De Bello Gallico 7.59

7.59.1Iam Caesar ā Gergoviā discessisse audiēbātur, iam dē Aeduōrum dēfectiōne et secundō Galliae mōtū rūmōrēs adferēbantur, Gallīque in colloquiīs interclūsum itinere et Ligerī Caesarem inopiā frūmentī coāctum in prōvinciam contendisse cōnfirmābant.

By now it was being heard that Caesar had withdrawn from Gergovia, and now reports were coming in of the revolt of the Aedui and of the Gauls' successful rising, and the Gauls in their talks insisted that Caesar, cut off from his road and from the Loire and forced by lack of grain, had hurried off into the Province.

Note. The verbs depend on Gallī … cōnfirmābant: Caesarem … interclūsum … coāctum … contendisse is accusative and infinitive.

7.59.2Bellovacī autem dēfectiōne Aeduōrum cognitā, quī ante erant per sē īnfidēlēs, manūs cōgere atque apertē bellum parāre coepērunt.

The Bellovaci, however, who even before had been disloyal on their own account, on learning of the revolt of the Aedui began to gather troops and openly prepare for war.

7.59.3Tum Labiēnus tantā rērum commūtātiōne longē aliud sibi capiendum cōnsilium atque anteā sēnserat intellegēbat, neque iam, ut aliquid adquīreret proeliōque hostēs lacesseret, sed ut incolumem exercitum Agēdincum redūceret, cōgitābat.

Then Labienus, in so great a change of circumstances, understood that he must adopt a plan far different from what he had intended before, and he was no longer thinking of gaining anything or provoking the enemy to battle, but of bringing his army back safely to Agedincum.

Note. aliud … atque: after words of difference, atque means 'than': 'a plan different from what he had intended'. capiendum is a gerundive of obligation with sibi as the person who must act.

7.59.5Namque alterā ex parte Bellovacī, quae cīvitās in Galliā maximam habet opīniōnem virtūtis, īnstābant, alteram Camulogenus parātō atque īnstrūctō exercitū tenēbat;

For on one side the Bellovaci, the nation with the greatest reputation for courage in Gaul, were pressing on him; on the other Camulogenus held the ground with an army ready and drawn up;

Note. quae cīvitās … habet: the relative is attracted to agree with cīvitās, the noun in its own clause, rather than with Bellovacī.

7.59.5tum legiōnēs ā praesidiō atque impedīmentīs interclūsās maximum flūmen distinēbat.

besides, a very large river separated the legions, cut off from their reserve and baggage.

7.59.6Tantīs subitō difficultātibus obiectīs ab animī virtūte auxilium petendum vidēbat.

Faced with such great difficulties all of a sudden, he saw that help must be sought from courage of spirit.