De Bello Gallico 5.35

5.35.1Quō praeceptō ab eīs dīligentissimē observātō, cum quaepiam cohors ex orbe excesserat atque impetum fēcerat, hostēs vēlōcissimē refugiēbant.

This order was very carefully followed by them: whenever any cohort had left the circle and made a charge, the enemy ran back very quickly.

5.35.2Interim eam partem nūdārī necesse erat et ab latere apertō tēla recipī.

Meanwhile that part had to be left exposed, and missiles had to be taken on the open flank.

5.35.3Rūrsus cum in eum locum unde erant ēgressī revertī coeperant, et ab eīs quī cesserant et ab eīs quī proximī steterant circumveniēbantur;

Again, when they had begun to return to the place they had come out from, they were surrounded both by those who had given way and by those who had stood nearest;

5.35.4sīn autem locum tenēre vellent, nec virtūtī locus relinquēbātur, neque ab tantā multitūdine coniectā tēla cōnfertī vītāre poterant.

but if they wished to hold their ground, there was no room left for courage, and packed together they could not avoid the missiles thrown by so great a crowd.

5.35.5Tamen tot incommodīs cōnflīctātī, multīs vulneribus acceptīs resistēbant et magnā parte diēī cōnsūmptā, cum ā prīmā lūce ad hōram octāvam pugnārētur, nihil quod ipsīs esset indignum committēbant.

Still, though harassed by so many misfortunes and having received many wounds, they held out; and though a great part of the day was used up, since the fighting went on from first light to the eighth hour, they did nothing unworthy of themselves.

Note. ad hōram octāvam: the Roman day was divided into twelve hours from sunrise, so about two in the afternoon.

5.35.6Tum Titō Balventiō, quī superiōre annō prīmum pīlum dūxerat, virō fortī et magnae auctōritātis, utrumque femur tragula trāicitur;

Then Titus Balventius, who the year before had been chief centurion, a brave man and of great authority, is struck through both thighs by a javelin;

Note. prīmum pīlum dūxerat: he had been prīmipīlus, the senior centurion of the legion.

5.35.7Quīntus Lūcānius, eiusdem ōrdinis, fortissimē pugnāns, dum circumventō fīliō subvenit, interficitur;

Quintus Lucanius, of the same rank, fighting very bravely, is killed while he goes to help his son, who has been surrounded;

5.35.8Lūcius Cotta lēgātus omnēs cohortēs ōrdinēsque adhortāns in adversum ōs fundā vulnerātur.

Lucius Cotta the legate, while encouraging all the cohorts and ranks, is wounded full in the face by a sling stone.