Ch. 74

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Title

His rebus perfectis regiones¹ secutus quam potuit aequissimas pro loci natura quattuordecim² milia passuum complexus pares eiusdem generis munitiones, diversas³ ab his, contra⁴ exteriorem hostem perfecit, ut ne⁵ magna quidem multitudine, si⁶ ita accidat, munitionum⁷ praesidia circumfundi possent; 2 ac ne cum periculo ex castris egredi⁸ cogatur, dierum triginta pabulum⁹ frumentumque habere omnes convectum iubet.

1. regiones secutus quam potuit aequissimas: quam + a superlative (aequissimas) is “as ____ as possible.” Having followed the most level regions as possible ↩

2. quattuordecim milia passuum complexus: fourteen miles of circumference, complexus is genitive singular, 4th declension ↩

3. diversas ab his: facing away from those (other fortifications we just talked about) ↩

4. contra exteriorem hostem: against the Gauls who will come attack the Romans from behind, as opposed to those Gauls in the city who will attack the Romans from the front ↩

5. ne magna quidem multitudine: ne….quidem means “not even,” and emphasizes the word in the middle. Not even by a great multitude. Connect this with the circumfundi possent later on ↩

6. si ita accidat: accidat is a potential subjunctive, if it were to happen in this way ↩

7. munitionum praesidia: the guards of the fortifications, the subject of possent ↩

8. egredi: deponent infinitive of egredior – to go out ↩

9. pabulum frumentumque: pabulum – fodder, food for animals, and furmentum – grain for men. Caesar is preparing for the possibility the external Gauls coming to besiege his army ↩