De Bello Gallico 1.5

1.5.1Post eius mortem nihilō minus Helvētiī id quod cōnstituerant facere cōnantur, ut ē fīnibus suīs exeant.

After his death the Helvetii nonetheless try to do what they had decided, namely to leave their territory.

1.5.2Ubi iam sē ad eam rem parātōs esse arbitrātī sunt, oppida sua omnia, numerō ad duodecim, vīcōs ad quadringentōs, reliqua prīvāta aedificia incendunt;

When they thought they were at last ready for this, they set fire to all their towns, about twelve in number, about four hundred villages, and the remaining private buildings;

Note. Ubi, 'when', here takes the indicative. numerō ad duodecim: ad with a number means 'about'.

1.5.3frūmentum omne, praeter quod sēcum portātūrī erant, combūrunt, ut domum reditiōnis spē sublātā parātiōrēs ad omnia perīcula subeunda essent;

they burn all their grain except what they were going to carry with them, so that, with the hope of returning home taken away, they would be more ready to face every danger;

Note. domum reditiōnis spē sublātā is an ablative absolute: 'with the hope of returning home removed'. ad … perīcula subeunda: gerundive of purpose.

1.5.3trium mēnsum molita cibāria sibi quemque domō efferre iubent.

they order each man to bring from home three months' ground provisions for himself.

1.5.3Persuādent Rauracīs et Tulingīs et Latobrigīs fīnitimīs, utī eōdem ūsī cōnsiliō oppidīs suīs vīcīsque exūstīs ūnā cum iīs proficīscantur, Boiōsque, quī trāns Rhēnum incoluerant et in agrum Nōricum trānsierant Nōrēiamque oppugnābant, receptōs ad sē sociōs sibi adscīscunt.

They persuade the Rauraci, Tulingi and Latobrigi, their neighbours, to adopt the same plan, burn their towns and villages, and set out with them; and they take in the Boii, who had lived across the Rhine, had crossed into the land of Noricum and were attacking Noreia, and make them their allies.

Note. eōdem ūsī cōnsiliō: ūtor takes the ablative, 'using the same plan'. oppidīs … exustīs is an ablative absolute.