12. Helvetii Counter-moves, 15. Caesar Gets Legions 12\. Gegenzüge der Helvetier, 15. Caesar bekommt Legionen 12\. Counter-moves of the Helvetii, 15. Caesar Gets Legions 12. Contraataques de los helvecios, 15. César obtiene legiones

[12] 1 Flumen est Arar, quod per fines Haeduorum et Sequanorum in Rhodanum influit, incredibili lenitate, ita ut oculis in utram partem fluat iudicari non possit. [12] 1 is a river, which limits the Aedui and Sequani into the Rhone with such incredible slowness, that the eye can not determine which direction it flows.

Id Helvetii ratibus ac lintribus iunctis transibant. This the Helvetii were crossing by rafts and boats joined together. 2 Ubi per exploratores Caesar certior factus est tres iam partes copiarum Helvetios id flumen traduxisse, quartam vero partem citra flumen Ararim reliquam esse, de tertia vigilia cum legionibus tribus e castris profectus ad eam partem pervenit quae nondum flumen transierat. 2 Where spies, Caesar, being apprized of this by means of the Helvetii had already conveyed three parts of their forces across that river, but that the fourth part of this side of the river Saône, he left, and came up to the camp with three legions during the third watch of the division of the enemy which have not yet crossed the river. 3 Eos impeditos et inopinantes adgressus magnam partem eorum concidit; reliqui sese fugae mandarunt atque in proximas silvas abdiderunt. A great part of them encumbered with baggage, and not expecting and attack the 3 of them fell; the rest betook themselves to flight, and concealed themselves in the nearest woods. 4 Is pagus appellabatur Tigurinus; nam omnis civitas Helvetia in quattuor pagos divisa est. 4 village is called the Tigurine; for the whole Helvetian state is divided into four cantons. 5 Hic pagus unus, cum domo exisset, patrum nostrorum memoria L. Cassium consulem interfecerat et eius exercitum sub iugum miserat. 5 This single canton having left their country, the memory of our fathers, had slain Lucius Cassius, the consul, and had made his army pass under the yoke. 6 Ita sive casu sive consilio deorum immortalium quae pars civitatis Helvetiae insignem calamitatem populo Romano intulerat, ea princeps poenam persolvit. 6 Thus, whether by chance, or by the counsel of the immortal gods, that part of the Helvetian state which had brought a signal calamity upon the Roman people, was the first to pay the penalty. 7 Qua in re Caesar non solum publicas, sed etiam privatas iniurias ultus est, quod eius soceri L. Pisonis avum, L. Pisonem legatum, Tigurini eodem proelio quo Cassium interfecerant. 7 In this Caesar avenged not only the public but also his own personal wrongs, because his father-in-Lucius Piso, who had slain Lucius Piso the legate, the same battle as Cassius himself. [13] 1 Hoc proelio facto, reliquas copias Helvetiorum ut consequi posset, pontem in Arari faciendum curat atque ita exercitum traducit. [13] After this engagement, he takes care to form a bridge over the Saone, in order that he might obtain the rest of the forces of the Helvetii, that he might obtain the rest, and so leads over his army.

2 Helvetii repentino eius adventu commoti cum id quod ipsi diebus XX aegerrime confecerant, ut flumen transirent, illum uno die fecisse intellegerent, legatos ad eum mittunt; cuius legationis Divico princeps fuit, qui bello Cassiano dux Helvetiorum fuerat. 2 The Helvetii, confused by his sudden arrival, when they found that the business of that which they themselves the days of the 20 with the greatest difficulty, as the crossing of the river, in one day, to have done, send embassadors to him, as embassadors; in which embassy was Divico was the chief, the war against Cassius, who had been commander of the Helvetii. 3 Is ita cum Caesare egit: si pacem populus Romanus cum Helvetiis faceret, in eam partem ituros atque ibi futuros Helvetios ubi eos Caesar constituisset atque esse voluisset; 4 sin bello persequi perseveraret, reminisceretur et veteris incommodi populi Romani et pristinae virtutis Helvetiorum. 3 He thus treats with Caesar: -that, if the Roman people would make peace with the Helvetii they would go to that part and there remain, where Caesar might appoint and desire them to be; 4 if the war should continue to remember the earlier disaster Roman people and the power of Switzerland. Quod improviso unum pagum adortus esset, cum ii qui flumen transissent suis auxilium ferre non possent, ne ob eam rem aut suae magnopere virtuti tribueret aut ipsos despiceret. He had attacked one canton by surprise, when those who had crossed the river could not bring assistance, to the virtue of that account to ascribe very much to his own, or despise them. Se ita a patribus maioribusque suis didicisse, ut magis virtute contenderent quam dolo aut insidiis niterentur. that he had learned so much from his fathers and ancestors, that they should contend rather with courage, than rely on treachery or ambuscades. 5 Quare ne committeret ut is locus ubi constitissent ex calamitate populi Romani et internecione exercitus nomen caperet aut memoriam proderet. 5 Why was not by the disaster of the Roman people, do not allow the place of their conference to derive renown or perpetuate remembrance, and resulted in the destruction of his army. [14] 1 His Caesar ita respondit: eo sibi minus dubitationis dari, quod eas res quas legati Helvetii commemorassent memoria teneret, atque eo gravius ferre quo minus merito populi Romani accidissent; 2 qui si alicuius iniuriae sibi conscius fuisset, non fuisse difficile cavere; sed eo deceptum, quod neque commissum a se intellegeret quare timeret neque sine causa timendum putaret. [14] 1 To these words Caesar thus replied: -that account he felt less hesitation, because he kept in remembrance those circumstances which the Helvetian embassadors had mentioned, and of the Roman people had happened to this case is greater the merit of having done any wrong; 2 for any offense that would not have been difficult to avoid; but he had been deceived, was not without reason that they should be afraid, nor did they think that they ought.

3 Quod si veteris contumeliae oblivisci vellet, num etiam recentium iniuriarum, quod eo invito iter per provinciam per vim temptassent, quod Haeduos, quod Ambarros, quod Allobrogas vexassent, memoriam deponere posse? 3 But if he were willing to forget their former outrage, could he also lay the past and are wrongs, in that they had against his will attempted a route through the Province by force, that the Aedui, the, the Ambarri, and the Allobroges, the memory to be able to put off? 4 Quod sua victoria tam insolenter gloriarentur quodque tam diu se impune iniurias tulisse admirarentur, eodem pertinere. 4 That they boasted so insolently of their victory, and that they were astonished that they had borne insults so long with impunity, pertains to the same. 5 Consuesse enim deos immortales, quo gravius homines ex commutatione rerum doleant, quos pro scelere eorum ulcisci velint, his secundiores interdum res et diuturniorem impunitatem concedere. For it is customary for the immortal gods, in order that men grieve more grievously at the exchange of things, whom they wish to avenge for their crime, to grant to the latter sometimes more favorable circumstances and more lasting impunity. 6 Cum ea ita sint, tamen, si obsides ab iis sibi dentur, uti ea quae polliceantur facturos intellegat, et si Haeduis de iniuriis quas ipsis sociisque eorum intulerint, item si Allobrogibus satisfaciant, sese cum iis pacem esse facturum. 6 Since these things are so, however, if hostages should be given to him by them, so that he may understand that they will do those things which they promise to do; 7 Divico respondit: ita Helvetios a maioribus suis institutos esse uti obsides accipere, non dare, consuerint; eius rei populum Romanum esse testem. 7 He replied to Divico: that the Helvetii, who had been trained by their ancestors, had been accustomed to accept, not to give hostages, as hostages; that the Roman people were a witness to this event. Hoc responso dato discessit. Having given this reply, he departed. [15] 1 Postero die castra ex eo loco movent. [15] The next day they move their camp from that place.

Idem facit Caesar equitatumque omnem, ad numerum quattuor milium, quem ex omni provincia et Haeduis atque eorum sociis coactum habebat, praemittit, qui videant quas in partes hostes iter faciant. Caesar does the same, and sends forward all his cavalry, to the number of four thousand, which he had drawn together from all parts of the province, from both the Aedui and their allies, to see what parts the enemy are making their march. Qui cupidius novissimum agmen insecuti alieno loco cum equitatu Helvetiorum proelium committunt; et pauci de nostris cadunt. These, having too eagerly pursued the rear of the enemy, engage in battle with the cavalry of the Helvetii in a strange place; and a few of our men fall. 2 Quo proelio sublati Helvetii, quod quingentis equitibus tantam multitudinem equitum propulerant, audacius subsistere non numquam et novissimo agmine proelio nostros lacessere coeperunt. 2 The Helvetii, being taken away by this battle, because they had repelled so great a multitude of horse with five hundred horse, did not never stop at a more daring pace, and began to attack our men in the rear, in a skirmish. Caesar suos a proelio continebat, ac satis habebat in praesentia hostem rapinis, pabulationibus populationibusque prohibere. Caesar restrained his men from battle, and had sufficient for the present to prevent the enemy from rapine, forage, and depredation. 3 Ita dies circiter XV iter fecerunt uti inter novissimum hostium agmen et nostrum primum non amplius quinis aut senis milibus passuum interesset. 3 They marched for about fifteen days in this manner, that there was not more than five or six miles between the rear of the enemy and our van. [16] 1 Interim cotidie Caesar Haeduos frumentum, quod essent publice polliciti, flagitare. 1 In the mean time Caesar daily demanded the Aedui for the corn, which they had promised in public.

2 Nam propter frigora [quod Gallia sub septentrionibus, ut ante dictum est, posita est,] non modo frumenta in agris matura non erant, sed ne pabuli quidem satis magna copia suppetebat; 3 eo autem frumento quod flumine Arari navibus subvexerat propterea uti minus poterat quod iter ab Arari Helvetii averterant, a quibus discedere nolebat. 2 For, on account of the coldness (which Gaul, as has been said before, situated in the north), not only was the corn in the fields not ripe, but there was not even a sufficiently large quantity of fodder; 3 but because of the corn which he had conveyed in ships to the river Saone, he could use less because the Helvetii had diverted their march from the Saone, from whom he was unwilling to depart. 4 Diem ex die ducere Haedui: conferri, comportari, adesse dicere. 4 The Aedui continued from day to day, saying that they were being brought together, and that they were at hand. 5 Ubi se diutius duci intellexit et diem instare quo die frumentum militibus metiri oporteret, convocatis eorum principibus, quorum magnam copiam in castris habebat, in his Diviciaco et Lisco, qui summo magistratui praeerat, quem vergobretum appellant Haedui, qui creatur annuus et vitae necisque in suos habet potestatem, graviter eos accusat, 6 quod, cum neque emi neque ex agris sumi possit, tam necessario tempore, tam propinquis hostibus ab iis non sublevetur, praesertim cum magna ex parte eorum precibus adductus bellum susceperit[; multo etiam gravius quod sit destitutus queritur]. 5 When he perceived that he was being led a considerable time, and that the day was fast approaching, on which day he ought to measure corn to the soldiers, he called together their chief men, of whom he had a great abundance in the camp; among them Divitiacus and Liscus, who was the chief magistrate, whom the Aedui call Vergobretum, who is elected annually, both of life and death. he has authority over his own people, he accuses them severely; much more grievously does he complain that he is destitute.