De Bello Gallico 5.50

5.50.1Eō diē parvulīs equestribus proeliīs ad aquam factīs utrīque sēsē suō locō continent: Gallī, quod ampliōrēs cōpiās, quae nōndum convēnerant, exspectābant;

That day, after small cavalry skirmishes by the water, both sides keep to their own positions: the Gauls because they were waiting for larger forces which had not yet assembled;

5.50.3Caesar, sī forte timōris simulātiōne hostēs in suum locum ēlicere posset, ut citrā vallem prō castrīs proeliō contenderet, sī id efficere nōn posset, ut explōrātīs itineribus minōre cum perīculō vallem rīvumque trānsīret.

Caesar in case by pretending to be afraid he could lure the enemy onto his own ground, so as to fight in front of the camp on this side of the valley, and if he could not do that, so that after exploring the routes he might cross the valley and the stream with less danger.

Note. sī forte … posset: 'in case he could', a hope rather than a condition. The two ut clauses give two purposes, one for each outcome.

5.50.4Prīmā lūce hostium equitātus ad castra accēdit proeliumque cum nostrīs equitibus committit.

At dawn the enemy's cavalry approaches the camp and engages our cavalry.

5.50.5Caesar cōnsultō equitēs cēdere sēque in castra recipere iubet, simul ex omnibus partibus castra altiōre vallō mūnīrī portāsque obstruī atque in hīs administrandīs rēbus quam maximē concursārī et cum simulātiōne agī timōris iubet.

Caesar deliberately orders the cavalry to give way and withdraw into the camp; at the same time he orders the camp to be fortified with a higher rampart on all sides and the gates blocked, and in carrying out these tasks the men are to run about as much as possible and act with a show of fear.

Note. cōnsultō: an adverb here, 'on purpose'. concursārī and agī are impersonal passives: 'that there be running about' and 'that things be done'.