A First Latin Reader/111

by Herbertus Chester Nutting

Herbert Chester Nutting

A First Latin Reader

Lesson 111
A Messenger eludes the Enemy

1912

fons: librum vide

110. Heroic Defense of their Camp	112. Caesar heads a Relief Force

LESSON 111

A Messenger eludes the Enemy

Quantō erat in diēs gravior oppugnātiō, tantō^[1] crēbriōrēs litterae nūntiīque ad Caesarem mittēbantur; ē quibus nōnnūllī, in cōnspectū nostrōrum mīlitum interceptī, cum cruciātū necātī sunt. Intrā hīberna autem erat Nervius quīdam, nōmine Verticō, quī ad Cicerōnem perfūgerat, cum prīmum castra oppugnāta sunt. Hīc servō^[2] spē lībertātis magnīsque persuāsit praemiīs, ut litterās ad Caesarem dēferret. Ille^[3] celeriter profectus, et Gallus^[4] inter Gallōs sine ūllā suspiciōne versātus^[5], ad Caesarem incolumis pervēnit. Ab eō dē perīculīs^[6] Cicerōnis legiōnisque cōgnitum est.

Caesar, acceptīs litterīs hōrā ferē ūndecimā diēī^[7], nūntium cōnfēstim in^[8] Bellovacōs mittit^[9] ad M. Crassum^[10], cuius hīberna aberant ab eō^[11] mīlia passuum quīnque et vīgintī; iubet^[12] mediā nocte legiōnem proficīscī celeriterque ad^[13] sē venīre. Alterum^[14] ad C. Fabium^[15] lēgātum mittit, quī eī^[16] nūntiet, ut legiōnem^[17] in Atrebatēs addūcat, quōrum per fīnēs sibi iter faciendum sciēbat. Scrībit Labiēnō ut^[18], sī reī pūblicae commodō^[19] fierī possit, cum legiōne ad fīnēs Nerviōrum veniat. Reliquam partem exercitūs, quae paulō aberat longius, nōn arbitrātur exspectandam; equitēs circiter CCCC ex proximīs hībernīs cōgit.

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1. quantō . . . tantō: with the comparatives, the . . . the; lit. by how much . . . by so much.
2. servō: m, sc. suō (i.e. “of his”); dat. case, to be construed with persuāsit, l. 9.
3. Ille: the slave.
4. Gallus: m, (since he was) a Gaul.
5. inter Gallōs . . . versātus: freely, mixing with; lit. what?, sine: without (exciting).
6. perīculīs: n, translate as sing..
7. hōrā . . . ūndecimā diēī: cf. the note on p. 74, l. 16.
8. in: cf. the note on p. 133, l. 5.
9. mittit: cf. commemorant, p. 135, l. 6.
10. ad M. Crassum: see the map on p. 124.
11. eō: i.e. Caesare.
12. iubet: sc. eum (i.e. Crassum).
13. ad: to (join).
14. Alterum: sc. nūntium.
15. ad C. Fabium: see the map again.
16. eī: i.e. Fabiō.
17. legiōnem: f, sc. suam, in Atrebatēs: i.e. F. was to march south to join Caesar, as the latter moved eastward.
18. ut: in this connection, scrībit implies imperat also; hence the ut-clause.
19. reī pūblicae commodō: lit. with the well-being of the commonwealth; freely, without endangering the public weal.