.
“Cotta, sī nōn esset praesēns perīculum, tamen timēremus famēs longā obsidiōne.”
Tier 3
contrā ea, Titūrius Sabīnus clāmitābat eōs factūrōs esse sērō, cum māiōrēs manūs hostium (Germānīs adiūnctīs) convēnissent aut cum aliquid calamitātis acceptum esset in proximīs hībernīs. dīxit occāsiōnem cōnsulendī esse brevem. arbitrārī Caesarem profectum esse in Ītaliam; neque aliter Carnūtēs captūrōs fuisse cōnsilium interficiendī Tasgētī, neque Ebūrōnēs, sī ille (Caesar) adesset, ventūrōs esse ad castra tantā contemptiōne nostrī.
dīxit hostem nōn esse auctōrem sed eum spectāre rem: Rhēnum subesse; mortem Ariovistī et nostrās superiōrēs vīctōriās esse māgnō dolōrī Germānīs; Galliam ārdēre, redāctam sub imperium populī Rōmānī, tot contumēliīs acceptīs, superiōre glōriā reī mīlitāris exstinctā. postrēmō quis persuādēret sibi hōc, Ambiorīgem dēscendisse ad ēiusmodī cōnsilium sine certā rē?
dīxit suam sententiam in utramque partem esse tūtam: sī nihil esset dūrius, eōs perventūrōs esse ad proximam legiōnem cum nūllō perīculō: sī omnis Gallia cōnsentīret cum Germānīs, ūnam salūtem positam esse in celeritāte.
Cottae quidem atque eōrum quī dissentīrent, cōnsilium quem habēre exitum, in quō sī nōn praesēns perīculum, at certē famēs longīnquā obsidiōne esse timenda?
Tier 4
contrā ea Titūrius sērō factūrōs clāmitābat, cum māiōrēs manūs hostium adiūnctīs Germānīs convēnissent aut cum aliquid calamitātis in proximīs hībernīs esset acceptum. brevem cōnsulendī esse occāsiōnem. Caesarem arbitrārī profectum in Ītaliam; neque aliter Carnūtēs interficiendī Tasgētī cōnsilium fuisse captūrōs, neque Ebūrōnēs, sī ille adesset, tantā contemptiōne nostrī ad castra ventūrōs esse. nōn hostem auctōrem, sed rem spectāre: subesse Rhēnum; māgnō esse Germānīs dolōrī Ariovistī mortem et superiōrēs nostrās vīctōriās; ārdēre Galliam tot contumēliīs acceptīs sub populī Rōmānī imperium redāctam, superiōre glōriā reī mīlitāris exstinctā. postrēmō quis hōc sibi persuādēret, sine certā rē Ambiorīgem ad ēiusmodī cōnsilium dēscendisse? suam sententiam in utramque partem esse tūtam: sī nihil esset dūrius, nūllō cum perīculō ad proximam legiōnem perventūrōs: sī Gallia omnis cum Germānīs cōnsentīret, ūnam esse in celeritāte positam salūtem. Cottae quidem atque eōrum quī dissentīrent, cōnsilium quem habēre exitum, in quō sī praesēns perīculum nōn, at certē longīnquā obsidiōne famēs esset timenda?
C. Iulius Caesar, Commentāriōrum dē Bellō Gallicō 5.30
Tier 2
disputātiō habita est in utramque partem. sententia Sabīnī resisterētur vehementer ā Cottā.
tandem Sabīnus dīxit magnā vōce, “potēs vincere in hōc modō sed nōn timeō mortem...fortasse tū timēs mortem? sī aliquid gravis acciderit, omnēs virī pōscent ratiōnem ā tē. hī virī, sī liceat per tē, duōbus diēbus sustineant bellum cum proximīs hībernīs et nōn rēiectī sint ab cēterīs Rōmānīs; hī virī nōn mortuī sint aut ferrō aut famē.”
Tier 3
hāc in utramque partem disputātiōne habitā, cum (id) resisterētur ācriter ā Cottā prīmīsque ōrdinibus, Sabīnus “vīncite,” inquit, “sī ita vultīs,” et in clāriōre vōce, ut māgna pars mīlitum exaudīret; “neque is sum,” inquit, “quī ex vōbis gravissimē terrear mortis: hī sapient; sī aliqud gravius acciderit, repōscent ratiōnem abs tē quī, sī liceat per tē, perendinō diē cum, coniūnctī proximīs hībernīs, sustineant commūnem cāsum bellī cum reliquīs, (et) nōn rēiectī et relēgātī longē ab cēterīs, intereant aut ferrō aut famē.”
Tier 4
hāc in utramque partem disputātiōne habitā, cum ā Cottā prīmīsque ōrdinibus ācriter resisterētur, 'vincite,' inquit, 'sī ita vultis,' Sabīnus, et id clāriōre vōce, ut māgna pars mīlitum exaudīret; 'neque is sum,' inquit, 'quī gravissimē ex vōbis mortis perīculō terrear: hī sapient; sī gravius quid acciderit, abs tē ratiōnem repōscent quī, sī per tē liceat, perendinō diē cum proximīs hībernīs coniūnctī commūnem cum reliquīs bellī cāsum sustineant, nōn rēiectī et relēgātī longē ab cēterīs aut ferrō aut famē intereant.'
C. Iulius Caesar, Commentāriōrum dē Bellō Gallicō 5.31
Tier 2
mīlitēs cēperunt manūs Cottae Sabīnīque. rogāvērunt Cottam Sabīnumque nē dūcant rem in summum perīculum suā dissēnsiōne. mīlitēs voluērunt omnēs sentīre et probāre ūnum arbitrium seu maneant seu profiscīscantur. mīlitēs quoque dīxērunt sē spectāre nūllam salūtem in dissensiōne. atque habēbant contrōversiam ad mediam noctem.
tandem sententia Sabīnī superat. mīlitēs ībunt prīmā lūce. in reliquā parte noctis, mīlitēs nōn poterant dormīre quod putābant quid posset portāre sēcum et quid relinqueret in castrīs. manere erat periculosum et proficisci erat periculosum quod Romani erant fessi.
prīmā lūce profiscīscuntur ex castrīs. exercitus movet in longissimō āgmine et māximīs impedīmentīs.
Tier 3
cōnsurgitur ex cōnsiliō; comprehendunt manūs utrumque et ōrant nē dēdūcant rem in summum perīculum suā dissēnsiōne et pertināciā; dīxērunt rem esse facilem, seu maneant, seu profiscīscantur, sī omnēs sentiant modo ūnum āc probent ūnum; contrā, dīxērunt sē perspicere nūllam salūtem in dissensiōne. rēs perdūcitur disputātiōne ad mediam noctem.
tandem Cotta, permōtus, dat manūs: sententia Sabīnī superat. prōnūntiātur itūrōs esse prīmā lūce. reliqua pars noctis cōnsūmitur vigiliīs, cum quisque mīles circumspiceret sua, arbitrāns quid posset portāre sēcum, quid ex īnstrūmentō hībernōrum cōgerētur relinquere.
omnia excōgitantur, quārē nec maneātur sine perīculō et quārē perīculum augeātur languōre mīlitum et vigiliīs.
prīmā lūce proficīscuntur sīc ex castrīs ut quibus persuāsum esset cōnsilium datum esse nōn ab hoste sed ab Ambiorige, homine amīcissimō, in longissimō āgmine et māximīs impedīmentīs.
Tier 4
cōnsurgitur ex cōnsiliō; comprehendunt utrumque et ōrant nē suā dissēnsiōne et pertināciā rem in summum perīculum dēdūcant: facilem esse rem, seu maneant, seu proficīscantur, sī modo ūnum omnēs sentiant āc probent; contrā in dissēnsiōne nūllam sē salūtem perspicere. rēs disputātiōne ad mediam noctem perdūcitur. tandem dat Cotta permōtus manūs: superat sententia Sabīnī. prōnūntiātur prīmā lūce itūrōs. cōnsūmitur vigiliīs reliqua pars noctis, cum sua quisque mīles circumspiceret, quid sēcum portāre posset, quid ex īnstrūmentō hībernōrum relinquere cōgerētur. omnia excōgitantur, quārē nec sine perīculō maneātur et languōre mīlitum et vigiliīs perīculum augeātur. prīmā lūce sīc ex castrīs proficīscuntur ut quibus esset persuāsum nōn ab hoste sed ab homine amīcissimō Ambiorige cōnsilium datum, longissimō āgmine māximīsque impedīmentīs.
C. Iulius Caesar, Commentāriōrum dē Bellō Gallicō 5.32
Tier 2
hostēs sēnsērunt Rōmānōs exitūrōs esse ex castrīs quod Rōmānī faciēbant clāmōrem et nōn dormiēbant. Gallī tunc fēcērunt īnsidiās bipertītīo in silvīs. hic locus erat opportūnus atque occultus. erat circiter duōbus passum ā mīlitibus Rōmānīs. ibī Gallī expectābant Rōmānōs.
māior pars exercitūs Rōmānī dēscenderat in māgnam convāllem et subitō hostēs ostendērunt sē. Gallī oppūgnāvērunt novissimōs Rōmānōs et prohibuērunt prīmōs mīlitēs ascēnsū ex convālle. ergo proelium coepit in locō inīquissimō nostrīs mīlitibus.
Tier 3
at hostēs, posteā quam sēnsērunt dē profectiōne Rōmānōrum ex nocturnō fremitū vigiliīsque, collocātīs īnsidiīs bipertītō in silvīs in opportūnō atque occultō locō circiter duōbus passuum ā mīlitibus Rōmānīs, expectābant adventum Rōmānōrum et, cum māior pars āgminis dēmīsset sē in māgnam convallem, subitō hostēs ostendērunt sē ex utrāque parte ēius vallis, novīssimōsque premere et prohibēre prīmōs ascēnsū atque coepērunt committere proelium inīquissimō locō nostrīs.
Tier 4
at hostēs, posteā quam ex nocturnō fremitū vigiliīsque dē profectiōne eōrum sēnsērunt, collocātīs īnsidiīs bipertītō in silvīs opportūnō atque occultō locō ā mīlibus passuum circiter duōbus Rōmānōrum adventum exspectābant et, cum sē māior pars āgminis in māgnam convallem dēmīsisset, ex utrāque parte ēius vallis subitō sē ostendērunt, novīssimōsque premere et prīmōs prohibēre ascēnsū atque inīquissimō nostrīs locō proelium committere coepērunt.
Operatives; this should be a challening task for you -- preparing a formal analysis report for the proconsul! You should look closely at the start of the selections from dē Bellō Gallicō that have been a part of your training as your primary source of information. Recall what Caesar did in order to alleviate the problems but also how his commanders handled and executed those plans. In addition, it'll be worthwhile to also consider information about Roman Gaul in general, and the shared culture which developed following Caesar's conquest.
At the end of the Commentary on the Civil War, Caesar is sure of victory. Five years later, however, he would be assassinated in the senate house. The TSTT seems to be wondering whether the same tendencies that led, ten years earlier, in the winter of 54-53 BCE to the slaughter of thousands of Romans. This isn't an easy task, but we suggest starting with an overview of Ambiorix' Revolt.
Some secondary assistance in connecting this revolt to the broader themes of Caesar's acts and writings:
"Virtus consili expers": An Interpretation of the Centurions' Contest in Caesar, De bello Gallico 5, 44
Robert Brown
Hermes, 132. Jahrg., H. 3 (2004), pp. 292-308
Published by: Franz Steiner Verlag
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4477610