De Bello Gallico 4.19

4.19.1Caesar paucōs diēs in eōrum fīnibus morātus, omnibus vīcīs aedificiīsque incēnsīs frūmentīsque succīsīs, sē in fīnēs Ubiōrum recēpit atque hīs auxilium suum pollicitus, sī ā Suēbīs premerentur, haec ab iīs cognōvit: Suēbōs, posteā quam per explōrātōrēs pontem fierī comperissent, mōre suō conciliō habitō nūntiōs in omnēs partēs dīmīsisse, utī dē oppidīs dēmigrārent, līberōs, uxōrēs suaque omnia in silvīs dēpōnerent atque omnēs quī arma ferre possent ūnum in locum convenīrent.

Caesar stayed a few days in their territory, burned all the villages and buildings and cut down the grain, and withdrew into the territory of the Ubii; promising them his help if they were pressed by the Suebi, he learned this from them: the Suebi, after they had found out through scouts that a bridge was being built, had held a council in their usual way and sent messengers in every direction, telling the people to move out of their towns, to leave their children, wives and all their possessions in the forests, and that all who could bear arms should gather in one place.

Note. postea quam (= posteā quam): 'after'. The indirect statement Suēbōs … dīmīsisse depends on cognōvit; utī introduces their orders.

4.19.3Hunc esse dēlēctum medium ferē regiōnum eārum quās Suēbī obtinērent;

This place, they said, had been chosen roughly in the middle of the regions which the Suebi held;

4.19.3hīc Rōmānōrum adventum expectāre atque ibi dēcertāre cōnstituisse.

here they had decided to await the arrival of the Romans and fight it out there.

4.19.4Quod ubi Caesar comperit, omnibus iīs rēbus cōnfectīs, quārum rērum causā exercitum trādūcere cōnstituerat, ut Germānīs metum iniceret, ut Sugambrōs ulcīscerētur, ut Ubiōs obsidiōne līberāret, diēbus omnīnō XVIII trāns Rhēnum cōnsūmptīs, satis et ad laudem et ad ūtilitātem prōfectum arbitrātus sē in Galliam recēpit pontemque rescidit.

When Caesar learned this, having accomplished all the things for which he had decided to take the army across, to strike fear into the Germans, to punish the Sugambri, and to free the Ubii from oppression, and having spent eighteen days in all across the Rhine, he judged that enough had been achieved both for glory and for advantage, withdrew into Gaul, and broke down the bridge.

Note. satis … prōfectum: 'that enough had been accomplished', from prōficiō. Caesar spent only eighteen days across the Rhine.