de bello gallico, 5.39

And so with messengers immediately having been sent out to the Centrones, the Grudii, the Levaci, the Pleumoxii, and the Geidumni, who all are under their command, they gather as large bodies as they can, and dash unexpectedly to the winter-quarters of Cicero, the report of the death of Titurius not yet having been announced to him. It also occurred to him, which was necessary, that some (lit. not no) soldiers who had gone off into the woods for the sake of procuring timber and defensive material, were intercepted by the sudden arrival of the cavalry. With these having been surrounded by a great band, the Eburones, the Nervii, and the Aduatici and allies of all these and their dependents began to attack the legion. Our men quickly rally to arms; they mount the rampart. This day is scarcely endured, because the enemy placed all hope in speed, and, having gained this victory, they felt assured that they would be conquerors in perpetuity.

de bello gallico, 5.38

Elated by this victory, Ambiorix immediately advances with his cavalry among the Aduatuci, who were neighbors to his kingdom; he stops neither through the day nor through the night, and orders the infantry to follow him closely. With the matter having been explained and the Aduatuci roused, the next day he arrived among the Nervii and he urged that they not throw away the opportunity of liberating themselves in perpetuity and of punishing the Romans for those wrongs which they have received; he points out that two lieutenants have been killed and that a large part of the army has perished; it is nothing of a trouble that the legion which was wintering with Cicero, having been suddenly attacked, be destroyed; he declares that he is a supporter for this matter. He easily persuades the Nervii by this speech.

de bello gallico, 5.37

Sabinus orders which tribunes of the soldiers he had at hand around him and the centurions of the first ranks to follow him, and, when he had more closely approached Ambiorix, having been ordered to throw down his arms, he follows the order and commands his men to do the same. Meanwhile, while they work among themselves about the terms, and a longer debate is deliberately set up by Ambiorix, having been surrounded little by little, he is slain. Then indeed, by their custom, they shout out "Victory," and raise a howling and, an attack having been made on our men, break their ranks. There Lucius Cotta, fighting, is slain, together with the greatest part of the soldiers. The rest take themselves back into the camp from which they had marched forth. Of these, Lucius Petrosidius, the standard bearer, when he was overpowered by the great multitude of the enemy, threw the eagle within the entrenchments; he himself is slain while fighting most bravely before the camp. Those men scarcely sustain the attack until night: during the night, with safety having been given up as hopeless, they all to a man kill themselves. A few, having slipped from the battle, by uncertain routes through the woods make their way to Titus Labienus at his winter-quarters and make him more certain (=tell him) of these happenings.

de bello gallico, 5.36

Having been disturbed by these things, QuintusTiturius, when he had seen from a distance Ambiorix encouraging his own men, sent his interpreter Gnaeius Pompeius to him to ask that he spare him and his soldiers. That man having been called upon responded: if he should wish to speak with him, it would be permitted; he can hope to be granted by the multitude that which pertains to the safety of his soldiers; indeed nothing would be harmful for himself, and upon this matter Ambiorix pledges (lit. alleges) his faith. That man communicates with the wounded Cotta, if it should seem, that they should leave the fight and speak together with Ambiorix: he can hope to granted by him concerning his safety and that of his soldiers. Cotta said that he would not go to an armed enemy and in this he persevered.

de bello gallico, 5.35

With which command having been observed most diligently by them, when any cohort had left from the circle and had made an attack, the enemies were retreating most swiftly. Meanwhile it was necessary that this part be uncovered and javelins be received on their open side. When they began to return again into this spot whence they had left, they were being surrounded both by these men who had yielded and by these men who had stood nearby. If however they wanted to hold this spot, neither was a place left for virtue, nor were the packed men able to avoid weapons thrown by such a multitude. However, afflicted by so many setbacks, with many wounds having been received, they kept resisting and, with the greater part of the day having been consumed, when it was fought from first light until the eighth hour, they were committing nothing which was unworthy to themselves. Then, each femur of Titus Balventius, who in the year before had led the first maniple, a brave man of great authority, was pierced by a spear; Quintus Lucanius of the same order, fighting most bravely, while he was defending his surrounded son, was killed; Lucius Cotta the lieutenant, encouraging all the cohorts and orders, was wounded directly in the face by a slingshot.

de bello gallico, 5.34

But a plan was not lacking for the barbarians. For their leaders ordered (them) to announce in the whole battle line that noone was to leave from their position, theirs was the booty and for them was reserved whatever the Romans had left behind: so then they thought that everything was placed in victory. They were equal for the fighting both in virtue and in number even. Our men, although they were deserted by their leader and by fortune, nevertheless they placed all hope of safety in virtue, and as many times as each cohort charged, on that side a great number of the enemy died. With which matter having been noticed, Ambiorix ordered that it be announced that they should throw their weapons from afar and not approach more closely and yield in which part the Romans made an attack: by the lightness of their weapons and by daily training nothing could be harmful to them: they should again follow them retreating to the standards.

de bello gallico, 5.33

Then at last Titurius, who had seen to nothing before, was fearful and running back and forth and arranging his cohorts, yet these things themselves seemed (to be done) timidly and so that everything failed him; which very often was accustomed to happen to those who were forced to make a plan in distress itself. But Cotta, who had thought that these things could happen on the journey and on account of this reason, had not been a supporter of the journey, in no circumstance was he lacking for the common safety and in calling and urging his soldiers he was fulfilling the duties of a general and in battle (those) of a soldier. When on account of the length of the line they were less easily able to attend to everything through themselves and to see to what had to be done also on the spot, they ordered (them) to announce that they were to leave their baggage and gather in a circle. Which plan, although in a calamity of this sort is not to be chastised, nevertheless it turned out disastrously: for it both lessened hope for our soldiers and made the enemy more eager for battle, because it seemed that it had been done not without the greatest fear and desperation. Besides it happened, which was necessary to happen, that the soldiers universally left from their standards, which things each one of them held dearest he hastened to seek and snatch from the baggage train, all things were filled up with a shout and weeping.

de bello gallico, 5.32

But the enemy, after [postea quam = posteaquam by tmeses] they sensed from the nighttime commotion and wakefulness (lit. pl.) about their departure, with an ambush (pl. noun) set in two parts about two miles away in a suitable and hidden spot in the woods, were awaiting the advance of the Romans and, when the greater part of the line had lowered itself into a great valley, they showed themselves suddenly from each side of this valley and began to press the last men and to keep the first from ascending and to join battle with our men on a most disadvantageous spot.