De Bello Gallico 2.32

2.32.1Ad haec Caesar respondit: sē magis cōnsuētūdine suā quam meritō eōrum cīvitātem cōnservātūrum, sī prius quam mūrum ariēs attigisset sē dēdidissent;

To this Caesar replied that he would spare their state, more because of his own custom than because they deserved it, if they surrendered before the battering-ram touched the wall;

Note. prius quam … attigisset: 'before the ram touched (the wall)'. The battering-ram touching the wall was the traditional deadline for surrender.

2.32.2sed dēditiōnis nūllam esse condiciōnem nisi armīs trāditīs.

but there could be no terms of surrender unless they handed over their arms.

2.32.2Sē id quod in Nerviīs fēcisset factūrum fīnitimīsque imperātūrum nē quam dēditīciīs populī Rōmānī iniūriam īnferrent.

He would do what he had done in the case of the Nervii and order their neighbours not to do any wrong to people who had surrendered to the Roman people.

2.32.3Rē renūntiātā ad suōs illī sē quae imperārentur facere dīxērunt.

When this was reported to their people, they said they would do what they were ordered.

2.32.4Armōrum magnā multitūdine dē mūrō in fossam, quae erat ante oppidum, iactā, sīc ut prope summam mūrī aggerisque altitūdinem acervī armōrum adaequārent, et tamen circiter parte tertiā, ut posteā perspectum est, cēlātā atque in oppidō retentā, portīs patefactīs eō diē pāce sunt ūsī.

A great quantity of weapons was thrown from the wall into the ditch in front of the town, so that the heaps of arms almost reached the top of the wall and the ramp; and yet about a third had been hidden and kept in the town, as was later discovered; the gates were opened, and they enjoyed peace for that day.

Note. sīc ut … adaequārent: result clause, 'so that the heaps of arms almost equalled the height'. pāce sunt ūsī: 'they enjoyed peace'.