BOOK SECOND. — B.C. 57.
THE BELGIAN CONFEDERACY. — The people of Northern Gaul, including Flanders and the Netherlands, were far remote from any country hitherto occupied by the Roman arms. They lived amid forests and swamps hard to penetrate; they claimed kindred with the German tribes rather than with the more fickle and effeminate Celts; and they had a fierce and resolute spirit of independence, like that whichtheir descendants, the Dutch, exhibited long after in the same regions against the armies of Spain. The Belgian tribes, andparticularly the Nervii, appear to have offered to Caesar a more formidable and desperate resistance than any he met elsewhere until the great rising of B.C. 52. When their spirit was once broken, the conquest of the whole country was simply a question of time.
READING REFERENCES ON THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE BELGIAN CONFEDERACY.
Dodge's Caesar, chaps. 7, 8.
Fowler's Julius Caesar, chap. 10.
Froude's Caesar, chap. 14.
Merivale's Hist. of Rome, Vol. I. pp. 267-281.
Mommsen's Hist. of Rome, Vol. IV. pp. 300-304.
Motley's Rise of the Dutch Republic, Vol. I. pp. 11, 12.
Napoleon's Caesar, Vol. II. chap. 5.
Plutarch's Lives, Caesar.
Trollope's Caesar, chap. 3.
[*] 49.1. cum esset, etc., while C. was: subjv. with cum temporal （§ 546 (325); B. 288. 1. b; G. 585; H. 600.ii (521. ii. 2); H-B. 524.）. For discussion of the principle, see notes on 6 14, 7 17, 11 7. The verb comes in this emphatic place on account of the close connection of these words with the preceding book; something like 'and being thus in, etc.' See translation of this chapter in 'Directions for Reading,' p. 000. — citeriore Gallia: northern Italy. — ita uti（ = ut, as）: correlatives; the demonstrative word so is often omitted in English （§ 323. g (107); G. 110. 3; H. 305; cf. H-B. 144）. — demonstravimus, dixeramus: the perfect here implies an act done before the time of writing （see end of Bk. i）; the pluperf., what took place before the time of demonstravimus. [*] 49.2. adferebantur, certior fiebat （imperf. of repeated action; § 470 (277); B. 260. 2; G. 231; H. 534. 3 (469. ii); H-B. 484）, kept coming in; he was informed from time to time. [*] 49.3. litteris, by despatches: abl. of means, § 409 (248. c); B. 218; G. 401; H. 476 (420); H-B. 423. — Belgas … coniurare … dare, that the Belgians, etc.: indir. disc., acc. and infin. following the verbal phrase certior fiebat （§ 459 (272); B. 331. i; G. 527; H. 613 (535); H-B. 589）; direct, — Belgae coniurant. Caesar had not yet advanced farther north than the country of the Lingones, so that the Belgae were as yet unattacked. — quam agrees with partem （§ 306 (199); B. 250. 3; G. 614. R. 3. b; H. 396. 2 (445. 4); H-B. 326. 1）, though the proper antecedent is Belgas. [*] 49.4. esse: indir. disc. （with subj. acc. quam）, after dixeramus. — dixeramus is in the indict, because, though a relative clause, it is parenthetical merely, and not a part of the report of Labienus （§ 583 (336. b); B. 314. 3; G. 628. R. a; H. 643. 3 (524. 2. 1); H-B. 535. 1. d）. [*] 49.5. coniurare: from the point of view of the Romans, any war against Rome is a "conspiracy"; a nation enslaved by Rome is "pacified." — obsides: see note on 8 11. — inter se, to one another: § 301. f (196. f); B. 245; G. 221; H. 502. 1 (448. N); H-B. 266. — coniurandi: gerund （§ 504 (298); B. 338. 1. a; G. 428; H. 626 (542. i); H-B. 612. i）. [*] 49.6. has esse causas, that the reasons were as follows: the report of Labienus continued, indir. disc. — quod vererentur, sollicitarentur: subjv. because subord. clauses in indir. disc. （§ 580 (336. 2); B. 314. 1; G. 541; H. 643 (524); H-B. 535. 2）. The two clauses introduced by primum and deinde contain the two reasons for the conspiracy, and so the gist of the sentence. The rest, which makes the whole seem complicated, defines the classes of disaffected Gauls who, though conquered, hoped still to recover their liberty by means of their more warlike neighbors. These classes are two （partim … partim）, but to these are added in Caesar's words, but in a different construction （ab non nullis）, some who had personal reasons for wishing to expel the Romans. — ne … adduceretur: subst. clause, object of vererentur （§ 563 (331. f); B. 296. 2; G. 550; H. 498. iii; H-B. 502. 4）. — omni pacata Gallia: translate the abl. abs. freely, often by an active construction, having subdued, etc., or by a temporal, conditional, or such other clause as will best bring out the thought. [*] 49.7. Gallia: i.e. Celtic Gaul （§ 521. a (310. a); B. 305. 1; G. 667; H. 638. 2 (549. 2); H-B. 578. 6）, within which the previous campaigns had been conducted. — exercitus noster: i.e. to subdue them in their turn. — ab non nullis Gallis: § 405 (246); B. 216; G. 401; H. 468 (415. i); H-B. 406. 1. [*] 49.8. partim qui, etc.: not part of Labienus's report, but explanatory remarks added by Caesar; hence the indic. — ut … ita: correlatives （§ 323. g (107); G. 110. 3; H. (305); H-B. 144, 563）. — Germanos … versari: object of noluerant （§ 457, 563. b (271. a, 330. 3); B. 295. N, 331. iv; G. 532; H. 614 (535. ii); H-B. 587 and a）. [*] 49.9. exercitum hiemare, etc., they took it hard （moleste ferebant） that an army of the Roman people was wintering and getting a foothold （inveterascere, lit. grow old ） in Gaul. The infinitives, with their subj. acc. exercitum, are in indir. disc. after moleste ferebant （§ 572. b (333. b); B. 331. v; G. 650; H. 642. ii (523. N); H-B. 594）. [*] 49.11. mobilitate: abl. of cause; § 404 (245); B. 219; G. 408; H. 475 (416); H-B. 444. — novis imperiis （dat. § 367 (227); B. 187. ii. a; G. 346; H. 426 (385); H-B. 362.） studebant = were eager for a change of government （lit. new ruling powers）. Notice that novis is emphatic. [*] 49.12. ab non nullis, by some also （sc. sollicitabantur）; these were petty chiefs of clans. — quod （causal） … occupabantur, because royal power was （constantly） usurped. Notice the indic.; Caesar explains the statement of Labienus （quod … sollicitarentur） by facts from his own knowledge （§ 540 (321); B. 286. 1; G. 540; H. 588 (516); H-B. 555.）. A clause with the subjv. （occuparentur） would indicate that the reason assigned formed part of the letter of Labienus. — potentioribus: used substantively. [*] 49.13. ad … facultatīs, the means to take men into their pay. — conducendos: gerundive in an expression of purpose （§ 506 (300); B. 338. 3, 339; G. 432; H. 622 (544. N. 2); H-B. 612. iii）. [*] 49.14. rem: cf. note on 4 4. [*] 49.15. imperio nostro: strictly a loc. abl., implying time, place, or condition, under our dominion. — consequi, complementary infin. （§ 456 and N. (271 and N.); B. 328. 1; G. 423; H. 607. 2 (533. i. 2); H-B. 586 and a）.
[*] 50.1. nuntiis: abl. of cause; cf. mobilitate, 49 11. — duas legiones … misit: these were numbered XIII and XIV, making with the others （VII-XIl） eight in all, amounting （with auxiliaries） to perhaps 60,000 men. [*] 50.2. initā aestate: abl. abs., expressing time when; § 419 (255); B. 227. 2. a; G. 665; H. 489. 1 (431. 1) H-B. 421. 1; aestas is the period from the spring equinox to that of autumn. [*] 50.3. qui deduceret （the antecedent is Q. Pedium）: relative clause of purpose （§ 531 (317. 2); B. 282. 2; G. 630; H. 589.ii (497. 1); H-B. 502. 2）. — Pedium: Pedius was Caesar's nephew, son of his sister Julia. — legatum: see note on 8 22. [*] 50.4. cum primum, etc.: i.e. when grass and young grain began to be abundant, so that the cavalry and baggage animals could subsist. — inciperet: cf. note on esset, 49 1. — ad exercitum: i.e. to Vesontio, in the country of the Sequani. See map, Fig. 26. [*] 50.5. Senonibus: these were north of the Haedui, on the upper course of the Seine; their name is preserved in <Sens. — reliquis Gallis, the rest of the Gauls （§ 293 (193); cf. B. 241. 1; H. 497. 4 (440. N. 1); H-B. 346. c）. [*] 50.6. Belgis: dat. with finitimi （§ 384 (234. a); B. 192. 1; G. 359; H. 434. 2 (391. 1); H-B. 362）. — uti … cognoscant, to find out. This is a subst. clause of purpose in apposition with negotium; § 563 (331); B. 295. 1; G. 546; H. 564. iii (499. iii); H-B. 502. 3. a. — gerantur: subjv. as depending on cognoscant （§ 593 (342); B. 324. 1; G. 629; H. 652 (529. ii); H-B. 539）. [*] 50.7. seque … faciant, and inform him （Caesar）; se is here used as the indirect reflexive; see § 300. 2 (196. a. 2); B. 244. ii. a; G. 521; H. 504 (449. 1); H-B. 262. 2. — constanter, consistently （with one another）; their accounts all agreed. [*] 50.8. manūs （acc. plu., subject of cogi）: small bands or companies. [*] 50.9.
[*] 49.1. cum esset, etc., while C. was: subjv. with cum temporal （§ 546 (325); B. 288. 1. b; G. 585; H. 600.ii (521. ii. 2); H-B. 524.）. For discussion of the principle, see notes on 6 14, 7 17, 11 7. The verb comes in this emphatic place on account of the close connection of these words with the preceding book; something like 'and being thus in, etc.' See translation of this chapter in 'Directions for Reading,' p. 000. — citeriore Gallia: northern Italy. — ita uti（ = ut, as）: correlatives; the demonstrative word so is often omitted in English （§ 323. g (107); G. 110. 3; H. 305; cf. H-B. 144）. — demonstravimus, dixeramus: the perfect here implies an act done before the time of writing （see end of Bk. i）; the pluperf., what took place before the time of demonstravimus. [*] 49.2. adferebantur, certior fiebat （imperf. of repeated action; § 470 (277); B. 260. 2; G. 231; H. 534. 3 (469. ii); H-B. 484）, kept coming in; he was informed from time to time. [*] 49.3. litteris, by despatches: abl. of means, § 409 (248. c); B. 218; G. 401; H. 476 (420); H-B. 423. — Belgas … coniurare … dare, that the Belgians, etc.: indir. disc., acc. and infin. following the verbal phrase certior fiebat （§ 459 (272); B. 331. i; G. 527; H. 613 (535); H-B. 589）; direct, — Belgae coniurant. Caesar had not yet advanced farther north than the country of the Lingones, so that the Belgae were as yet unattacked. — quam agrees with partem （§ 306 (199); B. 250. 3; G. 614. R. 3. b; H. 396. 2 (445. 4); H-B. 326. 1）, though the proper antecedent is Belgas. [*] 49.4. esse: indir. disc. （with subj. acc. quam）, after dixeramus. — dixeramus is in the indict, because, though a relative clause, it is parenthetical merely, and not a part of the report of Labienus （§ 583 (336. b); B. 314. 3; G. 628. R. a; H. 643. 3 (524. 2. 1); H-B. 535. 1. d）. [*] 49.5. coniurare: from the point of view of the Romans, any war against Rome is a "conspiracy"; a nation enslaved by Rome is "pacified." — obsides: see note on 8 11. — inter se, to one another: § 301. f (196. f); B. 245; G. 221; H. 502. 1 (448. N); H-B. 266. — coniurandi: gerund （§ 504 (298); B. 338. 1. a; G. 428; H. 626 (542. i); H-B. 612. i）. [*] 49.6. has esse causas, that the reasons were as follows: the report of Labienus continued, indir. disc. — quod vererentur, sollicitarentur: subjv. because subord. clauses in indir. disc. （§ 580 (336. 2); B. 314. 1; G. 541; H. 643 (524); H-B. 535. 2）. The two clauses introduced by primum and deinde contain the two reasons for the conspiracy, and so the gist of the sentence. The rest, which makes the whole seem complicated, defines the classes of disaffected Gauls who, though conquered, hoped still to recover their liberty by means of their more warlike neighbors. These classes are two （partim … partim）, but to these are added in Caesar's words, but in a different construction （ab non nullis）, some who had personal reasons for wishing to expel the Romans. — ne … adduceretur: subst. clause, object of vererentur （§ 563 (331. f); B. 296. 2; G. 550; H. 498. iii; H-B. 502. 4）. — omni pacata Gallia: translate the abl. abs. freely, often by an active construction, having subdued, etc., or by a temporal, conditional, or such other clause as will best bring out the thought. [*] 49.7. Gallia: i.e. Celtic Gaul （§ 521. a (310. a); B. 305. 1; G. 667; H. 638. 2 (549. 2); H-B. 578. 6）, within which the previous campaigns had been conducted. — exercitus noster: i.e. to subdue them in their turn. — ab non nullis Gallis: § 405 (246); B. 216; G. 401; H. 468 (415. i); H-B. 406. 1. [*] 49.8. partim qui, etc.: not part of Labienus's report, but explanatory remarks added by Caesar; hence the indic. — ut … ita: correlatives （§ 323. g (107); G. 110. 3; H. (305); H-B. 144, 563）. — Germanos … versari: object of noluerant （§ 457, 563. b (271. a, 330. 3); B. 295. N, 331. iv; G. 532; H. 614 (535. ii); H-B. 587 and a）. [*] 49.9. exercitum hiemare, etc., they took it hard （moleste ferebant） that an army of the Roman people was wintering and getting a foothold （inveterascere, lit. grow old ） in Gaul. The infinitives, with their subj. acc. exercitum, are in indir. disc. after moleste ferebant （§ 572. b (333. b); B. 331. v; G. 650; H. 642. ii (523. N); H-B. 594）. [*] 49.11. mobilitate: abl. of cause; § 404 (245); B. 219; G. 408; H. 475 (416); H-B. 444. — novis imperiis （dat. § 367 (227); B. 187. ii. a; G. 346; H. 426 (385); H-B. 362.） studebant = were eager for a change of government （lit. new ruling powers）. Notice that novis is emphatic. [*] 49.12. ab non nullis, by some also （sc. sollicitabantur）; these were petty chiefs of clans. — quod （causal） … occupabantur, because royal power was （constantly） usurped. Notice the indic.; Caesar explains the statement of Labienus （quod … sollicitarentur） by facts from his own knowledge （§ 540 (321); B. 286. 1; G. 540; H. 588 (516); H-B. 555.）. A clause with the subjv. （occuparentur） would indicate that the reason assigned formed part of the letter of Labienus. — potentioribus: used substantively. [*] 49.13. ad … facultatīs, the means to take men into their pay. — conducendos: gerundive in an expression of purpose （§ 506 (300); B. 338. 3, 339; G. 432; H. 622 (544. N. 2); H-B. 612. iii）. [*] 49.14. rem: cf. note on 4 4. [*] 49.15. imperio nostro: strictly a loc. abl., implying time, place, or condition, under our dominion. — consequi, complementary infin. （§ 456 and N. (271 and N.); B. 328. 1; G. 423; H. 607. 2 (533. i. 2); H-B. 586 and a）.
[*] 50.1. nuntiis: abl. of cause; cf. mobilitate, 49 11. — duas legiones … misit: these were numbered XIII and XIV, making with the others （VII-XIl） eight in all, amounting （with auxiliaries） to perhaps 60,000 men. [*] 50.2. initā aestate: abl. abs., expressing time when; § 419 (255); B. 227. 2. a; G. 665; H. 489. 1 (431. 1) H-B. 421. 1; aestas is the period from the spring equinox to that of autumn. [*] 50.3. qui deduceret （the antecedent is Q. Pedium）: relative clause of purpose （§ 531 (317. 2); B. 282. 2; G. 630; H. 589.ii (497. 1); H-B. 502. 2）. — Pedium: Pedius was Caesar's nephew, son of his sister Julia. — legatum: see note on 8 22. [*] 50.4. cum primum, etc.: i.e. when grass and young grain began to be abundant, so that the cavalry and baggage animals could subsist. — inciperet: cf. note on esset, 49 1. — ad exercitum: i.e. to Vesontio, in the country of the Sequani. See map, Fig. 26. [*] 50.5. Senonibus: these were north of the Haedui, on the upper course of the Seine; their name is preserved in <Sens. — reliquis Gallis, the rest of the Gauls （§ 293 (193); cf. B. 241. 1; H. 497. 4 (440. N. 1); H-B. 346. c）. [*] 50.6. Belgis: dat. with finitimi （§ 384 (234. a); B. 192. 1; G. 359; H. 434. 2 (391. 1); H-B. 362）. — uti … cognoscant, to find out. This is a subst. clause of purpose in apposition with negotium; § 563 (331); B. 295. 1; G. 546; H. 564. iii (499. iii); H-B. 502. 3. a. — gerantur: subjv. as depending on cognoscant （§ 593 (342); B. 324. 1; G. 629; H. 652 (529. ii); H-B. 539）. [*] 50.7. seque … faciant, and inform him （Caesar）; se is here used as the indirect reflexive; see § 300. 2 (196. a. 2); B. 244. ii. a; G. 521; H. 504 (449. 1); H-B. 262. 2. — constanter, consistently （with one another）; their accounts all agreed. [*] 50.8. manūs （acc. plu., subject of cogi）: small bands or companies. [*] 50.9.
