FIRST INVASION of BRITAIN.
What is called the First Invasion of Britain though it marks an interesting date in history, gave fresh stimulus to Roman curiosity and ambition, and had a significant moral effect, was in itself an affair of stroll account. It was, in fact, only meant for a reconnaissance, or, perhaps, to open the way to further schemes. Towards the end of summer, Caesar sailed across to the cliffs of Dover, coasted a few miles towards the west, and established a camp on the British coast. His cavalry, meanwhile, had been weatherbound in their transports, and then, after crossing, were driven back by rough winds, so that they did not even come to land. After holding an uneasy and perilous position for about three weeks, he returned to Gaul, without accomplishing anything beyond a barren display of daring. This expedition was, in fact, only intended for a 'demonstration.' Yet, as the beginning of the national history of England, the event assumes great interest and importance, so that it has given rise to volumes of comment and discussion both in France and England.
READING REFERENCES ON THE FIRST INVASION OF BRITAIN.
Abbott's
Julius Caesar, pp. 97-106
Dodge's
Caesar, chap. II.
Fowler's
Julius Caesar, chap 12.
Froude's
Caesar, chap. 16.
Merivale's
Hist. of Rome, Vol. 1. pp. 375-383.
Mommsen's
Hist. of Rome, Vol. IV. pp. 312, 313.
Napoleon's
Caesar, Vol. II. chap. 7.
Scarth's
Roman Britain, chap.2.
Tacitus's
Agricola.
[*] 105.15.
exigua … reliqua: abl. abs.; translate by a temporal clause.
[*] 105.16.
ad septentriones,
towards the north (see vocab.): cf.
1 1 ff.
[*] 105.18.
omnibus bellis: abl. of time.—
hostibus: dat. after subministrata.
[*] 105.19.
si … tamen,
even if time shouldfail, still, etc.
[*] 105.20.
fore: the subj. is practically the clause
si … cognovisset,
he thought it would be of great advantage if, etc. In all languages the proper subject is often absorbed in some different form of expression ; here it is properly 'that fact,' 'that result,' implied in the conditional clause. The idiom is the same in English except that we supply 'it.'
[*] 105.21.
adisset, etc.: the pluperf., represents the fut. perf.
adierit of dir. disc. Observe in this sentence that while Caesar's
action is given in the perf. (
contendit), his
reasons are in the imperf. (
intellegebat,
arbitrabatur); cf.
note on 3 5. The conditional clauses
si deficeret, si adisset, etc., are strictly fut. conditions carried into the past by the indir. disc.
[*] 105.22.
quae omnia,
all of which (
§ 346. e (216. e);
B. 201. 1. b;
G. 370. R. 2;
H. 442. 2 (397. 2. N);
H-B. 346. c.). For the order, cf.
94 17,
30 19 and note.
[*] 105.23.
Gallis incognita: probably they were not so uninformed as they seemed; cf. the relations of Commius,
106 13-17, and of the Veneti,
78 19. —
neque enim (neg. of
etenim,
§ 324. h (156. d); cf.
B. 341. 2. d;
G. 498. N. 3; cf.
H-B. 311. 6. a. and b): to be rendered with
quisquam,
for no one.
[*] 105.24. >
illo: adv.; see vocab. —
neque … quicquam,
and nothing: observe that, as usual, the negative combines with the connective. —
eis, dat. after
notum (
§ 375 (232. a);
B. 189. 2;
G. 354 ;
H. 431. 2 (388. 1);
H-B. 373. 2).
[*] 105.25.
Gallias: i.e. Celtic and Belgic Gaul.
[*] 105.26.
vocatis … mercatoribus, etc.,
he called the traders, but could not, etc.
[*] 105.27.
quanta … portus: these indir. questions follow
reperire poterat. Notice that the imperf.
poterat is used rather than
potuit, referring to his
repeated questions to the different traders.
[*] 105.28.
quem usum,
what degree of skill. —
belli: cf. note on
41 14.
[*] 106.1.
CHAP. 21.
faceret: the subjv. here indicates a purpose or calculation in Cesar's mind. The perf. ind. would refer only to priority of time;
§ 551 (327);
B. 292;
G. 577;
H. 605. 2 (520. i. 2); cf.
H-B. 507. 4. a; see also
38 27 and note. The English idiom expresses this by some such phrase as "before making the attempt."
[*] 106.2.
idoneum: this remark seems to have reference to his actual want of success, as appears later. —
Volusenum: one of Caesar's tribunes; see
77 11. —
navi longa: see
chapter on military affairs, ix, and Figs, 48, 51.
[*] 106.5.
Morinos, occupying the nearest point to Britain (Boulogne, Calais, Ostend, etc.): in clear weather the British coast is in sight from these shores.
[*] 106.7.
quam … classem:
§ 307. b (200. b);
B. 251. 4;
G. 616;
H. 399. 5 (445. 9);
H-B. 284. 6. —
Veneticum bellum: see Bk. iii. chs. 7-16.
[*] 106.9.
insulae: Britain was supposed to be an island, but the fact was not established, so far as we know, until more than a century later, when the Romans sailed around it.
[*] 106.10.
qui polliceantur: a purpose clause, but in English best expressed by the pres. part.
[*] 106.11.
dare: complem. infln., instead of
se daturos [esse] a use not uncommon in Caesar, and apparently somewhat colloquial;
§ 580. c. N. (330. f. N.); cf.
B. 328. 1;
G. 531. N. 4;
H. 618. I (537. N.);
H-B. 593. a. —
imperio:
§ 367 (227);
B. 187. ii. a;
G. 346;
H. 426. I (385);
H-B. 362.
[*] 106.14.
Atrebatibus (see Bk. ii. chs. 4, 16, 23): the same people, it is said, had occupied Berkshire in England, whence the supposed influence of Commius. —
ibi: i.e. among the Atrebates ;
§ 321. a (207. a);
G. 611. R. 1;
H. 308. 2 (304. iii. 2).
[*] 106.16.
fidelem, etc.: perhaps Caesar says this in view of the fact that Commius afterwards turned against him; see Bk. vix. ch. 76.
[*] 106.17.
magni: gen. of indefinite value;
§ 417 (252. a);
B. 203. 3;
G. 380;
H. 448 (404);
H-B. 356. 1. —
huic: indir. obj. of
imperat; the order he gave is the whole clause down to
nuntiet.
[*] 106.18.
fidem sequantur, i.e.
accept the protection of.
[*] 106.19.
se: i.e. Caesar, the main subject, as usual in indir. disc.
[*] 106.20.
quantum (sc.
tantum) …
auderet,
so far as opportunity could be given to one who did not venture, etc.
[*] 106.22.
auderet: subjv. of characteristic.
[*] 106.23.
perspexisset: for tense, see
§ 485. e (287. e);
B. 268. 3:
G. 511. R. 1;
H. 546 (495. ii);
H-B. 491 and 2; the sequence of tenses does not depend upon the form of statement, but on the time as conceived in the writer's mind.
[*] 106.26.
CHAP, 22.
superioris temporis,
of the season before (see Bk. iii. ch. 28).
[*] 106.27.
homines barbari,
being (as they were) barbarians. —
consuetudinis:
§ 349. a (218. a);
B. 204. 1;
G. 374;
H. 451. I (399. i. 2);
H-B. 354.
[*] 106.28.
fecissent: the statement of the ambassadors, hence subjv. on the principle of implied indir. disc.
[*] 106.29.
pollicerentur: the same construction as
excusarent, above.
[*] 107.1.
arbitratus: translate as present, as often with the perf. part. of dep. verbs.
[*] 107.2.
belli gerendi: obj. gen.; connect with
facultatem.
[*] 107.3.
has … anteponendas,
that occupation about these little matters should take precedence of [the invasion of] Britain. For the number of
occupationes, see
§ 100. c (75. c);
B. 55. 4. c;
G. 204. N.5;
H. 138. 2 (130. 2);
H-B. 240. 5. b.
[*] 107.4.
iudicabat: note this and the preceding descriptive imperfects; cf.
note on 3 5.
[*] 107.6.
navibus: see
chapter on military affairs, ix. —
coactis,
gathered from various quarters; [
contractis] (which may well be translated),
brought together into port. This must have been either at Boulogne or a few miles farther north, at Wissant. The port has never been satisfactorily determined, but it must have been between Boulogne and Calais, about twenty miles apart in a straight line, which is near enough to give a definite idea of the place (
see map, Fig. 56). This whole coast has suffered enormous alterations since Caesar's time, and everything is much changed.
[*] 107.7.
duas legiones: the seventh and tenth.
[*] 107.8.
quod … habebat,
what galleys he had besides.
[*] 107.10.
ex eo loco, etc.: this would be at Ambleteuse or at Calais, according to the location of the main port. —
tenebantur quo minus,
were detained from, the usual construction after verbs of hindering:
§ 558. b. (317. b. N. 1, 319. c);
B. 295. 3;
G. 549;
H. 568. 8 (499. 3. N.2);
H-B. 502. 3. b.
[*] 107.12.
equitibus: of these there were 450.
[*] 107.18.
CHAP. 23.
tertia … vigilia,
at midnight. The date was very near August 26, when high water would be about half past seven P.M.; the ships, therefore, could go out at about half-tide. —
solvit,
cast off the ships: a technical phrase used like our
weighed anchor. —
equites: these were to embark at Ambleteuse, as stated above.
[*] 107.20.
paulo tardius: they sailed after a delay of three days (ch. 28).
[*] 107.21.
hora … quarta: this would be about ten A.M., an hour after high tide. The distance across is about thirty miles, and the landing was near Dover, where he lay at anchor till half past three.
[*] 107.24.
montibus anguste, etc.: i.e. the cliffs came close to the shore.
[*] 107.26.
dum … convenirent,
until the other ships should come up:
§ 553 (328);
B. 293. iii. 2;
G. 572;
H. 603. ii. 2 (519. ii. 2);
H-B. 507. 5. When is dum followed by the indic. ? cf.
24 24,
33 20,
41 9.
[*] 107.29.
Voluseno: cf.
106 2 and
19.
[*] 108.1.
ut . . . postularent,
as military science and especially seamanship
require: rel. clause following
monuit [ut] … administrarentur,
enjoined that everything should be done promptly. Ut is omitted after
monuit, as is often the case after verbs of directing or urging. The rel. clause has the subjv. because an integral part of the command.
[*] 108.2.
ut quae … haberent,
since they have, etc.: the imperf. is used by sequence of tenses;
§ 535. e (320. e);
B. 283. 3;
G. 633;
H. 592. I (517. 3. 1);
H-B. 523 and b.
[*] 108.4.
his dimissis,
when they were sent to their posts (observe the distributive effect of di-). —
aestum … secundum: the tide in this place would not turn east and north until about half past six.
[*] 108.6.
progressus: towards the north.
[*] 108.7.
aperto … litore: thought to be somewhere near Deal and Walmer Castle.
[*] 108.9.
CHAP. 24.
essedariis: the
essedum was a two-wheeled war chariot; see
Figs. 123,
124. —
quo … genere: i.e. including both cavalry and chariots, as described below,
114 5 ff.
[*] 108.10.
consuerunt: to be translated by what tense? cf.
59 14 and note. —
egredi: infin. for the more usual
ne or
quominus with the subjv.; cf.
107 10 and note.
[*] 108.12.
alto: here a noun; see Vocab.
[*] 108.13.
militibus (dat. after
desiliendum),
the men had to leap down.
[*] 108.14.
oppressis (taken with
militibus),
weighted as they were. Notice in this passage the free use of participles and phrases to modify the main
idea, first the abi. of place, then the abl. abs., then a participle agreeing directly with
militibus.
[*] 108.16.
cum … conicerent,
while they (the Britons), etc.: a good example of
cum and the subjv. describing the situation; cf.
11 7,
62 13.
[*] 108.18.
insuefactos,
trained to it, i.e. to charge to the water's edge.
[*] 108.20.
generis: gen.; cf.
106 27.
[*] 108.21.
pedestribus,
on land, where the main strength lay in infantry.
[*] 108.22.
CHAP. 25.
navis: subject of
removeri;
§ 563. a (330. B. 2);
B. 331. ii, 587. b;
G. 423. N.6;
H. 613. 2 (535. ii);
H-B. 587. b.
[*] 108.23.
inusitatior,
quite strange.
[*] 108.25.
latus apertum: i.e. the right, unprotected by their shields. —
inde: connect with
propelli ac submoveri.
[*] 108.26.
tormentis: see
chapter on military affairs, I. 5, and
Figs. 61,
75,
95. —
ac: notice that this word always adds something with emphasis.
[*] 108.27.
quae res,
a manoeuvre which: cf.
94 17 and see note on
30 19.
[*] 109.2.
qui … ferebat,
the one who carried: the antecedent of
qui is the understood subject of
inquit. —
X legionis: again the splendid tenth distinguishes itself; cf.
36 24,
67 26.
[*] 109.3.
obtestatus,
appealing to. Such prayers almost always preceded any formal address among the Romans, like "God save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." The words would be
Quod vobis feliciter eveniat, desilite, etc. —
legioni, imperatori: dat. of reference.
[*] 109.4.
nisi voltis: a present simple condition;
§ 515 and a (306 and a);
B. 302 and 4;
G. 595;
H. 574, 580 (508 and 4);
H-B. 579, 582. 1.
[*] 109.5.
ego certe … praestitero,
I at any rate shall have done, etc.:
§ 478. N. (281. R.);
B. 264. a;
G. 244;
H. 540 (473); cf.
H-B. 494.
[*] 109.8.
inter se,
one another:
§ 301. f (196. f);
B. 245. 1;
G. 221;
H. 502. I (448. N);
H-B. 266. —
universi,
in a body.
[*] 109.9.
ex proximis navibus,
from the nearest ships. Omit [
primis].
[*] 109.10.
adpropinquaverunt: the subject is the soldiers, implied.
[*] 109.11.
CHAP. 26.
ab utrisque,
on both sides: cf.
utraque,
103 30.
[*] 109.13.
poterant … submittebat: notice the numerous imperfects in this description, implying repeated or continuous action. —
alius alia ex navi,
men from different ships:
§ 315. c (203. c);
B. 253. 2;
G. 319;
H. 516. 1 (459. i);
H-B. 265. —
quibuscumque signis: dat. after
occurrerat; the antecedent noun and pronoun (
eis signis), if expressed, would be dat. after
adgregabat.
[*] 109.15.
ubi … conspexerant … adoriebantur, etc.: a general condition,
whenever they saw, etc.; cf.
84 22,
103 24, and notes.
[*] 109.16.
singularis,
scattered soldiers.
[*] 109.17.
adoriebantur,
would attack: to express the repeated action.
So, too,
circumsistebant and
coniciebant.
[*] 110.1.
ab latere aperto: see
108 25. —
in universos,
upon the whole body. This word means not merely
all, but
all at once, or
all together, and the like; cf.
universi,
109 8.
[*] 110.3.
speculatoria navigia: swift, light boats for reconnaissance. —
quos … conspexerat … submittebat: another general condition, pre-
cisely like the one noted above (
109 15),
quos equalling
whomsoever, or
if any.
[*] 110.5.
simul [
atque],
as soon as. —
suis omnibus consecutis, and
all their comrades had joined them.
[*] 110.7.
longius,
very far. —
quod equites, etc.: they were wind-bound at the upper harbor,
107 9-12.
[*] 110.9.
fortunam: this is not a mere casual remark, but an expression of his belief in 'his star,' always an important factor in the greatness of a commander ; cf.
36 14 and
note on 10 17.