Sexy Caesar and his troops face a crisis in the Battle of Sambre.  

[24] Eodem tempore equites nostri levisque armaturae pedites, qui cum eis una fuerant, quos primo hostium impetu pulsos dixeram, cum se in castra reciperent, adversis hostibus occurrebant ac rursus aliam in partem fugam petebant; et calones, qui ab decumana porta ac summo iugo collis nostros victores flumen transire conspexerant, praedandi causa egressi, cum respexissent et hostes in nostris castris versari vidissent, praecipites fugae sese mandabant. Simul eorum qui cum impedimentis veniebant clamor fremitusque oriebatur, aliique aliam in partem perterriti ferebantur. Quibus omnibus rebus permoti equites Treveri, quorum inter Gallos virtutis opinio est singularis, qui auxilii causa a civitate missi ad Caesarem venerant, cum multitudine hostium castra [nostra] compleri, legiones premi et paene circumventas teneri, calones, equites, funditores, Numidas diversos dissipatosque in omnes partes fugere vidissent, desperatis nostris rebus domum contenderunt: Romanos pulsos superatosque, castris impedimentisque eorum hostes potitos civitati renuntiaverunt.

 

eques, equitis (m) knights, horsemen, cavalry 

armatura, -ae (f) weaponry 

pedes, peditis (m) foot soldier, infantry 

impetus, -us (m) an attack 

pello, pellere, pepuli, pulsus- to strike, drive off

castra, -orum (pl. n.) camp 

occurro, -ere - to meet

rursus (adv.) again 

calo, calonis (m) attendent or servant of a soldier

iugum -i (n) ridge, crest 

collis, -is (m) hill 

praedor, paedari (1) to plunder, rob

versor, versari - to be engaged 

mando (1) commission, order, entrust 

impedimentum, -i (n) equipment, baggage; a hinderance

fremitus, us (m) noise, racked 

Treverus, a, um - of the Treveri

opinio, opinionis (f) reputation, repute 

multitudo, multitudinis (f) mass 

compleo complere - to fill 

circumvenio, -ire, veni, ventus - to surround 

funditor, funditoris (m) slingers 

Numidae, -arum (f) Numidians = Numidian auxiliary troops from Numidia in North Africa 

dissipo (1) to scatter 

potior, potiri, potitus sum + gen. or abl.  - to take possession of 

contendo, contendere, contendi, contentus - to strain, strive, hasten

 

fors, fortis (f) luck, chance

legio, legionis (f) legion 

adigo, adigere - to throw 

item (adv.) likewise 

exiguitas, exiguitatis (f) shortness; shortage

insigne, insignis (n) mark, badge, decoration 

dimico (1) flight

accomodo (1) to put on, attack 

galea, -ae (f) helmet 

tegimentum, -i (n) covering, wrapping 

desum, deesse, defui - to be lacking

consisto, consistere, constiti - to stop; to take up

 

Sexy Caesar and his troops face a crisis at the Battle of Sambre.  The Roman Camp is exposed to the enemy on both sides.  As Caesar arrives, he sees that the Nervii (the enemy), who are pressing his 12th and 7th legions on the right, are about to outflank the Romans and seize the camp.  Sexy Caesar....

 

[25] Caesar ab decimae legionis cohortatione ad dextrum cornu profectus, ubi suos urgeri signisque in unum locum conlatis duodecimae legionis confertos milites sibi ipsos ad pugnam esse impedimento vidit, quartae cohortis omnibus centurionibus occisis signiferoque interfecto, signo amisso, reliquarum cohortium omnibus fere centurionibus aut vulneratis aut occisis, in his primipilo P. Sextio Baculo, fortissimo viro, multis gravibusque vulneribus confecto, ut iam se sustinere non posset, reliquos esse tardiores et non nullos ab novissimis deserto loco proelio excedere ac tela vitare, hostes neque a fronte ex inferiore loco subeuntes intermittere et ab utroque latere instare et rem esse in angusto vidit, neque ullum esse subsidium quod submitti posset, scuto ab novissimis uni militi detracto, quod ipse eo sine scuto venerat, in primam aciem processit centurionibusque nominatim appellatis reliquos cohortatus milites signa inferre et manipulos laxare iussit, quo facilius gladiis uti possent. Cuius adventu spe inlata militibus ac redintegrato animo, cum pro se quisque in conspectu imperatoris etiam in extremis suis rebus operam navare cuperet, paulum hostium impetus tardatus est.

legio, legionis (f) legion (largest formation of Roman soldiers (3,600-6,000)

cohors, cohortis (f) chort 

apello (1) to call, name

conficio, conficere, confeci, confectus - to complete, finish off

laxo (1) to spread out, loosen 

insto, instare, institi - to press forward

intermitto, -ere, -misi, -missum - to cease, leave off

subeo, subire - to go up, approach

summitto, summittere - to send help

urgeo, urgere, ursi - to press hard

vito, vitare - to avoid 

acies, aciei (f) line of battle 

centurio, centurionis (m) centurion

cornu, us (n) horn; wing of an army

cohoratio, cohorationis (f) an exhortation, encouragement, haranguing 

impedimentum, -i (n) a hinderance; baggage, equipment

latus, lateris (n) side

legio, legionis (f) a legion (of soldiers) 3600-6000 men

manipulus, -i (m) rank, maniple (unit of 120 men)

primipilus, -i (m) first centurion 

signifer, signiferi (m) standard bearer

signum, -i (n) battle standard

angustum, -i (n) confined space; critical moment, crisis

confertus, a, um - closely packed, crowded

reliquus, a, um - the rest, the remaining 

nonnullus, a, um - some 

novissimus, a, um - newly recruited; those in the rear 

nominatim (adv.) by name 

in angusto = in crisis