Translation and Errors in D'Ooge's Lesson LIX

[Propertius]

Exercises on pg. 145 & 146 in the workbook; answers on pg. 28 in the answer key. Point out any mistakes!

Gratias tibi ago.

337.I.

1. Caesar waged war in Gaul for seven years. 2. In the first year, he defeated the Helvetii, and in the same year many tribes of the Germans surrendered themselves to him. 3. For many years now the Germans had troubled the Gauls and the German leaders had often led their forces across the Rhine. 4. They weren’t coming one at a time, but many thousands of men were marching to Gaul. 5. For this reason, the leaders of Gaul called an assembly together and decided to send ambassadors to Caesar. 6. As soon as Caesar heard this rumor, he assembled his forces without delay. 7. At dawn, he bravely commenced battle with the Germans. 8. They fought violently for a whole day. 9. Caesar himself led the battle line on the right wing. 10. A large part of the German army died. 11. After the great slaughter, a few fled many (thousand(s) (of) paces) miles to the river.

II.
6. Duas horas Romani a barbaris premebantur. (I think the imperfect tense goes better here since it seems to be an ongoing circumstance in the past)

[bedwere]

337.I.

1. Caesar waged war in Gaul for seven years. 2. In the first year, he defeated the Helvetii, and in the same year many tribes of the Germans surrendered themselves to him. 3. For many years now the Germans had troubled the Gauls and the German leaders had often led their forces across the Rhine. 4. They were not coming one at a time, but many thousands of men were marching to Gaul. 5. For that reason, the leaders of Gaul called an assembly together and decided to send ambassadors to Caesar. 6. As soon as Caesar heard this rumor, he assembled his forces without delay. 7. At dawn, he bravely commenced battle with the Germans. 8. They fought violently for a whole day. 9. Caesar himself led the battle line on the right wing. 10. A large part of the German army fell. 11. After the great slaughter, a few fled many for miles to the river.

II. 1. Caesar ā flūmine mīlia passuum duo castra posuit. 2. Castra fossā quīndecim pedēs lātā et vāllō novem pedēs altō mūnīvit. 3. Hostium castra « magnō spatiō »*/ « magnum spatium »**/ longissimē aberant. 4. Postrīdiē decem mīlia passuum hōrīs tribus « īre contendit » (cucurrit). 5. Subitō hostēs omnibus cōpiīs (vīribus) in novissimum agmen impetum fēcērunt. 6. Hōrās duās Rōmānī ā barbarīs pressī sunt. 7. Hōrīs tribus post (Horā quārtā) barbarī fugiēbant. * Abl of measure of difference (as found in Cicero) ** Acc of extent (as found in Caesar)

Regarding II.6, you can see from the first part that the perfect is used for an action that is considered concluded even if took time to accomplish the result. Using the imperfect, indicates that the past action was still going on, which in English we would use the pluperfect for (at least sometimes).