De Bello Gallico 1.15

1.15.1Posterō diē castra ex eō locō movent.

The next day they move camp from that place.

1.15.1Idem facit Caesar equitātumque omnem, ad numerum quattuor mīlium, quem ex omnī prōvinciā et Haeduīs atque eōrum sociīs coāctum habēbat, praemittit, quī videant quās in partēs hostēs iter faciant.

Caesar does the same, and sends ahead all his cavalry, about four thousand strong, which he had raised from the whole Province, the Haedui and their allies, to see in which direction the enemy were marching.

1.15.1Quī cupidius novissimum agmen īnsecūtī aliēnō locō cum equitātū Helvētiōrum proelium committunt;

Pursuing the rear of the column too eagerly, they engage the Helvetian cavalry on unfavourable ground,

1.15.1et paucī dē nostrīs cadunt.

and a few of our men fall.

Note. dē nostrīs: 'of our men'. Caesar often calls his own troops nostrī.

1.15.2Quō proeliō sublātī Helvētiī, quod quīngentīs equitibus tantam multitūdinem equitum prōpulerant, audācius subsistere nōn numquam et novissimō agmine proeliō nostrōs lacessere coepērunt.

Elated by this battle, because with five hundred horsemen they had driven off so large a body of cavalry, the Helvetii began now and then to make a bolder stand and to provoke our men to battle from their rearguard.

1.15.2Caesar suōs ā proeliō continēbat, ac satis habēbat in praesentiā hostem rapīnīs, pābulātiōnibus populātiōnibusque prohibēre.

Caesar kept his men from fighting and was content for the moment to keep the enemy from plundering, foraging and laying waste.

Note. satis habēbat: 'he thought it enough'.

1.15.3Ita diēs circiter XV iter fēcērunt utī inter novissimum hostium agmen et nostrum prīmum nōn amplius quīnīs aut sēnīs mīlibus passuum interesset.

In this way they marched for about fifteen days, so that there were no more than five or six miles between the enemy's rear and our vanguard.

Note. nōn amplius quīnīs aut sēnīs mīlibus passuum: 'not more than five or six miles'.