De Bello Gallico 6.9

6.9.1Caesar, postquam ex Menapiīs in Trēverōs vēnit, duābus dē causīs Rhēnum trānsīre cōnstituit;

Caesar, after he had come from the Menapii to the Treveri, decided to cross the Rhine for two reasons;

6.9.1quārum ūna erat, quod auxilia contrā sē Trēverīs mīserant, altera, nē ad eōs Ambiorīx receptum habēret.

one was that the Germans had sent help to the Treveri against him, the other that Ambiorix should not have a refuge among them.

6.9.3Hīs cōnstitūtīs rēbus paulum suprā eum locum quō ante exercitum trādūxerat facere pontem īnstituit.

Having settled this, he began to build a bridge a little above the place where he had taken the army across before.

Note. Caesar had first bridged the Rhine in 55 BC (Book IV).

6.9.4Nōtā atque īnstitūtā ratiōne magnō mīlitum studiō paucīs diēbus opus efficitur.

The method was known and established, and with great enthusiasm from the soldiers the work was finished in a few days.

6.9.5Firmō in Trēverīs ad pontem praesidiō relictō, nē quis ab hīs subitō mōtus orerētur, reliquās cōpiās equitātumque trādūcit.

He left a strong guard at the bridge on the side of the Treveri, so that no sudden rising should start among them, and led the rest of his forces and the cavalry across.

6.9.6Ubiī, quī ante obsidēs dederant atque in dēditiōnem vēnerant, pūrgandī suī causā ad eum lēgātōs mittunt, quī doceant neque auxilia ex suā cīvitāte in Trēverōs missa neque ab sē fidem laesam: petunt atque ōrant ut sibi parcat, nē commūnī odiō Germānōrum innocentēs prō nocentibus poenās pendant;

The Ubii, who had earlier given hostages and surrendered, sent envoys to him to clear themselves, to explain that no help had been sent from their state to the Treveri and that they had not broken faith; they begged and pleaded with him to spare them, so that they should not, in a common hatred of the Germans, pay the penalty, innocent for guilty;

Note. purgandī suī causā: 'to clear themselves'; the gerundive agrees with sui, which keeps its singular form. innocentēs prō nocentibus: 'innocent men for guilty'.

6.9.7sī amplius obsidum vellet, dare pollicentur.

if he wanted more hostages, they promised to give them.

Note. amplius obsidum: 'more hostages', partitive genitive with amplius.

6.9.8Cognitā Caesar causā reperit ab Suēbīs auxilia missa esse;

Looking into the matter, Caesar found that the help had been sent by the Suebi;

6.9.8Ubiōrum satisfactiōnem accipit, aditūs viāsque in Suēbōs perquīrit.

he accepted the Ubii's explanation and inquired about the approaches and roads into the land of the Suebi.