C. Iulius Caesar, De Bello Gallico 5.40

The siege of the winter camp is under way and Cicero is cut off from Caesar. The passage covers the attempt to get word out, the night work on the defenses, and the state of the garrison over the following days.

 

Tier 1

Cicerō litterās ad Caesarem mittere temptāvit. nūntiīs dīxit: "hās litterās ad Caesarem ferte! magna praemia vōbīs dabō." sed hostēs omnēs viās obsidēbant. nūntiōs cēpērunt. litterae ad Caesarem nōn pervēnērunt.

 

Rōmānī tōtā nocte labōrāvērunt. māteriam habēbant, quam anteā comportāverant. centum et vīgintī turrēs ūnā nocte fēcērunt. hoc incrēdibile erat.

 

posterō diē hostēs plūrēs cōpiās coēgērunt et castra oppugnāvērunt. fossam complēvērunt. nostrī mīlitēs fortiter restitērunt, sīcut prīdiē. idem reliquīs diēbus fīēbat.

 

noctū nēmō dormiēbat. omnēs labōrābant. aegrī quoque et vulnerātī labōrābant. mīlitēs multās sudēs et magnum numerum pīlōrum parāvērunt. turrēs altiōrēs fēcērunt. ita omnia ad proximum diem parāta erant.

 

Cicerō ipse aeger erat, sed nē nocte quidem dormiēbat. tandem mīlitēs ad eum cucurrērunt et clāmāvērunt: "dormī, Cicerō! tibi parce!" tum Cicerō sibi pepercit.

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