De Bello Gallico 5.9

5.9.1Caesar expositō exercitū et locō castrīs idōneō captō, ubi ex captīvīs cognōvit quō in locō hostium cōpiae cōnsēdissent, cohortibus decem ad mare relictīs et equitibus trecentīs, quī praesidiō nāvibus essent, dē tertiā vigiliā ad hostēs contendit, eō minus veritus nāvibus, quod in lītore mollī atque apertō dēligātās ad ancoram relinquēbat, et praesidiō nāvibus Q. Atrium praefēcit.

When the army had been landed and a place suitable for a camp had been taken, and when Caesar learned from prisoners where the enemy forces had taken up position, he left ten cohorts and three hundred cavalry by the sea to guard the ships, and in the third watch marched against the enemy, having the less fear for the ships because he was leaving them at anchor on a soft and open shore; and he put Quintus Atrius in command of the guard for the ships.

Note. dē tertiā vigiliā: 'in the third watch', after midnight. eō minus veritus nāvibus, quod …: 'fearing the less for the ships because …'; vereor with the dative means 'fear for'.

5.9.2Ipse noctū prōgressus mīlia passuum circiter XII hostium cōpiās cōnspicātus est.

He himself, having advanced by night about twelve miles, caught sight of the enemy forces.

5.9.3Illī equitātū atque essedīs ad flūmen prōgressī ex locō superiōre nostrōs prohibēre et proelium committere coepērunt.

They advanced to a river with cavalry and chariots and began from higher ground to keep our men back and to join battle.

5.9.4Repulsī ab equitātū sē in silvās abdidērunt, locum nactī ēgregiē et nātūrā et opere mūnītum, quem domesticī bellī, ut vidēbantur, causā iam ante praeparāverant;

Driven back by the cavalry, they hid themselves in the woods, having found a place remarkably well fortified both by nature and by work, which, as it seemed, they had prepared already before for the sake of a war among themselves;

Note. domesticī bellī … causā: 'for the sake of a war among themselves'; ut vidēbantur is a parenthesis.

5.9.5nam crēbrīs arboribus succīsīs omnēs introitūs erant praeclūsī.

for all the entrances had been blocked by many felled trees.

5.9.6Ipsī ex silvīs rārī prōpugnābant nostrōsque intrā mūnītiōnēs ingredī prohibēbant.

They themselves fought from the woods in small groups and kept our men from getting inside the fortifications.

5.9.7At mīlitēs legiōnis septimae, testūdine factā et aggere ad mūnītiōnēs adiectō, locum cēpērunt eōsque ex silvīs expulērunt paucīs vulneribus acceptīs.

But the soldiers of the seventh legion, forming a tortoise and throwing up a ramp against the fortifications, took the place and drove them out of the woods with the loss of only a few wounded.

Note. testūdine factā: the 'tortoise', a formation with shields locked overhead. aggere … adiectō: a ramp of earth thrown up against the defences.

5.9.8Sed eōs fugientēs longius Caesar prōsequī vetuit, et quod locī nātūram ignōrābat, et quod magnā parte diēī cōnsūmptā mūnītiōnī castrōrum tempus relinquī volēbat.

But Caesar forbade them to pursue the fleeing enemy too far, both because he did not know the nature of the country and because, since a great part of the day had been spent, he wanted time to be left for fortifying the camp.