De Bello Gallico 5.29

5.29.1Contrā ea Titūrius serō factūrōs clāmitābat, cum maiōrēs manūs hostium adiūnctīs Germānīs convēnissent, aut cum aliquid calamitātis in proximīs hībernīs esset acceptum.

Against this Titurius kept shouting that they would act too late, when larger forces of the enemy had gathered with the Germans joined to them, or when some disaster had been suffered in the nearest winter camps.

5.29.1Brevem cōnsulendī esse occāsiōnem.

The chance to take counsel was short.

5.29.1Caesarem arbitrārī profectum in Ītaliam;

He believed that Caesar had set out for Italy;

5.29.2neque aliter Carnutēs interficiendī Tasgetī cōnsilium fuisse captūrōs, neque Eburōnēs, sī ille adesset, tantā contemptiōne nostrī ad castra ventūrōs esse.

otherwise the Carnutes would not have formed the plan of killing Tasgetius, nor would the Eburones, if he were present, be coming to the camp with such contempt for us.

Note. fuisse captūrōs: future infinitive in a past conditional, 'would not have formed'. contemptiōne nostrī: an objective genitive, 'contempt for us'.

5.29.3Nōn hostem auctōrem, sed rem spectāre: subesse Rhēnum;

He was looking not at the enemy as adviser but at the facts: the Rhine was close by;

5.29.3magnō esse Germānīs dolōrī Ariovistī mortem et superiōrēs nostrās victōriās;

the Germans felt great resentment at the death of Ariovistus and our earlier victories;

Note. magnō esse Germānīs dolōrī: double dative, 'was a cause of great pain to the Germans'.

5.29.4ārdēre Galliam tot contumēliīs acceptīs sub populī Rōmānī imperium redāctam superiōre glōriā reī mīlitāris exstīnctā.

Gaul was ablaze, having suffered so many insults, brought under the rule of the Roman people, and its former military glory extinguished.

5.29.5Postrēmō quis hoc sibi persuādēret, sine certā rē Ambiorīgem ad eiusmodī cōnsilium dēscendisse?

Finally, who could persuade himself that Ambiorix had come to such a plan without good grounds?

5.29.6Suam sententiam in utramque partem esse tūtam: sī nihil esset dūrius, nūllō cum perīculō ad proximam legiōnem perventūrōs;

His own proposal was safe either way: if nothing very serious happened, they would reach the nearest legion without any danger;

5.29.6sī Gallia omnis cum Germānīs cōnsentīret, ūnam esse in celeritāte positam salūtem.

if all Gaul was in league with the Germans, their only safety lay in speed.

5.29.7Cottae quidem atque eōrum, quī dissentīrent, cōnsilium quem habēre exitum?

As for the plan of Cotta and those who disagreed, what outcome did it have?

Note. Cottae … cōnsilium quem habēre exitum? a question in indirect speech: 'what outcome did Cotta's plan have?'

5.29.7In quō sī nōn praesēns perīculum, at certē longinquā obsidiōne famēs esset timenda.

In it, if not immediate danger, then certainly famine from a long siege was to be feared.