# vōcibus sibi parcere



## William Stein

Salvete,
I'm working through the Gallic Wars with the help of the MacDevitt's translation, which is generally good but I have doubts about this sentence (De Bello Gallico, Lib. V, Chap. XL.):
Ipse Cicerō, cum tenuissimā valētūdine esset, nē nocturnum quidem sibi tempus ad quiētem relinquēbat, ut ūltrō mīlitum concursū āc vōcibus sibi parcere cōgerētur. 
Cicero himself, though he was in very weak health, did not leave himself the night-time for repose, ***so that he was forced to spare himself by the spontaneous movements and entreaties of the solidiers.***
I don't understand the end of the sentence. Couldn't it mean this:
Cicero himself, although in very ill-health, did not allow allow himself to rest even at night, as he might have been driven to do by sparing himself all the running around and shouting of the soliders on his own initiative"
In other words, even though he was sick and could have ordered the soldiers to shut up and stop running around so he could sleep, he didn't do it.
Could that be right? If not, what is it supposed to mean?

Does anybody understand what MacDevitt's translation is supposed to mean? Can anybody recommend a more reliable translation available online?


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## Cagey

I would take ut + the imperfect infinitive [cōgerētur] as a result clause, which apparently is how MacDevitt understands it. 

I have difficulty understanding how your interpretation would work.  If I translate "ut cōgerētur" as a potential subjunctive, as I believe you are suggesting, I get _"as he might have been compelled to spare himself the rush of the soldiers and the calls/shouts."_  However, I don't understand what would have compelled him.


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## William Stein

Cagey said:


> I would take ut + the imperfect infinitive [cōgerētur] as a result clause, which apparently is how MacDevitt understands it.
> 
> I have difficulty understanding how your interpretation would work.  If I translate "ut cōgerētur" as a potential subjunctive, as I believe you are suggesting, I get _"as he might have been compelled to spare himself the rush of the soldiers and the calls/shouts."_  However, I don't understand what would have compelled him.



His sickness would have compelled him to tell them to shut up so he could get some sleep.

It's true that MadDevitt's translation is a result clause but do you really understand this???:
 ***so that he was forced to spare himself by the spontaneous movements and entreaties of the solidiers.***

What is he talking about?


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## Cagey

I think Caesar is making it explicit that the soldiers acted on their own, and not under his (Caesar's) orders. 
They 'spontaneously' urged Cicero not to exert himself, though he would have done so even at risk of his health.


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## William Stein

Cagey said:


> I think Caesar is making it explicit that the soldiers acted on their own, and not under his (Caesar's) orders.
> They 'spontaneously' urged Cicero not to exert himself, though he would have done so even at risk of his health.



It's Cicero's camp but I see what you mean:  Cicero was prevailed upon to get some rest by the spontaneous entreaties of his soldiers.


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## William Stein

William Stein said:


> It's Cicero's camp but I see what you mean:  Cicero was prevailed upon to get some rest by the spontaneous entreaties of his soldiers.



Could anybody please recommend a reliable translation (in English/French/German/Spanish/Portuguese/Italian or Russian) of the Gallic Wars that's available online?


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## loco44

...so that the soldiers crowded around him and forced him, by dint of insisting, to take a little breath (rest, break).


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## William Stein

loco44 said:


> ...so that the soldiers crowded around him and forced him, by dint of insisting, to take a little breath (rest, break).



Hi, I still don't idea very convincing because
1) I can't imagine Roman soldiers crowding around their general and forcing him to do anything (at least not at this stage in Roman history). They were very strict disciplinarians, right? I don't suppose that a common soldier was even allowed to a speak to a general much less tell him how to do his job.
2) That interpretation ignores "ultro" = on this own initiative. 
I think this version is more likely, praising Cicero for being such a hard-ass stoic that he didn't make his soldiers quiet down so he could get some rest even when he was sick and tired:
Ipse Cicerō, cum tenuissimā valētūdine esset, nē nocturnum quidem sibi tempus ad quiētem relinquēbat, ut ūltrō mīlitum concursū āc vōcibus sibi parcere cōgerētur. 

Cicero, although he was in extremely poor health, did not allow himself a moment's rest even at night, as [his illness] might have compelled him to do by sparing himself all the shouting and running about of the soldiers [ultro = by giving orders to that effect].

The point being that instead of ordering his soldiers to be quiet so he get some rest, he stoically put up with it all so that the camp could be readied for battle.


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## wandle

The words _*ut ... militum concursu ac vocibus sibi parcere cogeretur*_  can only mean 'with the result that he was forced to spare himself by  the soldiers' running up to him and pleading with him'. That is what the  Latin says. In the face of that clear statement, we cannot argue that  the legionaries would not have dared to do it. Two facts are clear: (1)  that the whole force was in mortal danger (which is a great motivator)  and (2) that the men were expressing their great concern for their  commander and showing him how much they trusted him and depended on him.

The interesting word here is _*ultro*_. If we take it to mean 'of one's own accord' then we face a dilemma. 

On the one hand, if we try to take it with the verb _*cogeretur*_,  as the rules of syntax require, we have the statement that Cicero was  forced of his own accord to spare himself. This is both illogical and  contrary to the sense that he was forced by the soldier's entreaties.

On  the other hand, if we want it to mean that the soldiers were acting of  their own accord then we have to say that it is modifying the verbal  meaning of _*concursu*_. This is awkward and strained. If that were the  sense, we would have expected _*militum ultro concursu*_: and even that  expression would be more appropriate in the poetry of Virgil or the  silver Latin of Tacitus, rather than in the classical prose of Caesar.  Further, since _*ultro*_ is not bracketed by _*militum concursu*_, it should  apply equally to _*vocibus*_ and it is a greater strain again to make the  adverb apply to that simple noun.

The position of _*ultro*_ at the  beginning of the clause indicates both that it is strongly emphasised  and that it applies to the verb _*cogeretur*_ and thus to the whole sense of  the clause. The puzzle can be resolved once we realise that _*ultro*_ does  not have to mean 'of one's own accord'. It has another regular and more  basic meaning: 'beyond expectation'.

Thus we can render the  clause: 'with the quite unexpected result that he was forced to spare  himself by the soldiers' running up to him and pleading with him'. In  this case, _*ultro*_ is there precisely to say how far beyond normal military conduct the legionaries were prepared to go in their concern for their  commander.

It is as if Caesar were saying 'Of course, I would not normally expect such behaviour from Roman soldiers, but it shows the great danger the legion was in and the great devotion of the men to their commander'. 

The conclusion that this incident reflects the greatest credit upon both commander and men is not spelled out, but is strongly implied: and that is typical of Caesar.


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