• litteras Caesari remittit: He sends a letter to Caesar, describing his perilous situation. Communication is key! ✉️
• omnes...copias...consedisse: Labienus reports that the Treveri are encamped only three miles from his camp. They're close! 🏕️

Chapter 48: Caesar's Swift Action

⚡ Caesar's Strategy

• consilio eius probato: Caesar approves of Labienus' plan. He trusts his commanders. 👍
• unum...auxilium in celeritate ponebat: Caesar sees speed as the only way to ensure safety. Time is of the essence! ⏱️
• magnis itineribus in Nerviorum fines: Caesar makes long marches into the territory of the Nervii. He's covering ground quickly. 🚀
• ex captivis cognoscit: Caesar learns from prisoners about Cicero's situation. Intelligence is crucial! 🕵️

✉️ The Letter to Cicero

• cuidam ex equitibus Gallis persuadet: Caesar persuades a Gallic horseman to carry a letter to Cicero. A risky mission! ⚔️
• Graecis conscriptam litteris: The letter is written in Greek to keep its contents secret. Clever move! 💡
• tragulam cum epistola ad amentum deligata: The messenger is instructed to throw a spear with the letter attached. A creative delivery method! 🏹
• in litteris scribit: Caesar writes that he is coming quickly and urges Cicero to maintain his courage. Morale boost! 📣
• Haec casu ad turrim adhaesit: The spear sticks in a tower, and the letter is eventually found. A lucky break! 🍀
• perlectam in conventu militum recitat: Cicero reads the letter to his soldiers, which fills them with joy. Hope restored! 😄
• fumi incendiorum procul videbantur: The smoke of fires is seen in the distance, confirming the arrival of Caesar's legions. Reinforcements are here! 🔥

🧠 Memory Aids

🎯 Key Grammatical Points

• Ablative of Time: Hora circiter tertia (about the third hour).
• Indirect Statement: docet omnes...consedisse (He reports that all...had encamped).
• Purpose Clause: uti ad Ciceronem epistolam deferat (to convey a letter to Cicero).
• Fear Clause: veritus, si...fecisset, ut...posset (fearing that, if...he made, he would not be able).
• Result Clause: ne...cognoscantur (lest...they should be discovered).
• Gerund: tolerandae hiemis causa (for the sake of enduring the winter).

📝 Translation Tips

• Context is King: Always consider the surrounding sentences and the overall narrative.
• Literal vs. Interpretive: Aim for a balance. Literal translations are important, but sometimes a more interpretive approach is needed for clarity.
• Word Order: Latin word order is flexible; focus on the relationships between words.
• Tense and Mood: Pay close attention to verb tenses and moods to understand the nuances of the text.

🏆 Final Exam Focus

🎯 High-Priority Topics

• Indirect Statements & Purpose Clauses: These are frequent in Caesar and often tested.
• Ablative Absolute: Be able to identify and translate them accurately.
• Fear Clauses: Understand the subjunctive mood in these constructions.
• Military Vocabulary: Familiarize yourself with terms related to Roman warfare and logistics.

⏳ Time Management

• Skim First: Quickly read through the passage to get a sense of the overall context.
• Prioritize: Focus on the most important sections and questions first.
• Don't Get Bogged Down: If you're stuck on a particular word or phrase, move on and come back to it later.

⚠️ Common Pitfalls

• Misidentifying Clauses: Pay close attention to conjunctions and relative pronouns.
• Ignoring Context: Always consider the surrounding sentences and the overall narrative.
• Over-Literal Translation: Sometimes, a more interpretive approach is needed for clarity.

🧪 Practice Questions

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In the phrase "Hora circiter tertia," what grammatical case is tertia? (A) Nominative (B) Genitive (C) Dative (D) Ablative

2. Which of the following best describes the purpose of the letter written in Greek? (A) To confuse the Romans. (B) To ensure it was not intercepted. (C) To make it easier to read. (D) To prove Caesar's intelligence.

3. What is the tense and mood of posset in the phrase veritus, si...fecisset, ut...posset? (A) Present Indicative (B) Imperfect Subjunctive (C) Perfect Indicative (D) Pluperfect Subjunctive

Answers: 1. (D), 2. (B), 3. (B)

Free Response Question

Translate the following passage into English, paying close attention to the grammatical structures and context:

• Labienus interitu Sabini et caede cohortium cognita, cum omnes ad eum Treverorum copiae venissent, veritus, si ex hibernis fugae similem profectionem fecisset, ut hostium impetum sustinere posset, praesertim quos recenti victoria efferri sciret, litteras Caesari remittit.

Scoring Breakdown:

• Labienus interitu Sabini et caede cohortium cognita: (2 points) - Correctly identifying Labienus as the subject and translating the ablative absolute.
• cum omnes ad eum Treverorum copiae venissent: (2 points) - Correctly translating the cum clause with the pluperfect subjunctive.
• veritus, si ex hibernis fugae similem profectionem fecisset: (3 points) - Correctly identifying the fear clause and translating the conditional clause.
• ut hostium impetum sustinere posset: (2 points) - Correctly translating the result clause with the imperfect subjunctive.
• praesertim quos recenti victoria efferri sciret: (2 points) - Correctly translating the relative clause and the indirect statement.
• litteras Caesari remittit: (1 point) - Correctly translating the main verb and the dative case.

Sample Translation:

Labienus, having learned of the death of Sabinus and the slaughter of the cohorts, since all the forces of the Treveri had come against him, fearing that, if he made a departure from his winter quarters resembling a flight, he would not be able to sustain the attack of the enemy, especially since he knew that they were elated by their recent victory, sends a letter back to Caesar.

🎉 You've Got This!

You've now reviewed the key aspects of De Bello Gallico, Book 5, Chapters 47-48. You're well-equipped to tackle the AP Latin exam. Stay calm, trust your preparation, and remember: Fortuna audaces iuvat! (Fortune favors the bold!) Good luck! 🍀