3.8.1Huius est cīvitātis longē amplissima auctōritās omnis ōrae maritimae regiōnum eārum, quod et nāvēs habent Venetī plūrimās, quibus in Britanniam nāvigāre cōnsuērunt, et scientiā atque ūsū rērum nauticārum cēterōs antecēdunt et in magnō impetū maris atque apertō paucīs portibus interiectīs, quōs tenent ipsī, omnēs ferē quī eō marī utī cōnsuērunt habent vectīgālēs.This state has by far the greatest authority along the whole sea coast of those regions, because the Veneti have a great many ships, in which they regularly sail to Britain, and they surpass the others in knowledge and experience of seamanship; and since the sea is very violent and open, with only a few harbours here and there, which they hold themselves, they have almost all who regularly use that sea paying them tribute.Note. habent vectīgālēs: 'they hold as tributaries', vectīgālēs agreeing with omnēs. 3.8.2Ab hīs fit initium retinendī Sīliī atque Velāniī, quod per eōs suōs sē obsidēs, quōs Crassō dedissent, recuperātūrōs exīstimābant.They begin by detaining Silius and Velanius, because they thought that through them they would get back their own hostages whom they had given to Crassus. 3.8.3Hōrum auctōritāte fīnitimī adductī, ut sunt Gallōrum subita et repentīna cōnsilia, eādem dē causā Trebium Terrasidiumque retinent et celeriter missīs lēgātīs per suōs prīncipēs inter sē coniūrant nihil nisi commūnī cōnsiliō āctūrōs eundemque omnēs fortūnae exitum esse lātūrōs, reliquāsque cīvitātēs sollicitant, ut in eā lībertāte quam ā maiōribus accēperint permanēre quam Rōmānōrum servitūtem perferre mālint.Led on by their influence, the neighbouring peoples, as the plans of the Gauls are sudden and hasty, detain Trebius and Terrasidius for the same reason; they quickly send envoys and through their leaders swear to one another to do nothing except by common consent and to share the same fortune whatever happens; and they stir up the other states to choose to remain in the freedom they had received from their ancestors rather than endure slavery under the Romans.Note. ut sunt Gallōrum subita … cōnsilia: 'as the plans of the Gauls are sudden'; Caesar comments on the Gallic character.
3.8.5Omnī ōrā maritimā celeriter ad suam sententiam perductā commūnem lēgātiōnem ad P. Crassum mittunt, sī velit suōs recuperāre, obsidēs sibi remittat.When the whole sea coast had quickly been won over to their view, they send a joint embassy to Publius Crassus: if he wanted his men back, he should send back their hostages.Note. sī velit … remittat: indirect speech of the message, 'if he wants … let him send back'.