Latin AS-Level Practice Passages 7 The Siege of Casilinum

06-27

來自專欄 Carpe Diem

【題解】

公元前216年，羅馬打下了其共和史上最慘烈的一場敗仗，近五萬士兵在漢尼拔手下戰死沙場，這場經典的會戰使「坎尼」在西方軍事史上成為了完勝的代名詞。今天的故事就發生在這場經典戰役之後不久。值此共和國危機存亡之秋，Marcus Junius Pera被任命為獨裁官（dictator），格拉古（Sempronius Gracchus）任騎士長官（magister equitum）。當時他們和迦太基軍隊隔著Vulturnus河對峙在Casilinum城附近（見下圖）。漢尼拔試圖通過圍困來迫使Casilinum居民投降，前來解救的羅馬軍隊則不敢貿然前行，獨裁官Pera受命趕回羅馬，留下格拉古一人看守軍營。格拉古謹遵獨裁官命令，不輕易與漢尼拔開戰——然而就在雙方相持不下的時候，城中的居民正在為饑饉所威脅，連日的圍困使得他們幾乎彈盡糧絕，令格拉古感到十分為難。最後他終於想到了一個主意，能在不正面交戰的情況下來解救城內的居民……

值得一提的是，共和國史上叫做Sempronius Gracchus的名人至少有五位，本文的格拉古是其中之一。此外，他的父親，也就是格拉古家族任執政官的第一人，也叫做Tib.Semp.Gracchus，任公元前238年執政官；本文的格拉古在第二次布匿戰爭中臨危受命，公元前215和213年任執政官；他的一個同名兒子在公元前203年任祭司；另外，本文中的格拉古之兄P.Semp.Gracchus 也有一個兒子叫Tib.Semp.Gracchus, 亦即歷史上著名的大格拉古（Gracchus Major），他與大西庇阿之女Cornelia Africana結合誕下二子，即大名鼎鼎的格拉古兄弟；其中大兒子也同樣叫做Tib.Semp.Gracchus。在此略作說明，以免不慎混淆。

【練習】

Carthaginienses Hannibale duce oppidum Casilinum obsidebant. cives ad tantam cibi inopiam iam adducti erant ut quidam de vita desperantes etiam a moenibus se praecipitaverint. quos ubi audivit tam atrocia pati, Gracchus (qui absente imperatore castris Romanis praefectus erat) vix ferre poterat. auxilium civibus ferre valde cupiebat; videbat tamen pugnandum esse ut frumentum in oppidum palam importaretur, neque spem esse frumenti clam importandi. itaque, quod pugnam conserere imperatoris iniussu non audebat, primo nihil fecit; tandem consilium cepit. frumento ex agris collecto multa dolia complevit. tum nuntium ad Casilini magistratus misit ut dolia flumine delata exciperent. proxima nocte, oculis omnium in flumen intentis, dolia in medio amne defluxerunt. idem postero die ac tertio factum est. nocte et mittebantur dolia et perveniebant; ita custodes hostium fallebant. deinde amnis ob imbres solito celerior dolia impulit ad ripam quam hostes custodiebant. itaque Hannibali nuntiatum est dolia inter arbores haerentia ibi conspecta esse. deinde acrius cautum est ne quid flumine missum ad oppidum adveniret.

Livy 23.19 (adapted)

【講解】

[1] Carthaginienses Hannibale duce oppidum Casilinum obsidebant.

The Carthaginians under Hannibal』s leadership were besieging the town of Casilinum.

主幹：Carthaginienses oppidum Casilinum obsidiebant. The Carthaginians was besieging the city of Casilinum. obsidiebant, 3rd.pl.imperf.act.ind. of [obsideo, ere, sedi, sessus, to besiege]. oppidum, acc.sing.n. of [oppidum, i, n. town]
Hannibale duce. abl. under Hannibals leadership.

[2] cives ad tantam cibi inopiam iam adducti erant ut quidam de vita desperantes etiam a moenibus se praecipitaverint.

The citizens had now been brought to such a great shortage of food that some of them, despairing of life, even threw themselves headlong from the city walls.

主幹：cives adducti erant ut se praecipitaverint. the citizens had been brought (to...), that they threw themselves. adducti, nom.pl.m.perf.pas.pple. of [adduco, ere, duxi, ductus, lead to], praecipitaverint, 3rd.pl.fut.perf.act.ind./ 3rd.pl.perf.act.subj. of [praecipito, are, to throw headlong]
ad tantam cibi inopiam. to such a great shortage of food. inopiam, acc.sing.f. of [inopia, ae, f. lack dearth], cibi, 修飾inopiam, gen.sing.m. of [cibus, i, m. food.] (lack) of food.
ut 句主語desperantes, nom.pl.m.pres.act.pple. of [despero, are, despair] the desperate people. de vita 補充despero，(despair) of life.
etiam. adv. even.
a moenibus. adv. from the city walls.

[3] quos ubi audivit tam atrocia pati, Gracchus (qui absente imperatore castris Romanis praefectus erat) vix ferre poterat.

When Gracchus (who had been put in charge of the Roman camp while the general was absent) heard that they were suffering so severely, he could hardly bear it.

主幹： ubi audivit, Gracchus vix ferre poterat. when he heard..., Gracchus could hardly bear it. ubi, adv. when. audivit, 3rd,sing.perf.act.ind. of [audio, ire, ivi, itus. listen, hear], poterat, 3rd,sing.imperf.act.ind. of [possum] + inf. ferre, pres.act.inf. of [fero, ferre, tuli, latus. to bear, bring.], vix. adv. hardly.
quos, pron.acc.pl.m. what. quos atrocia pati, 為audio內容，ACI結構. pati, pres.inf. of [patior, pati, passus sum. dep. to suffer], atrocia, acc.pl.n. of [atrox, ocis, fierce, savage]
qui absente imperatore castris Romanis praefectus erat. qui句關聯Gracchus，主語從句，praefectus, nom.sing.m.perf.pas.pple. of [praeficio, cere, feci, fectus, put in charge +acc./dat.] had been put into charge + castris Romanis. of the Roman camp. absente imperatore, 獨立奪格，imperatore, abl.sing.m. of [imperator, oris, m. general]. absente, abl.sing.m. of [absens, ntis, adj. absent.] with the general (being) absent.

[4] auxilium civibus ferre valde cupiebat; videbat tamen pugnandum esse ut frumentum in oppidum palam importaretur, neque spem esse frumenti clam importandi.

He very much wanted to bring help to the citizens; he saw however that fighting was necessary in order for grain to be brought into the city openly, nor was there any hope of bringing in grain secretly.

主幹：cupiebat; videbat pugnandum esse ut frumentum importaretur, neque spem esse. He wanted...; he saw that it should be fought so that grain would be brought, nor was there any hope of... cupiebat, 3rd,sing.imperf.act.ind. of [cupio, ere, cupivi, cupitus, to wish, long for], videbat, 3rd,sing.imperf.act.ind. of [video, ere, vidi, visus, to see], pugnandum esse. 為video內容ACI結構，pugnandum, acc.sing.n.fut.pas.pple. of [pugno, are, to fight], fut.pas.pple. + esse. it should be done... ut frumentum importaretur, 虛擬語氣表目的，3rd,sing.imperf.pas.subj. of [importo, are. to bring in], frumentum, nom.sing.n. of [frumentum, i, n. grain]. neque spem esse. 同為video的內容，(there) to be no hope.
auxilium civibus ferre. 為cupio內容，ACI結構，ACI主語省略se，指代主句主語He/Gracchus, ferre, pres.act.inf. of [fero, ferre, tuli, latus, to bring], auxilium, acc.sing.n. of [auxilium, ii, n. help] to bring help + civibus, to the citizens. valde, adv. greatly, intensely.
in oppidum palam. oppidum, acc.sing.n. of [oppidum, i, n. town], palam, adv. openly, publicly.
frumenti importandi, 修飾spem, (the hope) of bringing in grain. importandi, gen.sing.n.fut.pas.pple. of [importo, are, to bring in]. clam, adv. secretly.

[5] itaque, quod pugnam conserere imperatoris iniussu non audebat, primo nihil fecit; tandem consilium cepit.

And so, because he did not dare to engage in battle without the orders of the general, he at first did nothing; finally he came up with a plan.

主幹：conserere non audebat, nihil fecit; tandem consilium cepit. he did not dare to join, and did nothing; finally he had a plan. audebat, 3rd,sing.imperf.act.ind. of [audeo, ere, ausus sum. to dare, venture], conserere, pres.act.inf. of [consero, ere, servi, sertus, to connect, join, engage] + pugnam. the battle. fecit, 3rd,sing.perf.act.ind. of [facio, facere, feci, factus. to do.], consilium, acc.sing.n. of [consilium, ii, n. resolution, plan], cepit, 3rd,sing.perf.act.ind. of [capio, pere, cepi, captus. to take hold, seize].
itaque, adv. and so. primo, adv. firstly, tandem, adv. finally.
imperatoris iniussu, iniussu, adv. without the orders of + gen. imperatoris, gen.sing.m. of [imperator, oris, m. general]

[6] frumento ex agris collecto multa dolia complevit.

He filled many earthenware jars with grain collected from the fields.

主幹：frumento multa dolia complevit. 主語省略，complevit, 3rd,sing.perf.act.ind. of [compleo, ere, evi, etus. to fill up], 賓語multa dolia, acc.pl.n. of [dolium, ii, n. large enrthenware vessel], frumento, abl./dat. with grain.
ex agris collecto. 關聯frumento, collecto, abl.sing.n.perf.pas.pple. of [colligo, ere, collegi, collectus to collect]. ex agris, from the fields.

[7] tum nuntium ad Casilini magistratus misit ut dolia flumine delata exciperent.

Then he sent a message to the magistrates of Casilinum telling them to take out the jars carried down by the river.

主句：nuntium misit ut dolia exciperent. he sent a message, so that they would take out the jars. misit, 3rd,sing.perf.act.ind. of [mitto, ere, misi, missus. to send], ut 句虛擬語氣表目的，3rd,pl.imperf.act.subj. of [excipio, pere, cepi, ceptus. to take out]
tum, adv. then.
ad Casilini magistratus. to the magistrate of Casilinum.
flumine delata. 關聯dolia, delata, acc.pl.n.perf.pas.pple. of [defero, ferre, tuli, latus. to carry down], flumine, loc./abl. sing.n. of [flumen, minis, n. river]

[8] proxima nocte, oculis omnium in flumen intentis, dolia in medio amne defluxerunt.

The next night, with everyone』s eyes fixed on the river, the jars floated down in the middle of the river.

主幹：dolia deluxerunt. the jars floated down. deluxerunt. 3rd.pl.perf.act.ind. of [defluo, ere, xi, xus. to flow]
proxima nocte. adv. the next night.
oculis intentis. 獨立奪格, with the eyes fixed. intentis, abl.pl.m.perf.pas.pple. of [intendo, ere, di, ntus. to hold out], omnium修飾oculis, of everyone. in flumen補充intendo, on the river.
in medio amne. amne, dat./abl. of [amnis, is, m. river, stream], medio, abl.sing.m. of [medius, a, um. middle]

[9]idem postero die ac tertio factum est.

The same thing was done on the following day and on the third.

主幹：idem factum est. the same thing was done.
postero die ac tertio, adv. on the following and third day.

[10] nocte et mittebantur dolia et perveniebant; ita custodes hostium fallebant.

The jars were both sent and arrived by night; in this way they escaped the notice of the enemy guards.

主幹：mittebantur dolia et perveniebant; custodes fallebant. the jars were sent and arrived; they escaped the guards. mittebantur, 3rd,pl.imperf.pas.ind. of [mitto, ere, misi, missus. to send.], perveniebant, 3rd.pl.imperf.act.ind. of [pervenio, ire, veni, ventus, to reach, arrive], fallebant, 3rd.pl.imperf.act.ind. of [fallo, ere, fefelli, falsus. to deceive, fail], custodes, acc.pl.c. of [custos, odis, c. guard]
nocte, abl. at night.
hostium, gen.pl.c. of [hostis, is, c. enemy]

[11] deinde amnis ob imbres solito celerior dolia impulit ad ripam quam hostes custodiebant.

Then the river, faster than usual because of rain showers, drove the jars towards the bank which the enemy were guarding.

主句： amnis dolia impulit ad ripam. the river drove the jars towards the bank. amnis, nom.sing.m. of [amnis, is, m. river], impulit, 3rd.sing.perf.act.ind. of [impello, ere, puli, pulsus, to drive], ad ripam. to the bank.
deinde. adv. then.
ob imbries solito celerior. celerior關聯主語amnis, comp.nom.sing.c. of [celer, eris, quick, swift], 接solito, 奪格表比較對象，abl.sing.n. of [solitus, a, um. usual], ob imbres表原因，ob, prep.+acc. on account of, for the sake of. imbres, acc.pl.m. of [imber, imbris, m. rain, shower].
quam hostes custodiebant. 關聯ripam. custodiebant, 3rd.pl.imperf.act.ind. of [custodio, ire, ivi, itus. to guard].

[12] itaque Hannibali nuntiatum est dolia inter arbores haerentia ibi conspecta esse.

And so it was reported to Hannibal that jars had been seen there getting stuck among the trees.

主幹： Hannibali nuntiatum est. it was reported to Hannibal. nuntiatum, nom.sing.n.perf.pas.pple. of [nuntio, are, to announce, report] , 報告內容為ACI結構。
dolia conspecta esse. ACI為nuntio報告的內容，the jars had been seen.
inter arbores haerentia. 關聯dolia, haerentia, acc.pl.n.pres.act.pple. of [haereo, ere, haesi, haesus. to stick], inter arbores. among the trees.

[13] deinde acrius cautum est ne quid flumine missum ad oppidum adveniret.

Afterwards they were more keenly wary that nothing sent by river should reach the town.

主幹：cautum est ne... it was bewared lest... cautum, nom.sing.n.perf.pas.pple. of [caveo, ere, cavi, cautus, to beware. to avoid.] 後接虛擬語氣
deinde, adv. afterwards. acrius, comp.acc.sing.n. of [acer, acris, e. keen, sharp].
quid adveniret. 為警戒的內容，虛擬語氣. adveniret, 3rd,sing.imperf.act.subj. of [advenio, ire, veni, ventus. come to, arrive]
missum, 關聯quid, nom.sing.n.perf.pas.pple. of [mitto, ere, misi, missus. to send.], flumine, abl. by river. quid missum flumine. something sent by river.
ad oppidum. 補充adveniret. to the town.

【後記】

格拉古的計謀不幸被迦太基人發現之後，城內的供給來源被全部切斷，以至於饑荒程度不斷升級，人們開始啃皮革、老鼠和任何能抓到手的雜草，最後終於投降。根據記載，570人里有大半死於饑荒，剩下的則跟著他們的首領M.Anicius來到帕萊斯特里那，在那裡他們為Anicius樹立了一尊雕像，上面記錄了Casilinum圍城之戰的慘烈情景。而格拉古回羅馬復命，元老院和獨裁官對於他機智的表現給予了嘉獎，次年獲任執政官一職。

(圖片來源於網路：Flickr, Image from page 154 of "A brief history of the nations and of their progress in civilization" (1896))