XXVIII.
At (at: at marks a change of subject, but here also denotes contrast between the disarray among the Romans and Civilis’ rising fortunes.) Civilem immensis auctibus universa Germania extollebat, societate nobilissimis obsidum firmata. (societate nobilissimis obsidum fermata: ‘the alliance being sealed by the noblest of hostages’) ille, ut cuique proximum, vastari Vbios Trevirosque, et aliam manum Mosam amnem transire iubet, (ut cuique proximum, vastari Vbios Trevirosque … iubet: proximum is used as a neuter noun in the sense of ‘immediate vicinity’ (cf. proxima Bedriacensi viae, Book 3, 27); lit. ‘Civilis directed that the Ubii and the Treveri be laid waste, according to the proximity [of the Ubii and Treveri] to each [of the neighboring German tribes]’. The Ubii were near Cologne, the Treveri, a people of Gallia Belgica, were south of the Ubii between the Ardennes and the Moselle, chiefly around modern Trier or Treves. ) ut Menapios et Morinos (Menapios et Morinos: both Belgian tribes, the Menapii lived btween the Meuse and the Scheldt, the Morini southwest of the Menapii, on the coast near the Channel.) et extrema Galliarum quateret. actae utrobique praedae, (actae [sunt] utrobique praedae: ‘plunder was taken in both places’.) infestius in Vbiis, quod gens Germanicae originis eiurata patria (eiurata patria: abl. abs. ‘their motherland having been forsworn’.) [Romanorum nomen] ([Romanorum nomen]: possibly, as noted by some commentators, not part of the original text, but just a gloss of a reader or copyist on ‘Agrippinenses’. ) Agrippinenses vocarentur. (quod … Agrippinenses vocarentur: vocarentur is reflexive: ‘because they called themselves ‘Agrippinenses’; subjunctive after quod is used whenever the reason given is not the writer’s. Colonia Agrippinensis, modern Cologne or Koln, was named after Agrippina, who was born there; she was the daughter of Germanicus, the sister of Caligula, the wife of Claudius, and the mother of Nero. The Ubii, who in Caesar’s time lived east of the Rhine, but were invited by the Romans in 39 B.C. to settle on the west bank in the territory around Cologne, took the name Agrippinenses from the colony.) caesae cohortes eorum (eorum: i.e. of the Ubii) in vico Marcoduro (in vico Marcoduro: modern Durren, west of Cologne) incuriosius agentes, (incuriosius agentes: ‘operating rather incautiously’) quia procul ripa aberant. nec quievere Vbii quo minus praedas e Germania peterent, (nec quievere Vbii quo minus praedas e Germania peterent: ‘the Ubii did not refrain from (lit. ‘did not take a rest from’) seeking plunder from Germany’. quo minus –lit. ‘for that reason the less’—introduces a purpose clause after verbs of hindering, preventing, refraining.) primo impune, dein circumventi sunt, per omne id bellum meliore usi fide quam fortuna. (meliore usi fide quam fortuna: ‘they conducted themselves with more commendable loyalty than good fortune’.) contusis Vbiis gravior et successu rerum ferocior Civilis obsidium legionum urgebat, intentis custodiis ne quis occultus nuntius venientis auxilii penetraret. (intentis custodiis ne …penetraret: abl abs. with dependent negative purpose clause: ‘the watch being strict to prevent infiltration by …’) machinas molemque operum Batavis delegat: (delegat: historical present; another example is the use of iubet hereafter in the chapter and above.) Transrhenanos proelium poscentis ad scindendum vallum ire detrusosque redintegrare certamen iubet, (detrusosque redintegrare certamen iubet: ‘he ordered the beaten off forces to renew the attack’.) superante multitudine et facili damno. (superante multitudine et facili damno: abl. abs. of causal sense: ‘their superiority in numbers being overwhelming and losses tolerable’)