VII.
Sed Caesar, dum adiguntur naves, (dum adiguntur naves: ‘while the ships assemble’; adiguntur is reflexive, ‘bring themselves together’.) Silium legatum cum expedita manu inruptionem in Chattos (in Chattos: for the Chatti see Book 1, ch. 55 and Germania, ch. 30-31. Subdued by Drusus, Germanicus’ father in 9 B.C., they had regained their freedom with Arminius’ victory over Varus.) facere iubet: ipse audito castellum Lupiae flumini adpositum (castellum Lupiae flumini adpositum: not the same as castellum Aliso below, but equally unidentifiable as to the exact position; the Lupia river is the Lippe, one of the affluents of the Rhine from the east, like the Emscher or the Ruhr.) obsideri, sex legiones eo duxit. neque Silio ob subitos imbris aliud actum quam ut modicam praedam et Arpi principis Chattorum coniagem filiamque raperet, (neque Silio … aliud actum quam ut … raperet: ‘nothing more was done through Silius than to carry off …’; the simple abl. Silio is not so much abl. of agent (always with a or ab if the agent is a person), but more of means or instrument, in place of per + acc. Cf. A.G. 405, b., Note 1. The ut clause is of result, i.e. consecutive.) neque Caesari copiam pugnae opsessores fecere, (neque Caesari copiam pugnae obsessores fecere: ‘neither did the besiegers offer Caesar the opportunity of a battle’; alicui alicuius copiam facere: idiom, ‘to offer someone the possibility of doing something’) ad famam adventus eius dilapsi: tumulum tamen nuper Varianis legionibus structum et veterem aram Druso sitam (tumulum … nuper Varianis legionibus structum et veterem aram Druso sitam: ‘… a burial mound erected only recently to Varus’ legions and the old altar built in Drusus’ honor’; nuper: only the year before, in 15 A.D.; see Book 1, ch. 62. Varianis legionibus and Druso are dative of interest.) disiecerant. restituit aram honorique patris princeps ipse cum legionibus decucurrit; (decucurrit: here decursio is a ceremonial march of the soldiers in full battle trim three times around the altar; a description of a decursio can be found in Virgil and, at greater length, in Statius, a poet of the Silver Age.) tumulum iterare haud visum. et cuncta inter castellum Alisonem ac Rhenum novis limitibus aggeribusque permunita. (cuncta inter castellum Alisonem ac Rhenum novis limitibus aggeribusque permunita: ‘the entire territory from the fort Aliso to the Rhine was made solidly secure with barriers and earthworks.’ Fort Aliso was probably also somewhere along the north side of the river Lippe. The fort was abandoned following Varus’ defeat, but was reactivated under Tiberius.)