Caesar 1.2-3

1. Caesar 1.2-3

2. ApudHelvetioslongenobilissimusfuit et ditissimus Orgetorix. Is M.Messala, [et P.] M. Pisoneconsulibus regnicupiditateinductusconiurationemnobilitatis fecit etcivitatipersuasitutdefinibussuiscum omnibuscopiisexirent: perfacileesse, cum virtute omnibus praestarent, totiusGalliaeimperiopotiri. Among the HelvetiiOrgetorix was by far the most noble and the wealthiest. He, (when) M. Messala and P. M. Piso (were) consuls, was influenced by a desire for nobility to make a conspiracy and to persuade the state to go out from their own territories with all their troops: (he thought it) to be very easy, since they surpassed all (others) in courage, to gain control of the empire of the whole of Gaul.

3. Id hoc faciliusiispersuasit,quodundique loci natura Helvetiicontinentur: una ex parte flumineRheno latissimoatque altissimo, qui agrumHelvetium a  Germanisdividit; altera ex parte monteIura altissimo, qui est inter Sequanos et Helvetios; He persuaded them by this that it (would be) rather easy, because on all sides by the nature of the location the Helvetii were contained: from one part by the very wide and very deep Rhine river, which divides the field of the Helvetii from the Germans; from the other part by the very tall mount Jura, which is between the Sequani and Helvetii.

4. tertialacuLemanno et flumineRhodano, qui  provinciamnostramabHelvetiisdividit. His rebus  fiebatut et minus late vagarentur et minus facile finitimis bellum inferrepossent; qua ex parte  hominesbellandicupidimagnodoloreadficiebantur. On the third (side) by lake Lemannus and by the Rhone river, which divides our province from the Helvetii. By means of these things it happened that they were roaming around less broadly and they were able to inflict war on the neighboring peoples less easily; from which part the people eager for waging war were annoyed greatly.

5. Pro multitudineautemhominum et pro gloria belli  atquefortitudinisangustos se fines habere arbitrabantur, qui in longitudinemmiliapassuum CCXL, in latitudinem CLXXX patebant. However in consideration of the multitude of people and in consideration of the glory of war and bravery they were judging themselves to have narrow boundaries, which lie in length 240 and in breadth 180 (Roman) miles.

6. [3] His rebus adducti et auctoritateOrgetorigispermoticonstituerunt ea quae ad proficiscendumpertinerentcomparare, iumentorum et carrorum quam maximum numerumcoemere, sementes quam maximasfacere, ut in itinerecopiafrumentisuppeteret, cum proximiscivitatibuspacem et amicitiamconfirmare. Having been influenced by these things and having been moved by Orgetorix’s authority, they decided to prepare the things which pertained to setting out; to buy as great a number of yokes and carts as possible, to make as great a sowing as possible, in order that a supply of grain be supplied on the journey, to strengthen the peace and friendship with the nearest states.

7. Ad eas res conficiendas biennium sibisatisesseduxerunt; in tertium annum profectionemlegeconfirmant. Ad eas res conficiendasOrgetorixdeligitur. Is sibilegationem ad civitatessuscipit. For finishing these things they judged two years to be enough for themselves; in the third year they declared their departure with a law. For completing these things Orgetorix was chosen. He undertook/took up for himself an embassy to the states. NOTE: confirmant AND deligitur AND suscipit are PRESENT tense verbs, but it sounds weird in English to keep them in the present tense. We call this tense the “historical present” and it is FINE to translate them as past tense AS LONG AS YOU ARE CONSISTENT.

8. In eoitinerepersuadetCastico, Catamantaloedisfilio, Sequano, cuiuspater regnum in Sequanismultosannosobtinuerat et a senatupopuli Romani amicus appellatuserat, ut regnum in civitatesuaoccuparet, quod pater ante habuerit; On this journey, he persuaded Casticus, son of Catamantaloedus, a Sequanian, whose father had held absolute authority/political power in/over the Sequani for many years (note the accusative of duration of time) and had been named a friend by the Senate of the Roman People (or a friend of the roman people by the senate), to seize absolute/political power in his own state, which his father had heldbefore;

9. itemqueDumnorigiAeduo, fratriDiviciaci, qui eo tempore principatum in civitateobtinebat ac maximeplebiacceptuserat, ut idem conareturpersuadeteiquefiliamsuam in matrimonium dat. and in like manner Dumnorix the Aedui, the brother of Diviacus, who at that time was holding chief authority in (his)state and had been accepted greatly by the common people, he persuaded to try/attempt the same thing and he gave his own daughter to him in marriage.

10. Perfacilefactuesseillisprobatconataperficere, propterea quod ipse suaecivitatisimperiumobtenturusesset: non essedubiumquintotiusGalliaeplurimumHelvetiipossent; se suiscopiissuoqueexercituillis regna conciliaturumconfirmat. He demonstrated to those people (that) it was very easy to do the things having been attempted to accomplish (i.e. that it was easy to do the things they attempted to accomplish), because he himself was going to possess absolute authority of his own state: there was no doubt that of the whole of Gaul the Helvetiicould most (i.e. they were the most powerful); (and) he established/affirmed that he was going to secure with his own forces and with his army sovereign powers (literally kingdoms) for those men.

11. Hacorationeadducti inter se fidem et iusiurandumdant et regnooccupato per trespotentissimos ac firmissimospopulostotiusGalliaesesepotiri posse sperant. Having been influenced by this speech, they gave a pledge and an oath among themselves and, political power having been obtained, they hoped that through three very powerful and very strong peoples they could take possession of the whole of Gaul.