From: george knysh
Message: 60490
Date: 2008-09-29
--- On Mon, 9/29/08, tgpedersen <tgpedersen@...> wrote:
--- In cybalist@... s.com, george knysh <gknysh@...> wrote:
> [Cf. DBG 6.24: quae gens [Volcae] ad hoc tempus [years after the
> defeat of Ariovistus!] his sedibus sese continet [the most fertile >
areas of Germania north of the Hercynian forest] summamque habet
> iustitiae et bellicae laudis opinionem. Nunc quod in eadem inopia, >
egestate, patientia qua Germani permanent, eodem victu et cultu
> corporis utuntur.]
And it continues
http://www.romanson line.com/ Src_Frame. asp?DocID= Dbg_Bk06_ 24&Lat=L
[Gallis autem provinciarum propinquitas et transmarinarum rerum
notitia multa ad copiam atque usus largitur, paulatim adsuefacti
superari multisque victi proeliis ne se quidem ipsi cum illis virtute
comparant. ]
The whole passage is translated there:
'Which nation to this time retains its position in those settlements,
and has a very high character for justice and military merit; now also
they continue in the same scarcity, indigence, hardihood, as the
Germans, and use the same food and dress; but their proximity to the
Province and knowledge of commodities from countries beyond the sea
supplies to the Gauls many things tending to luxury as well as
civilization. Accustomed by degrees to be overmatched and worsted in
many engagements, they do not even compare themselves to the Germans
in prowess.'
There is a contrast here: the Volcan nation is said to 'retain its
position' but 'now' they 'continue in the same scarcity, indigence,
hardihood, as the Germans' (there is no 'also' in the Latin text). The
'sese continet' must be "remains" or "holds out", their claim to those
areas having become purely formal after the Germani have harassed them
out of them (cf the purely nominal claim many European nations have to
areas formerly theirs but now outside their effective control). Also,
the two last paragraphs are one in the Latin text: *because* they have
access to overseas luxury products they are now being beaten by the
Germani.
****GK: Caesar is contrasting the Gauls in Germania (the Volcae) ["which nation to this time retains its position in those settlements,
and has a very high character for justice and military merit; now also
they continue in the same scarcity, indigence, hardihood, as the
Germans, and use the same food and dress"] to the Gauls in Gaul, and with respect to the latter says that "their proximity to the
Province and knowledge of commodities from countries beyond the sea
supplies to the Gauls many things tending to luxury as well as
civilization. Accustomed by degrees to be overmatched and worsted in
many engagements, they do not even compare themselves to the Germans
in prowess." ****