de bello gallico, 4.35 and 4.36, sentence 1

Caesar, although he was seeing that the same would be which had happened in previous days, that, if the enemies had been repelled, they would flee danger with speed, nevertheless having obtained around thirty horsemen, whom Commius Atrebas, about whom it was spoken before, had transported with him, he set his legions in battle line in front of the camp. With the battle having been joined, the enemy was not able to bear for a longer time the attack of our soldiers and turned their backs. Which, having followed in such a space as they were able to accomplish by the course and by their strength, they killed very many of them, then with all the buildings having been burned far and wide, they took themselves back into camp.

The same day envoys, having been sent by the enemy, came to Caesar about peace.

de bello gallico, 4.34

With our men having been upset by which things because of the newness of the battle at the most opportune moment Caesar brought help: and indeed at his arrival the enemy stopped, our men recover themselves from fear. With which thing having happened, having thought that the time was unfavorable for provoking and joining battle, he kept himself in his own location and, with a brief time having elapsed, he lead his legions back into camp. While these things were being done, with all our men having been occupied, the rest who were in the fields left. For several continuous days storms followed which both kept our men in camp and kept the enemy from the fight. Meanwhile the barbarians sent out messengers in all directions and they boasted the paucity of our soldiers to their own men and they showed how much of making booty and the means of their liberation into perpetuity would be given if they had expelled the Romans from there camp. By these things quickly, with a great multitude of infantry and of cavalry having been gathered, they came to camp.

de bello gallico, 4.33

This is the kind of fight from war chariots. First through all parts they ride around and throw darts and by the terror itself of the horses and the noise of the wheels they disturb the lines for the most part and, when they have insinuated themselves among the troups of cavalry, they jump down from their chariots and fight on foot. The drivers, meanwhile, little by little leave from battle and thus gather the chariots so that if those men are pressed by a multitude of the enemy they have an easy retreat to their men. They thus demonstrate the mobility of their cavalry and the stability of their foot soldiers in battle, and by daily use and exercise they bring about so greatly that they have become accustomed to hold the spurred-on horses in a sloping and headlong place and quickly rein in and turn and run quickly along the pole of the chariot and stop on the yoke and thence take themselves back most quickly into their chariots.

de bello gallico, 4.32

While these things were being done, with one legion which was called the seventh out of custom having been sent to get grain, and not with any suspicion of war having been admitted at this time, when part of the men remained in the fields, part also were coming back and forth into camp, these men who were in post in front of the gates of the camp announced to Caesar that greater dust than custom bore was seen in this part into which part the legion had made a journey. Caesar, having suspected this which was, something of a new plan was begun by the barbarians, ordered the cohorts which were in posts to set out with him into this direction, from those left two cohorts to follow into post, the rest to be armed and immediately follow close after him. When he had proceeded farther by a little, he noticed that his men were attacked by the enemy and were scarcely holding up and, with the legion having been tightly packed, weapons were being thrown from all sides. For because, with all the grain having been harvested from the rest of the regions, one part was remaining, the enemy, having suspected that to this place our men would come, hid in the woods at night; then, having suddenly attacked our dispersed men, with weapons having been put aside occupied in harvesting, with a few having been killed they had thrown the rest into confusion with uncertain lines, at the same time they had surrounded with cavalry and war chariots.

de bello gallico, 4.31

But Caesar, although he had not yet learned of their plans, however, both from the fate of his ships and from this fact that they had ceased to give hostages, was suspecting this would be which happened. And so, he was gathering supplies for all emergencies. For both he was bringing together grain from the fields daily into camp and, which ships were most seriously damaged, of these he was using the materials and bronze for the fixing of the rest, and, what things were for use for these things, he ordered be carried from the continent. And so, because it was taken care of by the soldiers with the greatest zeal, with twelve ships having been lost, he made it so that with the rest it could be sailed fairly well.

de bello gallico, 4.30

With these things having been known, the chiefs of Britain, who after the battle had convened to Caesar, having spoken amongst themselves, because they understood that cavalry and ships and grain were lacking for the Romans and they learned the paucity of the soldiers from the smallness of the camp, which were more narrow by this (fact) that Caesar had transported his legions without baggage, they concluded it was the best thing to do, with the rebellion having been made, to prohibit our men from grain and provision and stretch the affair into winter, because, with these men having been conquered or kept from return, they were believing that no one would cross over into Britain afterward for the sake of waging war. And so, with a conspiracy again having been made, they began little by little to depart from camp and led their own men secretly from the fields.

de bello gallico, 4.29

In the same night it happened that the moon was clear, which day accustomed to make the greatest maritime tides in the ocean, and this was unknown to us. Thus at one time both had the tide had filled the war ships by which Caesar had taken care that his army must be transported, and which he had lead up on dry land, and a storm was afflicting the transport ships, which were bound to anchors, and there was not any means given to us either of managing or of aiding (the ships). With very many ships having been broken, and because the rest were unusable for sailing—the ropes, anchors, and remaining equipment having been lost—this which was necessary to happen, a great uproar of the whole army occurred. For neither were there other ships by which they could be carried back and all things were lacking which was for use for repairing ships and, because it was evident to everyone that they ought to winter in Gaul, grain had not been provided for in these locations for the winter.

de bello gallico, 4.28

With peace having been affirmed by these things, after the fourth day which it was come into Britain eighteen ships, about which it was mentioned above, which had carried the cavalry, from a higher port were released by a gentle wind. Which when they approached Britain and were seen from the camps, such a storm suddenly arose that none of them were able to hold their course, but some were carried back to the same place whence they had set out, others were thrown to a lower part of the island, which is nearer to the setting of the sun, with great danger to them; which nevertheless with the anchors having been thrown, when they were filling with waves, by necessity, in the face of the night having been born into the deep, sought the continent.

de bello gallico, 4.27

The enemy having been conquered in battle, as soon as they recovered themselves from flight, immediately sent envoys about peace to Caesar; they promised that they would give hostages and they would do whatever Caesar had ordered. Together with these envoys, came Commius Atrebas, whom I had mentioned above, having been sent ahead into Britain by Caesar. This man, having gotten off the ship, when in the manner of an ambassador carried to them the orders of Caesar, those men had seized and thrown into chains: then they sent (him) back, with the battle having been finished. In seeking peace they threw the blame of this affair onto the multitude, and they asked that it be pardoned on account of ignorance. Caesar, having been asked, because they had waged war without cause, although on their own accord, with legates having been sent to the continent, they had sought peace from him, said he would forgive their ignorance and demanded hostages. Of which those men they gave part immediately, and part, summoned from more remote places, they said they would give in a few days. Meanwhile they ordered their men to move back into the fields and their chiefs began to come together from everywhere and entrust themselves and their states to Caesar.

de bello gallico, 4.26

It was fought by each fiercely. Our men, however, because they were able neither to preserve their ranks, nor to stand firmly, nor follow the standards, and someone from another ship was adding himself with which standards he had run up to, were greatly disturbed; the enemy indeed, with all the fords well-known, when from the shore they had caught sight of some individuals coming out from their ship, with the horses having been spurred on were attacking the impeded men, many were surrounding few, others were hurling weapons from the open side into the mass of men. Which when Caesar had learned (it), he ordered the skiffs of the war ships and likewise the scouting ships to be filled with soldiers, and whom he had seen laboring, to these he was sending aid. Our men, as soon as they stood on the dry land, with all of their own men having caught up, made an attack on the enemy and gave them into flight; and they were not able to follow farther because the cavalry was not able to hold course and to take the island. This one thing was lacking for Caesar to his previous good fortune.

de bello gallico, 4.25

Which, when Caesar learned (it), he ordered the war ships, of which both the type was more unusual to the barbarians and their motion was more fit for the use, to be moved back a little from the transport ships and to be propelled by oars and to be anchored at the open side of the enemy and thence the enemy be driven off and moved back with darts, arrows, artillery; which circumstance was (for) a great use for us. For the barbarians, terrified both by the shape of the ships and by the motion of the oars and by the unaccustomed kind of weaponry, stopped and retreated just a little (lit. drew back foot). And, with our soldiers clumping together, mostly because of the depth of the sea, (this one) who was carrying the eagle of the tenth legion, having beseeched the gods that this matter turn out happily for the legion, said “Jump out soldiers, unless you want to betray the eagle to our enemy: I certainly will have done my duty for the republic and my general.” When he had said this, with great voice he threw himself from the ship and began to carry the eagle among the enemy. Then our companies all together jumped from the ship among themselves lest such a disgrace be admitted. When they had seen these men from the nearby ships likewise having followed they approach the enemy.

de bello gallico, 4.24

But the barbarians, with the plan of the Romans having been found out, with their cavalry and chariots having been sent ahead, the kind which they were frequently accustomed to use in battles, having followed with their remaining troops, prohibited our men from disembarking from the ships. There was a very great difficulty because of these reasons: because the ships on account of their size could not be anchored except in deep (water), moreover by the soldiers, with the places unknown, with their hands burdened, oppressed by their great and heavy burden of armor, at the same time both it had to be jumped from the ships and position had to be gained in the waves and it had to be fought with the enemy, when those either from dry (land) or having progressed a little into the water, with all their limbs unencumbered, with the places very well-known, threw projectiles boldly and spurred on well-trained horses. Our men, terrified by which things and altogether inexperienced in this type of battle, were not using the same quickness and zeal which they had been accustomed to use in infantry battles.

de bello gallico, 1.7

When it had been announced to Caesar that they were trying to make a journey through our province, he hurried to set out from the city and strove in the longest forced marches possible to farther Gaul, and he arrived at Genava. He levies the whole province as great a number of soldiers as possible (there was altogether one legion in farther Gaul), he ordered the bridge which was at Genava to be cut down. When the Helvetii were made aware (lit. more certain) about his arrival they sent ambassadors to him, the most noble of the state, of which legation Nammeius and Verucloetius were occupying the principal spot, who said that they had in mind to make a journey through the province without any misdeed, on account of the fact that they had no other route; they asked that it be allowed for them to do this by/with his willingness. Caesar, because he was holding in memory that Lucius Cassius the Consul had been killed and that his army had been beaten by the Helvetii and had been sent under the yoke, was not thinking that it should be yielded; and he was not thinking that the men of (lit. in) a hostile mind, with the means/opportunity of making a journey through the province having been given, would refrain from injury and misdeed. Nevertheless, that a space could intervene while soldiers gathered whom he had levied, he responded to the ambassadors that he would take a day for deliberating: if they wished anything they should return (let them return) on the Ides of April.

de bello gallico, 1.6

There were in all two journeys, by which routes they were able to leave their home. One (was) through the Sequani, narrow and difficult, between Mt. Iura and the river Rhodanus, by which scarcely a single line of wagons might be led; moreover, the tallest mountain was hanging over, so that very easily could few prevent (many): the other journey (was) through our province, easier by much and less encumbered, on account of the fact that the Rhodanus river flows between the territories of the Helvetii and the Allobrogi, who recently had been pacified, and this is crossed in not no places by a ford. Genava is last town of the Allobrogi and is closest to the border of the Helvetii. From this town a bridge reaches to the Helvetii. They were thinking that they themselves would persuade the Allobrogi, because they seemed not yet in good spirit towards the Roman populace, or they would compel them by force to allow them to go through their territory. With all these things having been prepared for departure they announced the date they would all convene, five days before the Kalends of April, in the consulship of Lucius Piso and Aullus Gabinus.

de bello gallico, 1.5

After his death, the less by none, the Helvetii tried to do this which they had decided, to leave from their territory. When now they thought that were prepared for this thing, they burned all their cities, numbering to twelve, their villages, numbering to four hundred, and the remaining private buildings; they torch all the grain, except that which they would carry with them, so that, with the hope of returning home having been removed, they were more prepared for every danger about to be undertaken; they order each one to carry from home ground grain for three months. They persuaded the Raurici and the Tulingi and the Latovici, their neighbors, having used the same plan, their cities and their villages having been burned, to set out together with them, and they took the Boii (who had lived across the Rhenus and had gone across into the Noric territory and had attacked the Noreia) to themselves, having been received to themselves as allies.

de bello gallico, 1.4

This affair was announced to the Helvetii through informers. According to their customs, they compelled Orgetorix to plead his case in chains. It was necessary for the punishment to follow the condemned that they be burned by fire. On the appointed day of the pleading of his case, Orgetorix gathered to the court all of his family from all sides, up to ten thousand (of) men, and he brought all of his clients and debtors, of which he had a great number, together to this spot: through these he snatched himself away lest he plead his case. When the state, stirred up on account of this matter, tried to follow its right by arms, and when the magistrates gathered a multitude of men from the fields, Orgetorix died; and suspicion was not absent, as the Helvetians thought, but that he himself had decreed death for himself.

de bello gallico, 1.3

Influenced by these things and very moved by the authority of Orgetorix, they decided to prepare those things which related to departure, to buy as great a number as possible of mules and cart, to sow as much seed as possible to provide a supply of grain on the journey, to confirm peace and friendship with the neighboring states. For the accomplishment of these things they considered two years enough for themselves: they set by law their departure in the third year. Orgetorix was chosen for the accomplishment of these things. This man took up for himself the legation to the states. In this journey he persuaded the Sequanus Casticus, son of Catamantaloedis, whose father had held kingship among the Sequani for many years and had been called a friend by the senate of the people of Rome, to take the kingship in his state which his father had held before; and likewise he persuaded the Aeduus Dumnorix, brother of Diviciacus, who at this time was holding the principate in his state and was most well-liked by the plebs, to try (to do) the same, and he gave him his daughter in marriage. He showed them that it was a very easy thing to do to accomplish these attempts, on account of the fact that he himself would obtain the power of his own state; there was no doubt but that the Helvetii were the most powerful of all Gaul; he confirmed that he would buy for them (i.e. unite with them) their kingdoms with his troops and army. Influenced by this speech, they gave faith among themselves and sworn oaths, and, with power having been gained, they hoped that they would be able to gain possession of all Gaul through (these) three most powerful and strong peoples.

de bello gallico, 1.2

Among the Helvetii by far the most noble and rich was Orgetorix. This man, in the consulship of Marcus Messalla and Marcus Pupius Piso, influenced by a desire for kingship, made a conspiracy of the nobility and persuaded the state to leave from their borders with all their troops: it was very easy to gain possession of all Gaul when/because they excelled everyone in virtue. He persuaded them (of) this more easily by this, because the Helvetii everywhere are contained by the nature of the place: from one part by the Rhenus river, most wide and deep, which divides Helvetian territory from the Germans; from another part by Mt. Iura, most high, which is between the Sequani and the Helvetii; (from the) third (part) by lake Lemannus and the river Rhodanus, which divides our province from the Helvetii. By these things it was happening both that they wandered less widely and that they could make war on their neighbors less easily; from which part the men, desirous of war, were afflicted with great grief. Moreover, for the multitude of men and for the glory of war and of their bravery, they thought that they had petty (i.e. narrow, scanty) territory, which extend in longitude 240 miles, in latitude 180 miles.

de bello gallico, 1.1

All Gaul is divided into three parts, one of which the Belgians inhabit, another the Aquitani, the third (those inhabit) who in the language of themselves (are called) the Celts, in our (language) are called the Gauls. These all differ among themselves in language, institutions, laws. The Garumna river (separates) the Gauls from the Aquitani, the Matrona and Sequana divide (the Gauls) from the Belgians. Of all these the bravest are the Belgians, on account of the fact that they are farthest from the culture and humanity of our province, and least often do merchants go back and forth to them and import these things which pertain to the weakening of spirits, and they are nearest to the Germans, who live across the Rhenus, with whom they continually wage war. From which cause the Helvetii also surpass the remaining Gauls in virtue because they strive in nearly daily wars with the Germans, when either they keep them from their territory or they themselves wage war in their territory. One part of these, which it is said that the Gauls hold, takes its beginning from the river Rhodanus; it is contained by the river Garumna, by the Ocean, by the territory of the Belgians; it touches also the Rhenus river from the Sequani and Helvetii; it lies to the north. The Belgians arise from the last borders of Gaul; they look into the north and rising sun. Aquitania stretches from the Garumna river to the Pyrenese mountains and this part of the Ocean which is near Spain; it looks between the setting of the sun and the north.