De Bello Gallico 1.27

1.27.1Helvētiī omnium rērum inopiā adductī lēgātōs dē dēditiōne ad eum mīsērunt.

The Helvetii, driven by lack of everything, sent envoys to him about surrender.

1.27.2Quī cum eum in itinere convēnissent sēque ad pedēs prōiēcissent suppliciterque locūtī flentēs pācem petīssent, atque eōs in eō locō quō tum essent suum adventum expectāre iussisset, pāruērunt.

When these had met him on the march, thrown themselves at his feet, spoken humbly and begged for peace in tears, and he had ordered them to wait for his arrival where they were then, they obeyed.

1.27.3Eō postquam Caesar pervēnit, obsidēs, arma, servōs quī ad eōs perfūgissent, poposcit.

When Caesar arrived there, he demanded hostages, weapons, and the slaves who had fled to them.

1.27.4Dum ea conquīruntur et cōnferuntur, nocte intermissā circiter hominum mīlia VI eius pāgī quī Verbigenus appellātur, sīve timōre perterritī, nē armīs trāditīs suppliciō adficerentur, sīve spē salūtis inductī, quod in tantā multitūdine dēditīciōrum suam fugam aut occultārī aut omnīnō ignōrārī posse exīstimārent, prīmā nocte ē castrīs Helvētiōrum ēgressī ad Rhēnum fīnēsque Germānōrum contendērunt.

While these were being searched out and collected, after nightfall about six thousand men of the canton called Verbigenus, either terrified that they would be put to death once their weapons were handed over, or led on by hope of escape, because they thought that among so great a number of people surrendering their flight could be hidden or go entirely unnoticed, left the camp of the Helvetii at the start of the night and hurried to the Rhine and the territory of the Germans.