5.34

5.32

But the enemies, after they had become aware of their departure from the nocturnal noise and wakefulness, with ambushes having been placed in two parts in the woods in a fit and hidden place about two miles away they awaited the arrival of the Romans, and when the larger part of the army had sent itself into a great valley, suddenly they presented themselves from each of two parts of that valley and they began to harass the last men [i.e., the men in the rear] and to prevent the first from ascending and to engage in battle in a place most unfavorable for our men.

5.33

Then finally Titurius, who had foreseen foresaw nothing before[hand], [began to] shake with fear and to ran about and to station the cohorts. [He did] these very things nevertheless cowardly/fearly and as if all things seemed to fail him; [that] which was accustomed to happen very often to those who are compelled to take advice in the very business. But Cotta, since he had thought that these things were able to happen in the journey and because he had not been the adviser to this cause of setting out, he failed in no affair for the purpose of the common security and he surpassed his duties both of general in calling and encouraging the soldiers and of a soldier in battle. Since they were less easily able to perform everything through themselves, and to foresee/provide what was to be done in each place because of the length of the army line, they ordered to announce that they should leave the baggage and settle into a circle.

Which/this plan, although in such a disaster must not be condemned, nevertheless turned out inconveniently: for [this plan] both diminished the hope of our soldiers and made the enemy more eager for fighting, because it seemed that this was not done without the highest fear and desperation. Besides that happened, which was necessary to happen, that the soldiers commonly were departing from the standards, what each [man] was holding most dear he was hastening to seek and to grab from the baggage, [and] everything was filled with clamor and weeping.

5.30

This discussion having been considered into either region/side, when it was being resisted fiercely by Cotta and the first ranks, “Prevail/Win,” Sabinus said, “if you wish thus,” and this with a rather clear voice, so that a great part of the soldiers might hear “nor am I someone,” he says, “**who from among you is very seriously terrified by the danger of death: these (soldiers) will understand/know; if something more serious will have occured, they will demand an account from you, [these men] who, if it might be allowed through you, having been joined together on the day after tomorrow with the next winter camps, would endure the common fortune of war with the rest, [and] not cast out and removed far from the test, would perish either by the sword or by hunger”

** relative clause of characteristic

5.31

There is a rising up from the meeting/council; they grab each and beg, that they not bring the situation into the highest danger by their disagreement or stubbornness: that the matter was easy, whether they remain or they proceed, if only they all notice and approve the same thing; on the other hand they saw no safety in dissension/disagreement. The matter is prolonged by discussion to midnight.

Finally Cotta, upset, gives hands (surrenders); the opinion of Sabinus remains. It is announced that they will go at dawn. The remaining part of the night is spent watching [i.e., without sleep], since each soldier examined his things, what he might be able to carry with himself, [and] what of the equipment of the winter quarters he might be forced to leave behind.

All things are devised, why they would stay without danger and [by what means] the danger is increased by the weakness of the soldiers and by [their] watching [i.e., sleeplessness]. They set out at dawn from the camp in such a way as to whom it had been persuaded not by the enemy but by advice given by the very friendly man Ambiorix, in a very long column and with very great baggage.

Against these things, Titurius [Sabinus] was exclaiming that they would act too late, after larger bands of the enemies had gathered with the Germans having been added or after something of a disaster had been sustained in the nearest winter camps; that the opportunity of deliberating/consulting was short; that Caesar was thought to have set out to Italy; neither would the Carnutes have adapted the plan of the killing Tasgetius nor, if that man [Caesar] had been present, would the Eburones be approaching the camps of our men with so great a disdain of us.

[He/Sabinus was exclaiming] that he did not regard the enemy but the affair as the advisor/authority: [namely] that the Rhine [River] was close; that the death of Ariovistus and our previous victories were for [the purpose of] great grief for the Germans; that Gaul burned, with so many insults received, having been reduced under the power of the Roman people,[and] with the previous glory of a military matter destroyed.

Lastly, [he was exclaiming] who would convince him by this, without certain proof that Ambiorix had proceeded to a plan of such a sort? [He was shouting] That his own opinion was safe in either side; if there were nothing harder, [then] they would arrive with no danger to the nearby legion; if all Gaul would agree/conspire with the Germans, [then] safety depends on speed alone.

[He shouted] what result does the proposal of Cotta and of those who disagreed have? In which case, if not present danger, then certainly was not famine from a long seige to be feared?.

5.28

Arpineius and Junius, report to the legates (those things), which they have heard. Those men, disturbed by the sudden affair, although these things were said  by an enemy, nevertheless were reckoning that [these things were] not to be disregarded and were especially moved by this thing, because it was hardly to be believed that the undistinguished and weak state of the Eburones dared to make war with the Roman people of their own accord. Therefore they report the matter to the council and a great dispute arises between them.

Lucius Aurunculeius [Cotta] and several military tribunes and the centurions of the first rank were reckoning that nothing should be done rashly and [they should not depart] from the winter quarters without Caesar’s orders: they were explaining that even forces of the Germans as great as you wish might be sustained by fortified winter camps: the thing was for proof, because they had very bravely withstood the first attack of the enemy with many wounds furthermore having been inflicted: that (they) were not pressed by grain supply; that meanwhile help would assemble from both the nearest winter camp and from Caesar: finally what could be more inconstant or more shameful, than to adopt a plan on the authority of an enemy regarding the highest matters?

NOTA BENE: This long chapter in indirect speech is broken down into sense units to make things easier for students, and the indirect statements dependent on locūtus est are marked in small capitals.

DOWNLOAD the PDF: 5-27_sense_units

5.27

G. Arpineius, a Roman knight, an acquaintaince of Quintus Titurus, is sent to them for the sake of a conversing, and Quintus Iunius a certain man from Spain, who previously had already been accustomed to visit(ing) Ambiorix by the sending of Caesar; among them Ambiorisx spoke to this manner: that he confessed that he in return for Caesar’s favor toward him owed very much to him, because he had been freed from a tax by his {Caesar’s} works/efforts, which he {Ambiorix} had been accustomed to pay to Aduatuci, his own neighbors…

and because both his son and his brother’s son had been sent back by Caesar,  whom having been sent in the number of hostages the Aduatuci had held among them in slavery and chains; and not that, which he did concerning the attack of the camps, he had done either by decision or by his own consent, but by the compulsion of the state, and that his commands are of such a kind that the population did not have less authority over him than he himself over the population. For the state furthermore this was the cause of war, because he was not able to withstand the the sudden conspiracy of the Gauls.

[Ambiorix said that] he can prove this easily from his own humility/lowness, because he is not so inexperienced in affairs that {would} believe that the Roman people can be conquered by his own forces; but that [this] was the common plan of Gaul: this day was established for {the purpose of} attacking all the winter camps of Caesar, so that not any legion may be able to come for the aid of another legion; that the Gauls could not easily deny the Gauls, especially when a plan appeared to have been started/formed regarding/for recovering common freedom.

Since now he had apologized to these [men] for loyalty, [he/Ambiorix, said] that now he has a consideration of duty for the favors of Caesar: that he advises [and] beseeches Titurius for [his] hospitality to consider his own and the soldiers’ safety. [He also said] that a great assembled force of Germans had crossed the Rhine River, that this [band] would be present within two days.

[He also said] that the plan was of themselves [i.e., it was up to the Romans], whether they wish (before the neighboring [peoples] realize that the soldiers had been led down from the winter camps) to lead [them] either to Cicero or to Labienus, one of which was nearly 50 miles away, the other was slightly farther away from them. That this he promised and by confirming with oath that he would give [them] a safe passage through [their] borders.

When he [Ambiorix] does this, he was both considering his own state, because it would be relieved from the winter camps and he was making a requital to Caesar for his favors. Ambiorix departed with this speech having been delivered.

5.26

in about 15 days, in which (days) it was come into winter quarters, the beginning of a tumultuous insurrection/uprising and revolt/desertion has begun by Ambiorix and Catuvulcus; who, although they had met with Sabinus and Cotta near the territory of their kingdom and had collected grain into the winter quarters, having been influenced by the messages of the Indutiomarus the Treveran, they stirred up their people and suddenly with the wood gatherers having been attacked they came to the camp with a great gang to attack.

Since our men had seized arms quickly and had ascended the entrenchments and after the Spanish calvary had been sent out from one side/part, [our men] had been greater in the battle of cavalry, the enemy with the matter given up drew back their men from the siege. Then they shouted according to their custom, so that the some of our men would go forward to the conference: [they shouted] that they had [things] that they wished to say about the general matter, by means of which matters they hoped the conflicts could be lessened.