7.69.1Ipsum erat oppidum Alesia in colle summō admodum ēditō locō, ut nisi obsidiōne expugnārī nōn posse vidērētur.The town of Alesia itself lay on the top of a hill, in a very high position, so that it seemed it could not be taken except by a blockade.Note. nisi obsidiōne: 'except by blockade'. 7.69.2Cuius collis rādīcēs duo duābus ex partibus flūmina subluēbant.The foot of this hill was washed on two sides by two rivers. 7.69.3Ante id oppidum plānitiēs circiter mīlia passuum tria in longitūdinem patēbat: reliquīs ex omnibus partibus collēs mediocrī interiectō spatiō parī altitūdinis fastīgiō oppidum cingēbant.In front of the town a plain stretched for about three miles in length; on all the other sides hills, separated by a moderate space and of equal height, encircled the town. 7.69.5Sub mūrō, quae pars collis ad orientem sōlem spectābat, hunc omnem locum cōpiae Gallōrum complēverant fossamque et māceriam sex in altitūdinem pedum praedūxerant.Under the wall, on the part of the hill that faced the rising sun, the Gallic forces had filled this whole area and had built in front a ditch and a rough stone wall six feet high.
7.69.6Eius mūnītiōnis quae ab Rōmānīs īnstituēbātur circuitus XI mīlia passuum tenēbat.The circuit of the siege works which the Romans were beginning ran to eleven miles. 7.69.7Castra opportūnīs locīs erant posita ibique castella vīgintī tria facta, quibus in castellīs interdiū statiōnēs pōnēbantur, nē qua subitō ēruptiō fieret: haec eadem noctū excubitōribus ac firmīs praesidiīs tenēbantur.The camps were placed in suitable positions, and twenty-three redoubts were built there; in these redoubts pickets were posted by day so that no sudden sally could be made; at night the same were held by sentries and strong garrisons.Note. nē qua … ēruptiō fieret: qua is the indefinite after nē, 'so that no sally might be made'.