HOW THE ROMANS MARCHED AND CAMPED
Exercitus quī in hostium fīnibus bellum gerit multīs perīculīs circumdatus est. Quae perīcula ut vītāret, Rōmāni summam cūram adhībēre solēbant. Adpropinquantēs cōpiīs hostium agmen ita dispōnēbant ut imperātor ipse cum plūribus legiōnibus expedītīs prīmum agmen dūceret. Post eās cōpiās impedīmenta tōtīus exercitūs conlocābant. Tum legiōnēs quae proximē cōnscrīptae erant tōtum agmen claudēbant. Equitēs quoque in omnīs partīs dīmittēbantur quī loca explōrārent; et centuriōnēs praemittēbantur ut locum castrīs idōneum dēligerent. Locus habēbatur idōneus castrīs quī facile dēfendī posset et prope aquam esset. Quā dē causā castra in colle ab utrāque parte arduō, ā fronte lēniter dēclīvī saepe pōnēbantur; vel locus palūdibus cīnctus vel in flūminis rīpīs situs dēligēbātur. Ad locum postquam exercitus pervēnit, aliī mīlitum in armīs erant, aliī castra mūnīre incipiēbant. Nam quō tūtiōrēs ab hostibus mīlitēs essent, nēve incautī et imparātī opprimerentur, castra fossā lātā et vāllō altō mūniēbant. In castrīs portae quattuor erant ut ēruptiō mīlitum omnīs in partīs fierī posset. In angulīs castrōrum erant turrēs dē quibus tēla in hostīs coniciēbantur. Tālibus in castrīs quālia dēscrīpsimus Pūblius ā Caesare exceptus est.
review: subjunctive usage
[1] purpose
[i] ut + subjunctive
Quae perīcula ut vītāret, Rōmāni … solēbant.
- in order to avoid these dangers, the Romans were accustomed to …
et centuriōnēs praemittēbantur ut locum castrīs idōneum dēligerent.
- and centurians were sent ahead in order to choose a suitable location for the camp…
In castrīs portae quattuor erant ut ēruptiō … fierī posset.
- There were four gates at the camp so that a sortie … could be made
[ii] nē + subjunctive introducing a negative purpose clause
… nēve … opprimerentur
- … or so that they would not be overwhelmed [literally: lest they be overwhelmed]
[iii] quī + subjunctive; referring specifically to the person who is to perform the task
Equitēs quoque … dīmittēbantur quī loca explōrārent.
- The cavalry were also sent out in order to scout the terrain [literally: who were to scout]
[iv] quō + comparative + subjunctive
Nam quō tūtiōrēs ab hostibus mīlitēs essent, …
- So that the soldiers might be safer, …
[2] result
… agmen ita dispōnēbant ut imperātor ipse … prīmum agmen dūceret.
- (They) arranged the column in such a way that the general himself …. would lead the front line.
[3] characteristic
Locus habēbatur idōneus castrīs quī facile dēfendī posset et prope aquam esset.
- The place was considered suitable for a camp which could easily be defended and would be near water.
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An army which wages war in the territory of the enemy is surrounded by many dangers. In order to avoid these dangers, the Romans were accustomed to take the greatest care. As the forces of the enemy approached, they arranged the column in such a way that the general himself, with several light-armed legions, would lead the front line. Behind these troops they placed the baggage of the whole army. Then the legions which had been most recently enrolled closed the whole column. The cavalry also were sent out in all directions to scout the ground; and centurions were sent ahead to choose a place suitable for a camp. A place was considered suitable for a camp which could easily be defended and would be near water. For this reason the camp was often pitched on a hill steep on both sides but gently sloping in front; or a place surrounded by marshes or situated on the banks of a river was chosen.
After the army had reached the place, some of the soldiers remained under arms, others began to fortify the camp. For, so that the soldiers might be safer from the enemy and might not be caught off guard and unprepared, they fortified the camp with a wide ditch and a high rampart. In the camp there were four gates so that a sortie of the soldiers could be made in all directions. At the corners of the camp there were towers from which missiles were hurled against the enemy. In such a camp as we have described, Publius was received by Caesar.
