De Bello Gallico 1.13

1.13.1Hōc proeliō factō, reliquās cōpiās Helvētiōrum ut cōnsequī posset, pontem in Ararī faciendum cūrat atque ita exercitum trādūcit.

After this battle, in order to pursue the rest of the Helvetian forces, he has a bridge built over the Arar and so takes his army across.

1.13.2Helvētiī repentīnō eius adventū commōtī cum id quod ipsī diēbus XX aegerrimē cōnfēcerant, ut flūmen trānsīrent, illum ūnō diē fēcisse intellegerent, lēgātōs ad eum mittunt;

The Helvetii, alarmed by his sudden arrival, since they saw that he had done in one day what they themselves had barely managed in twenty, namely crossing the river, send envoys to him;

Note. id quod ipsī … cōnfēcerant, ut flūmen trānsīrent: the ut clause explains id, 'what they had done, namely crossing the river'. illum ūnō diē fēcisse: indirect statement after intellegerent.

1.13.2cuius lēgātiōnis Divicō prīnceps fuit, quī bellō Cassiānō dux Helvētiōrum fuerat.

the leader of the embassy was Divico, who had commanded the Helvetii in the war against Cassius.

1.13.3Is ita cum Caesare ēgit: sī pācem populus Rōmānus cum Helvētiīs faceret, in eam partem itūrōs atque ibi futūrōs Helvētiōs ubi eōs Caesar cōnstituisset atque esse voluisset;

He spoke to Caesar as follows: if the Roman people made peace with the Helvetii, the Helvetii would go to whatever region Caesar decided and wished, and stay there;

Note. From here to the end of chapter 14 the speeches are in indirect speech: Caesar reports them with infinitives and subjunctives instead of quoting them.

1.13.4sīn bellō persequī persevērāret, reminīscerētur et veteris incommodī populī Rōmānī et prīstinae virtūtis Helvētiōrum.

but if he persisted in pursuing them with war, he should remember both the earlier defeat of the Roman people and the old courage of the Helvetii.

Note. reminīscerētur: a command in indirect speech, 'he should remember'. reminīscor takes the genitive.

1.13.4Quod imprōvīsō ūnum pāgum adortus esset, cum iī quī flūmen trānsīssent suīs auxilium ferre nōn possent, nē ob eam rem aut suae magnopere virtūtī tribueret aut ipsōs dēspiceret.

As for his having attacked one canton by surprise, when those who had crossed the river could not bring help to their own people, he should not for that reason think too highly of his own courage or look down on them.

1.13.4Sē ita ā patribus maiōribusque suīs didicisse, ut magis virtūte contenderent quam dolō aut īnsidiīs nīterentur.

They had learned from their fathers and ancestors to fight with courage rather than rely on trickery or ambushes.

1.13.5Quārē nē committeret ut is locus ubi cōnstitissent ex calamitāte populī Rōmānī et interneciōne exercitūs nōmen caperet aut memoriam prōderet.

So he should not let the place where they stood take its name, or hand down its memory, from a disaster of the Roman people and the destruction of an army.