De Bello Gallico 2.19

2.19.1Caesar equitātū praemissō subsequēbātur omnibus cōpiīs;

Caesar sent the cavalry ahead and followed close behind with all his forces;

2.19.1sed ratiō ōrdōque agminis aliter sē habēbat ac Belgae ad Nerviōs dētulerant.

but the plan and order of the column was different from what the Belgae had reported to the Nervii.

Note. aliter … ac: 'otherwise than', 'differently from'. sē habēbat: 'was', literally 'held itself'.

2.19.2Nam quod hostibus adpropinquābat, cōnsuētūdine suā Caesar VI legiōnēs expedītās dūcēbat;

For since he was approaching the enemy, Caesar, as was his custom, was leading six legions ready for action;

Note. cōnsuētūdine suā: 'according to his custom', ablative of manner. expedītās: legions marching without heavy packs, ready to fight.

2.19.3post eās tōtīus exercitūs impedīmenta conlocārat;

behind them he had placed the baggage of the whole army;

2.19.3inde duae legiōnēs quae proximē cōnscrīptae erant tōtum agmen claudēbant praesidiōque impedīmentīs erant.

then the two legions that had most recently been enrolled closed the whole column and guarded the baggage.

Note. praesidiō impedīmentīs erant: a double dative, 'they served as a guard for the baggage'.

2.19.4Equitēs nostrī cum funditōribus sagittāriīsque flūmen trānsgressī cum hostium equitātū proelium commīsērunt.

Our cavalry with the slingers and archers crossed the river and engaged the enemy's cavalry.

2.19.5Cum sē illī identidem in silvīs ad suōs reciperent ac rūrsus ex silvā in nostrōs impetum facerent, neque nostrī longius quam quem ad fīnem porrēcta ac loca aperta pertinēbant cēdentēs īnsequī audērent, interim legiōnēs VI quae prīmae vēnerant, opere dīmēnsō, castra mūnīre coepērunt.

While the enemy again and again withdrew into the woods to their own people and charged out of the wood at our men again, and our men did not dare pursue them as they retreated beyond the point where the open, level ground stretched, meanwhile the six legions that had arrived first measured out the work and began to fortify the camp.

Note. quam quem ad fīnem: 'than up to the point to which'. cēdentēs: the retreating enemy, object of īnsequī.

2.19.6Ubi prīma impedīmenta nostrī exercitūs ab iīs quī in silvīs abditī latēbant vīsa sunt, quod tempus inter eōs committendī proeliī convēnerat, ut intrā silvās aciem ōrdinēsque cōnstituerant atque ipsī sēsē cōnfirmāverant, subitō omnibus cōpiīs prōvolāvērunt impetumque in nostrōs equitēs fēcērunt.

When the first of our army's baggage was seen by those who lay hidden in the woods, which was the moment agreed among them for joining battle, then, just as they had drawn up their line and ranks inside the woods and encouraged one another, they suddenly dashed out with all their forces and charged our cavalry.

Note. quod tempus … convēnerat: 'the moment which had been agreed'. The relative clause comes before the main verb prōvolāvērunt.

2.19.7Hīs facile pulsīs ac prōturbātīs, incrēdibilī celeritāte ad flūmen dēcucurrērunt, ut paene ūnō tempore et ad silvās et in flūmine et iam in manibus nostrīs hostēs vidērentur.

These were easily driven back and thrown into confusion, and the enemy ran down to the river with incredible speed, so that almost at the same moment they seemed to be at the woods, in the river, and already upon us.

2.19.8Eādem autem celeritāte adversō colle ad nostra castra atque eōs quī in opere occupātī erant contendērunt.

With the same speed they hurried up the hill opposite toward our camp and the men who were busy on the work.