Book 6.13-20: Difference between revisions
/* Quibus ita est interdictum, hi numero impiorum ac sceleratorum habentur, his omnes decedunt, aditum sermonemque defugiunt, ne quid ex contagione incommodi accipiant, neque his petentibus ius redditur, neque honos ullus communicatur. His autem omni |
/* Sed de his duobus generibus alterum est druidum, alterum equitum. Illi rebus divinis intersunt, sacrificia publica ac privata procurant, religiones interpretantur: ad hos magnus adulescentium numerus disciplinae causa concurrit, magnoque hi sunt a |
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religiones: 'questions of religion' (Rice Holmes). | religiones: 'questions of religion' (Rice Holmes). | ||
si qui. . . populus: If, as Doberenz-Dinter say, ''qui'' is used substantially, the expression is loose, 'if any one, whether private individual or tribe'; if, as Meusel seems to think (L. С lii, 1552), it is adjectival, the words are equivalent to ''si qui privatits aut si qui populus'' (Rice Holmes). | |||
decreto non stetit: ‘does not abide by the decision’ (Walker). | decreto non stetit: ‘does not abide by the decision’ (Walker). | ||
Revision as of 03:13, 6 August 2010
Chap. 13: Druids and knights alone possess political power. Degradation of the masses. Religious and civil power of the Druids. Their doctrine imported from Britain. Cahp. 14: Their privileges. Their doctrines. Chap. 15: Knights and retainers. Chap. 16: Religious observances and human sacrifices. Chap. 17: The Gallic pantheon. Chap. 18: Measurement of time. A peculiar custom. Chap. 19: Dowries. Status of wives. Funerals. Chap. 20: Unauthorized publication of political news forbidden. (Rice Holmes)
6.13
In omni Gallia eorum hominum qui aliquo sunt numero atque honore genera sunt duo. Nam plebes paene servorum habetur loco, quae nihil audet per se, nullo adhibetur consilio. Plerique, cum aut aere alieno aut magnitudine tributorum aut iniuria potentiorum premuntur, sese in servitutem dicant nobilibus, quibus in hos eadem omnia sunt iura quae dominis in servos.
Qui aliquo sunt in numero atque honore: 'who are of any note and are held in any estimation' (Anthon).
aliquo numero: ‘of any account’ (Walker); ‘in any consideration’ (Moberly).
genera: 'classes'. Literally, 'kinds', or 'orders'. (Anthon)
cum…premuntur: a general condition expressing repeated action, cum meaning 'whenever' or 'as often as'. (Allen & Greenough)
aere alieno: 'by debt'. Aes alienum means literally, 'the money of another', i. e., due or owing to another. The first money coined by the Romans was of brass, and hence the use of aes in this sense. (Anthon)
magnitudine tributorum: 'the weight of taxes'. injuria: 'the oppression'. More literally, 'the injurious', or 'insolent treatment'. Sese dicant: 'give themselves up'. (Anthon)
quae dominis: (dat. of poss.) 'as masters have' (Allen & Judson)
Sed de his duobus generibus alterum est druidum, alterum equitum. Illi rebus divinis intersunt, sacrificia publica ac privata procurant, religiones interpretantur: ad hos magnus adulescentium numerus disciplinae causa concurrit, magnoque hi sunt apud eos honore. Nam fere de omnibus controversiis publicis privatisque constituunt et, si quod est admissum facinus, si caedes facta, si de hereditate, de finibus controversia est, idem decernunt, praemia poenasque constituunt; si qui aut privatus aut populus eorum decreto non stetit, sacrificiis interdicunt. Haec poena apud eos est gravissima.
equitum: here means 'knights', not 'cavalry'. The'knights' mentioned in this passage were the Gallic aristocracy, and the 'men of rank' (nobilibus) mentioned in § 2 were the most distinguished of the knights (Rice Holmes).
religiones: 'questions of religion' (Rice Holmes).
si qui. . . populus: If, as Doberenz-Dinter say, qui is used substantially, the expression is loose, 'if any one, whether private individual or tribe'; if, as Meusel seems to think (L. С lii, 1552), it is adjectival, the words are equivalent to si qui privatits aut si qui populus (Rice Holmes).
decreto non stetit: ‘does not abide by the decision’ (Walker).
Quibus ita est interdictum, hi numero impiorum ac sceleratorum habentur, his omnes decedunt, aditum sermonemque defugiunt, ne quid ex contagione incommodi accipiant, neque his petentibus ius redditur, neque honos ullus communicatur. His autem omnibus druidibus praeest unus, qui summam inter eos habet auctoritatem.
his...decedunt: his is of course dative, de via being understood with decedunt, just as in English one might say 'Get out ', meaning 'Get out of the way' (Rice Holmes).
Hoc mortuo, aut si qui ex reliquis excellit dignitate succedit, aut, si sunt plures pares, suffragio druidum, non numquam etiam armis de principatu contendunt.Hi certo anni tempore in finibus Carnutum, quae regio totius Galliae media habetur, considunt in loco consecrato. Huc omnes undique qui controversias habent conveniunt eorumque decretis iudiciisque parent. Disciplina in Britannia reperta atque inde in Galliam translata esse existimatur, et nunc qui diligentius eam rem cognoscere volunt plerumque illo discendi causa proficiscuntur.
6.14
Druides a bello abesse consuerunt, neque tributa una cum reliquis pendunt; militiae vacationem omniumque rerum habent immunitatem. Tantis excitati praemiis et sua sponte multi in disciplinam conveniunt et a parentibus propinquisque mittuntur. Magnum ibi numerum versuum ediscere dicuntur. Itaque annos non nulli XX in disciplina permanent. Neque fas esse existimant ea litteris mandare, cum in reliquis fere rebus, publicis privatisque rationibus, Graecis litteris utantur.
vacatio, -onis f.: dispensation from (Sihler)
sponte: adverbial ablative: unaided; on one’s own accord (Sihler)
Id mihi duabus de causis instituisse videntur, quod neque in vulgum disciplinam efferri velint neque eos qui discunt litteris confisos minus memoriae studere; quod fere plerisque accidit ut praesidio litterarum diligentiam in perdiscendo ac memoriam remittant.
litteris confisos: 'by trusting to written words' (Allen & Judson).
minus studere: ‘to pay less attention to’ (Walker).
quod neque velint: ‘because it is supposed that they do not wish’ (Moberly).
minus memoriae studere: 'to cultivate the memory less' (Hodges).
praesidio: lit. ‘because of the protection of’ = ‘depending on’ (Walker).
remittant: 'relax' (Hodges).
quod…remittant: ‘which is the result in most cases, that persons relying on the aid of writing lose their perseverance in learning by heart as well as their retentiveness of memory’ (Peskett).
In primis hoc volunt persuadere, non interire animas sed ab aliis post mortem transire ad alios, atque hoc maxime ad virtutem excitari putant, metu mortis neglecto. Multa praeterea de sideribus atque eorum motu, de mundi ac terrarum magnitudine, de rerum natura, de deorum immortalium vi ac potestate disputant et iuventuti tradunt.
hoc: (acc.; more usually illud) refers to what follows; hoc (abl.) to what has just been said (Allen & Judson).
excitari: ‘that men are incited’ (Walker).
multa…disputant: ‘they also theorise largely’ (Moberly).
6.15
Alterum genus est equitum. Hi, cum est usus atque aliquod bellum incidit (quod fere ante Caesaris adventum quotannis accidere solebat, uti aut ipsi iniurias inferrent aut illatas propulsarent), omnes in bello versantur; atque eorum ut quisque est genere copiisque amplissimus, ita plurimos circum se ambactos clientisque habet.Hanc unam gratiam potentiamque noverunt.
usus: a noun (Allen & Greenough).
versantur: 'engaged', or 'are employed' (Allen & Judson)
ut quisque…ita: 'the more…the more' (Allen & Judson).
ut quisque amplissimus…ita plurimos: 'the more powerful…the greater number' (Allen & Greenough)'
6.16
Natio est omnis Gallorum admodum dedita religionibus, atque ob eam causam qui sunt adfecti gravioribus morbis quique in proeliis periculisque versantur aut pro victimis homines immolant aut se immolaturos vovent, administrisque ad ea sacrificia druidibus utuntur; quod, pro vita hominis nisi hominis vita reddatur, non posse deorum immortalium numen placari arbitrantur, publiceque eiusdem generis habent instituta sacrificia.
natio, -onis f.: race, people; of different tribes within Gaul (Sihler)
admodum: adv.: very, very much (Sihler)'
homines immolant: the practice of human sacrifice is thought (by Thierry) to have been obsolete at this time in Gaul. Caesar appears not to have known any actual instances of it. (Allen & Judson)
homines: object of both immolant and immolaturos. Although Caesar does not say that he saw an instance of human sacrifice, there is no good reason to doubt the truth of his statement. The practice seems to have ceased after the Roman conquest. (Walker)
pro victimis: ‘by way of victims’ (Moberly)'
publice: ‘on behalf of the state’ (Walker)'
habent instituta: lit. ‘they have…established,’ = ‘they regularly perform.’ (Walker)
Alii immani magnitudine simulacra habent, quorum contexta viminibus membra vivis hominibus complent; quibus succensis circumventi flamma exanimantur homines. Supplicia eorum qui in furto aut in latrocinio aut aliqua noxia sint comprehensi gratiora dis immortalibus esse arbitrantur; sed, cum eius generis copia defecit, etiam ad innocentium supplicia descendunt.
noxia: ‘offence,’ the usual meaning of noxia, whereas noxa is rather the punishment for the offence. (Peskett)
6.17
Deum maxime Mercurium colunt. Huius sunt plurima simulacra, hunc omnium inventorem artium ferunt, hunc viarum atque itinerum ducem, hunc ad quaestus pecuniae mercaturasque habere vim maximam arbitrantur. Post hunc Apollinem et Martem et Iovem et Minervam. De his eandem fere quam reliquae gentes habent opinionem: Apollinem morbos depellere, Minervam operum atque artificiorum initia tradere, Iovem imperium caelestium tenere, Martem bella regere.
Huic, cum proelio dimicare constituerunt, ea quae bello ceperint plerumque devovent: quae superaverunt, animalia capta immolant, reliquasque res in unum locum conferunt. Multis in civitatibus harum rerum exstructos tumulos locis consecratis conspicari licet, neque saepe accidit ut neglecta quispiam religione aut capta apud se occultare aut posita tollere auderet, gravissimumque ei rei supplicium cum cruciatu constitutum est.
neglecta religione: i.e. in violation of his vow (Allen & Greenough)
capta: 'taken as spoil' (Allen & Greenough)
6.18
Galli se omnes ab Dite patre prognatos praedicant, idque ab Druidibus proditum dicunt.Ob eam causam spatia omnis temporis non numero dierum sed noctium finiunt; dies natalis et mensum et annorum initia sic observant ut noctem dies subsequatur.
Dite: = Pluto, the god of Darkness, or the Underworld (Allen & Judson)
Ab Dite prognatos: apparently meaning that they sprang from the soil. (Walker)
In reliquis vitae institutis hoc fere ab reliquis differunt quod suos liberos, nisi cum adoleverunt ut munus militiae sustinere possint, palam ad se adire non patiuntur filiumque puerili aetate in publico in conspectu patris adsistere turpe ducunt.
Suos liberos: &c.: The Romans, on the other hand, accustomed their sons to public life, and in early times even took them with them into the Senate. (Allen & Judson)
turpe ducunt: they consider it disgraceful, turpe being pred. adj. agreeing with the infin. clause (Allen & Greenough)
palam…adire: ‘to approach them in public.’ (Walker)
assistere: ‘to place himself.’ The acc. ‘se’ is understood, as it is with ‘consisto’ (Moberly).
6.19
Viri quantas pecunias ab uxoribus dotis nomine acceperunt tantas ex suis bonis aestimatione facta cum dotibus communicant. Huius omnis pecuniae coniunctim ratio habetur fructusque servantur: uter eorum vita superarit, ad eum pars utriusque cum fructibus superiorum temporum pervenit.
viri, quantas pecunias acceperunt, tantas cum dotibus communicant: ‘husbands add to the dowry as much property as they have received’ (Walker); 'the husband deposits, in a common fund, an amount equal to the wife’s marriage-portion' (Allen & Judson).
communicant: place in a common fund. (Hodges)
coniunctim: adv.: jointly (Sihler)
fructus: 'revenues', or 'profits' (Allen & Judson).
uter vita superarit: whichever of the two outlives the other receives both dos and donatio; with the interest which has accrued from each during the time of the marriage (Moberly).
Viri in uxores, sicuti in liberos, vitae necisque habent potestatem; et cum pater familiae illustriore loco natus decessit, eius propinqui conveniunt et, de morte si res in suspicionem venit, de uxoribus in servilem modum quaestionem habent et, si compertum est, igni atque omnibus tormentis excruciatas interficiunt.
Funera sunt pro cultu Gallorum magnifica et sumptuosa; omniaque quae vivis cordi fuisse arbitrantur in ignem inferunt, etiam animalia: ac paulo supra hanc memoriam servi et clientes quos ab eis dilectos esse constabat iustis funeribus confectis una cremabantur.
pro cultu: 'considering the degree of refinement' (Allen & Judson).
vivis cordi fuisse: ‘were dear to them when alive’. The burning of the dead was not the only method used by the Gauls. Tombs have been opened which contained vases, rings, armor and the bones of horses and dogs. (Walker)
hanc = nostram (Allen & Judson).
iustis: 'right', by conventional rule. When these had been fulfilled, the sacrifice was added (Allen & Judson).
dilectos: distinguish from delectos (Allen & Greenough).
supra hanc memoriam: ‘before our time’ (Walker).
iustis funeribus: 'the regular funeral rites' (Hodges).
6.20
Quae civitates commodius suam rem publicam administrare existimantur habent legibus sanctum, si quis quid de re publica a finitimis rumore aut fama acceperit, uti ad magistratum deferat neve cum quo alio communicet: quod saepe homines temerarios atque imperitos falsis rumoribus terreri et ad facinus impelli et de summis rebus consilium capere cognitum est. Magistratus quae visa sunt occultant, quaeque esse ex usu iudicaverunt multitudini produnt. De re publica nisi per concilium loqui non conceditur.
legibus sanctum: 'established by law', agreeing with the clause si…communicet (obj. of habent) (Allen & Judson).
quo: indef., 'any one' (nequis) (Allen & Judson).
neve: 'and that not', the regular connective for a negative purpose clause (Allen & Greenough).
neve…communicet: 'and not impart it to any one else'. Since neve contains the particle ne, quo (from quis) is the proper indefinite (Hodges).
quae visa sunt: what they think fit to conceal (understand occultanda) (Allen & Greenough)
ex usu: 'of advantge' (Hodges).
