De Bello Gallico 6.10

6.10.1Interim paucīs post diēbus fit ab Ubiīs certior Suēbōs omnēs in ūnum locum cōpiās cōgere atque eīs nātiōnibus quae sub eōrum sint imperiō dēnūntiāre, ut auxilia peditātūs equitātūsque mittant.

Meanwhile, a few days later, he was informed by the Ubii that the Suebi were gathering all their forces into one place and ordering the peoples under their rule to send help of infantry and cavalry.

6.10.2Hīs cognitīs rēbus rem frūmentāriam prōvidet, castrīs idōneum locum dēligit;

On learning this he arranged a supply of grain and chose a suitable place for a camp;

6.10.2Ubiīs imperat ut pecora dēdūcant suaque omnia ex agrīs in oppida cōnferant, spērāns barbarōs atque imperītōs hominēs inopiā cibāriōrum adductōs ad inīquam pugnandī condiciōnem posse dēdūcī;

he ordered the Ubii to bring in their herds and to collect all their belongings from the fields into the towns, hoping that the barbarians, being inexperienced men, could be drawn into fighting on unfavorable terms when driven by lack of food;

Note. inopiā cibāriōrum adductōs: 'driven by lack of food'. Caesar hopes to starve the Suebi into fighting on his terms.

6.10.3mandat, ut crēbrōs explōrātōrēs in Suēbōs mittant quaeque apud eōs gerantur cognōscant.

he instructed them to send frequent scouts among the Suebi and to learn what was going on among them.

6.10.4Illī imperāta faciunt et paucīs diēbus intermissīs referunt: Suēbōs omnēs, posteāquam certiōrēs nūntiī dē exercitū Rōmānōrum vēnerint, cum omnibus suīs sociōrumque cōpiīs, quās coēgissent, penitus ad extrēmōs fīnēs sē recēpisse: silvam esse ibi īnfīnītā magnitūdine, quae appellātur Bācēnis;

They did as they were ordered and after a few days reported that all the Suebi, after more certain news about the Roman army had come, had withdrawn far into their furthest territory with all their own forces and those of their allies which they had gathered; there was a forest there of boundless size, called Bacenis;

Note. Bācēnis: probably the forested hills of central Germany; its exact place is unknown.

6.10.5hanc longē intrōrsus pertinēre et prō nātīvō mūrō obiectam Chēruscōs ab Suēbīs Suēbōsque ab Chēruscīs iniūriīs incursiōnibusque prohibēre: ad eius initium silvae Suēbōs adventum Rōmānōrum exspectāre cōnstituisse.

it stretched far inland and, set like a natural wall, kept the Cherusci from raids and attacks by the Suebi and the Suebi from those of the Cherusci; at the edge of that forest the Suebi had decided to await the coming of the Romans.