De Bello Gallico 5.8

5.8.1Hīs rēbus gestīs, Labiēnō in continente cum tribus legiōnibus et equitum mīlibus duōbus relictō ut portūs tuērētur et rem frūmentāriam prōvidēret quaeque in Galliā gererentur cognōsceret cōnsiliumque prō tempore et prō rē caperet, ipse cum quīnque legiōnibus et parī numerō equitum, quem in continentī relīquerat, ad sōlis occāsum nāvēs solvit et lēnī Āfricō prōvectus mediā circiter nocte ventō intermissō cursum nōn tenuit, et longius dēlātus aestū ortā lūce sub sinistrā Britanniam relictam cōnspexit.

After this, leaving Labienus on the continent with three legions and two thousand cavalry to guard the harbours, provide the grain supply, find out what was happening in Gaul, and make decisions as time and circumstances required, he himself, with five legions and a number of cavalry equal to what he had left on the continent, set sail at sunset; carried forward by a gentle south-west wind, when the wind dropped about midnight he did not hold his course, and, carried too far by the tide, at daybreak he saw Britain left behind on his left.

Note. The ablative absolute Labiēnō … relictō is followed by four purpose clauses (ut … tuērētur … prōvidēret … cognōsceret … caperet). sub sinistrā: the tide carried the fleet north-east past the Kent coast, so Britain lay behind them on the left.

5.8.3Tum rūrsus aestus commūtātiōnem secūtus rēmīs contendit ut eam partem īnsulae caperet, quā optimum esse ēgressum superiōre aestāte cognōverat.

Then, again following the change of the tide, he pressed on with oars to reach that part of the island where he had learned the previous summer that there was the best landing place.

5.8.4Quā in rē admodum fuit mīlitum virtūs laudanda, quī vectōriīs gravibusque nāvigiīs nōn intermissō rēmigandī labōre longārum nāvium cursum adaequārunt.

In this matter the courage of the soldiers was very much to be praised, who in heavy transport ships, without stopping the labour of rowing, matched the speed of the warships.

Note. adaequārunt: shortened form of adaequāvērunt. laudanda: gerundive, 'deserving praise'.

5.8.5Accessum est ad Britanniam omnibus nāvibus merīdiānō ferē tempore, neque in eō locō hostis est vīsus;

Britain was reached by all the ships at about midday, and no enemy was seen in that place;

5.8.6sed, ut posteā Caesar ex captīvīs cognōvit, cum magnae manūs eō convēnissent, multitūdine nāvium perterritae, quae cum annōtinīs prīvātīsque quās suī quisque commodī fēcerat amplius octingentae ūnō erant vīsae tempore, ā lītore discesserant ac sē in superiōra loca abdiderant.

but, as Caesar later learned from prisoners, although large bands had gathered there, they had been terrified by the number of ships, which, with last year's ships and the private ships that individuals had built for their own use, had been seen at one time to the number of more than eight hundred, and had left the shore and hidden themselves on the higher ground.

Note. annōtinīs: ships left over from the previous year's expedition. suī quisque commodī: 'each for his own convenience'.