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74.1. cum in Italiam proficisceretur Caesar: cf. this with the beginning of the second book, cum esset Caesar in, etc. There the verb is made emphatic because the place where he was has been already named, and his being absent is the most important idea. Here he is going to speak about a road to Italy across the Alps. Hence his destination becomes important and so takes the first place. If this were the first book, it would begin with Caesar, the principal personage in the narrative. If his going away were the main thing, it would begin with proficisceretur. But as it is, the route across, and so his destination, is here the main thing. Hence instantly the Latin order corresponds to the thought, and we have the form here presented. — proficisceretur: the familiar use of the subjv. with cum in descriptive clauses; cf. 11 7, 62 13. — Galbam: this officer was one of the assassins of Caesar, his oId general. The emperor Galba was his great-grandson.


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