De Bello Gallico 4.23

4.23.1Hīs cōnstitūtīs rēbus, nactus idōneam ad nāvigandum tempestātem III. ferē vigiliā solvit equitēsque in ulteriōrem portum prōgredī et nāvēs cōnscendere et sē sequī iussit.

When these arrangements were made, he found suitable weather for sailing and set sail at about the third watch, and ordered the cavalry to go on to the farther harbor, board the ships and follow him.

Note. III. vigiliā: the third watch, roughly midnight to 3 a.m. solvit (nāvēs understood): 'set sail'.

4.23.2Ā quibus cum paulō tardius esset administrātum, ipse hōrā diēī circiter IIII. cum prīmīs nāvibus Britanniam attigit atque ibi in omnibus collibus expositās hostium cōpiās armātās cōnspexit.

When they had carried this out rather slowly, he himself reached Britain with the first ships at about the fourth hour of the day, and there he saw the enemy's armed forces drawn up on all the hills.

4.23.3Cuius locī haec erat nātūra atque ita montibus angustīs mare continēbātur, utī ex locīs superiōribus in lītus tēlum adigī posset.

The nature of the place was this: the sea was so closely bounded by steep heights that a missile could be thrown from the higher ground onto the shore.

4.23.4Hunc ad ēgrediendum nēquāquam idōneum locum arbitrātus, dum reliquae nāvēs eō convenīrent ad hōram nōnam in ancorīs expectāvit.

Thinking this place by no means suitable for landing, he waited at anchor until the ninth hour for the rest of the ships to gather there.

Note. dum … convenīrent: subjunctive of anticipation, 'until the rest should gather'. hōram nōnam: about 3 p.m.

4.23.5Interim lēgātīs tribūnīsque mīlitum convocātīs et quae ex Volusēnō cognōvisset et quae fierī vellet ostendit monuitque, ut reī mīlitāris ratiō, maximēque ut maritimae rēs postulārent, ut, cum celerem atque īnstabilem mōtum habērent, ad nūtum et ad tempus omnēs rēs ab iīs administrārentur.

Meanwhile he called together the legates and military tribunes, explained what he had learned from Volusenus and what he wanted done, and warned them that, as the conduct of war and above all naval operations demanded, since these involve swift and shifting movement, everything must be done by them at a nod and at the right moment.

Note. ut reī mīlitāris ratiō … postulārent: 'as … required'; the following ut … administrārentur is the indirect command after monuit.

4.23.6Hīs dīmissīs et ventum et aestum ūnō tempore nactus secundum, datō signō et sublātīs ancorīs, circiter mīlia passuum VII ab eō locō prōgressus apertō ac plānō lītore nāvēs cōnstituit.

When he had dismissed them, finding wind and tide favorable at the same time, he gave the signal, weighed anchor, went on about seven miles from that place, and brought the ships to rest off an open and level shore.