De Bello Gallico 1.6

1.6.1Erant omnīnō itinera duo, quibus itineribus domō exīre possent: ūnum per Sēquanōs, angustum et difficile, inter montem Iūram et flūmen Rhodanum, vix quā singulī carrī dūcerentur, mōns autem altissimus impendēbat, ut facile perpaucī prohibēre possent;

There were only two routes by which they could leave home: one through the land of the Sequani, narrow and difficult, between the Jura range and the river Rhône, where wagons could barely be drawn in single file; a very high mountain overhung it, so that a very few men could easily block it;

Note. itinera duo, quibus itineribus: Caesar repeats the noun inside the relative clause for clarity. vix quā singulī carrī dūcerentur: 'where wagons could hardly be drawn one at a time'.

1.6.2alterum per prōvinciam nostram, multō facilius atque expedītius, proptereā quod inter fīnēs Helvētiōrum et Allobrogum, quī nūper pācātī erant, Rhodanus fluit isque nōn nūllīs locīs vadō trānsitur.

the other through our Province, much easier and less obstructed, because the Rhône flows between the territory of the Helvetii and that of the Allobroges, who had recently been subdued, and it can be forded in several places.

1.6.3Extrēmum oppidum Allobrogum est proximumque Helvētiōrum fīnibus Genava.

The farthest town of the Allobroges, and the nearest to the territory of the Helvetii, is Geneva.

1.6.3Ex eō oppidō pōns ad Helvētiōs pertinet.

From that town a bridge reaches across to the Helvetii.

1.6.3Allobrogibus sēsē vel persuāsūrōs, quod nōndum bonō animō in populum Rōmānum vidērentur, exīstimābant vel vī coāctūrōs ut per suōs fīnēs eōs īre paterentur.

They thought that they would either persuade the Allobroges, since these did not yet seem well disposed toward the Roman people, or force them to let them pass through their territory.

Note. sēsē … persuāsūrōs … vel vī coāctūrōs: future infinitives in indirect statement after exīstimābant (esse is left out).

1.6.3Omnibus rēbus ad profectiōnem comparātīs diem dīcunt, quā diē ad rīpam Rhodanī omnēs conveniant.

When everything was ready for departure, they name a day on which all are to assemble at the bank of the Rhône.

1.6.3is diēs erat a. d. V. Kal. Apr. L. Pīsōne, A. Gabīniō cōnsulibus.

That day was 28 March, in the consulship of Lucius Piso and Aulus Gabinius.

Note. a. d. V. Kal. Apr. stands for ante diem quintum Kalendas Apriles, 'the fifth day before the Kalends of April', counting both days: 28 March.