De Bello Gallico 4.16

4.16.1Germānicō bellō cōnfectō multīs dē causīs Caesar statuit sibi Rhēnum esse trānseundum;

When the German war was finished, Caesar decided for many reasons that he must cross the Rhine;

4.16.1quārum illa fuit iūstissima quod, cum vidēret Germānōs tam facile impellī ut in Galliam venīrent, suīs quoque rēbus eōs timēre voluit, cum intellegerent et posse et audēre populī Rōmānī exercitum Rhēnum trānsīre.

the most just of these was that, since he saw the Germans so easily induced to come into Gaul, he wanted them to fear for their own possessions too, when they understood that an army of the Roman people both could and dared to cross the Rhine.

Note. suīs quoque rēbus … timēre: 'to be afraid for their own possessions too'. cum intellegerent: 'when they understood'.

4.16.2Accessit etiam quod illa pars equitātūs Usipetum et Tencterōrum, quam suprā commemorāvī praedandī frūmentandīque causā Mosam trānsīsse neque proeliō interfuisse, post fugam suōrum sē trāns Rhēnum in fīnēs Sugambrōrum recēperat sēque cum hīs coniūnxerat.

There was also the fact that the part of the cavalry of the Usipetes and Tencteri which, as I mentioned above, had crossed the Meuse to plunder and get grain and had not taken part in the battle, had withdrawn after the flight of their people across the Rhine into the territory of the Sugambri and had joined forces with them.

4.16.3Ad quōs cum Caesar nūntiōs mīsisset, quī postulārent eōs quī sibi Galliae bellum intulissent sibi dēderent, respondērunt: populī Rōmānī imperium Rhēnum fīnīre;

When Caesar sent messengers to them to demand that they hand over to him those who had made war on him and on Gaul, they replied: the Rhine was the limit of the power of the Roman people;

4.16.4sī sē invītō Germānōs in Galliam trānsīre nōn aequum exīstimāret, cūr suī quicquam esse imperiī aut potestātis trāns Rhēnum postulāret?

if he thought it unfair for the Germans to cross into Gaul against his will, why did he claim that anything across the Rhine was under his rule or power?

Note. sē invītō: ablative absolute, 'against his will'. suī quicquam esse imperiī: 'that anything was under his rule', partitive genitives with quicquam.

4.16.5Ubiī autem, quī ūnī ex Trānsrhēnānīs ad Caesarem lēgātōs mīserant, amīcitiam fēcerant, obsidēs dederant, magnopere ōrābant ut sibi auxilium ferret, quod graviter ab Suēbīs premerentur;

The Ubii, however, who alone of the peoples across the Rhine had sent envoys to Caesar, made friendship and given hostages, begged him earnestly to bring them help, because they were hard pressed by the Suebi;

4.16.6vel, sī id facere occupātiōnibus reī pūblicae prohibērētur, exercitum modo Rhēnum trānsportāret: id sibi ad auxilium spemque reliquī temporis satis futūrum.

or, if he was prevented from doing this by the business of the state, at least to bring his army across the Rhine: that would be enough for help for the present and hope for the future.

4.16.7Tantum esse nōmen atque opīniōnem eius exercitūs Ariovistō pulsō et hōc novissimō proeliō factō etiam ad ultimās Germānōrum nātiōnēs, utī opīniōne et amīcitiā populī Rōmānī tūtī esse possint.

So great, they said, was the name and reputation of his army, after the defeat of Ariovistus and this latest battle, even among the most distant German nations, that they could be safe through the reputation and friendship of the Roman people.

Note. Ariovistō pulsō: ablative absolute, recalling the defeat of Ariovistus in Book 1. opīniōne et amīcitiā: 'by the reputation of (and friendship with) the Roman people'.

4.16.8Nāvium magnam cōpiam ad trānsportandum exercitum pollicēbantur.

They promised a great number of ships to carry the army across.