de bello gallico, 5.27

Gaius Arpineius, a Roman knight, an intimate of Quintus Titurus, is sent to them for the sake of conversing, and Quintus Iunius, a certain man from Spain, who before now had been accustomed to come and go to Ambiorix, at Caesar’s dispatch; in the presence of whom Ambiorix spoke according to this way: he confessed that he owed very much to him on behalf of the benefits of Caesar towards himself, because by his agency he had been freed from a tribute which he had accustomed to pay to the Aduatuci, his neighbors, and because to him both his son and his brother’s son had been turned by Caesar, whom, sent in the number of hostages, the Aduactuci had held among them in servitude and chains; And he had not done this which he had done concerning the attack of the camp either by his own judgment or by his own will, but by the force of the state, and his rule was of this type that the multitude did not have less of a jurisdiction on him, than he himself had on the multitude. This then had been the cause of the war for the state, the fact that he was not able to resist the sudden conspiracy of the Gauls. He was able to prove this easily from his own humility, because he is not so ignorant of things that he is confidant that the Roman populous is able to be conquered by his troops. But it was the common plan of Gaul: that this day had been set for the attacking of all the winter camps of Caesar, lest any legion be able to come as an aid for another legion. Not easily can Gauls deny Gauls, especially when the plan seems begun concerning restoring common liberty. Because he had satisfied them (lit. whom) on behalf of piety, now he had the account of his duty on behalf of the kindnesses of Caesar: he warned, he begged Titurius on behalf of hospitality to make plans for his own safety and the safety of his soldiers. A great, assembled band of Germans had crossed the Rhine: this (band) would be present in two days. It is the plan of themselves, do they want before the neighbors sense it to lead the soldiers, having been led out from winter quarters, either to Cicero or to Labienus of whom one is about fifty miles away from them the other, a little farther. He promised that and confirmed by sworn oath, he would give a safe journey through his territory. Which when he does, and he himself both advises for his state, because it would be relieved from the winter quarters, and he would return thanks to Caesar for his services. With this speech having been made, Ambiorix left.