7.8.1Hīs rēbus comparātīs, repressō iam Lucteriō et remōtō, quod intrāre intrā praesidia perīculōsum putābat, in Helviōs proficīscitur.With these arrangements made, and Lucterius now checked and withdrawn, because he thought it dangerous to go within the line of garrisons, Caesar sets out for the Helvii. 7.8.2Etsī mōns Cevenna, quī Arvernōs ab Helviīs disclūdit, dūrissimō tempore annī altissimā nive iter impediēbat, tamen discussā nive sex in altitūdinem pedum atque ita viīs patefactīs summō mīlitum sūdōre ad fīnēs Arvernōrum pervēnit.Although the Cévennes, the mountain range that separates the Arverni from the Helvii, blocked the way with very deep snow at the hardest season of the year, yet the snow was cleared to a depth of six feet, the roads were opened in this way, and with the greatest toil of the soldiers he reached the territory of the Arverni. 7.8.3Quibus oppressīs inopīnantibus, quod sē Cevennā ut mūrō mūnītōs exīstimābant, ac nē singulārī quidem umquam hominī eō tempore annī sēmitae patuerant, equitibus imperat, ut quam lātissimē possint vagentur et quam maximum hostibus terrōrem īnferant.They were caught off guard, because they believed themselves protected by the Cévennes as by a wall, and at that season of the year the paths had never been open even to a single man; he orders the cavalry to range as widely as they can and to strike the greatest possible terror into the enemy.
7.8.4Celeriter haec fāma ac nūntiīs ad Vercingetorīgem perferuntur;News of this is quickly brought to Vercingetorix by rumor and messengers; 7.8.4quem perterritī omnēs Arvernī circumsistunt atque obsecrant, ut suīs fortūnīs cōnsulat, nēve ab hostibus dīripiantur, praesertim cum videat omne ad sē bellum trānslātum.all the Arverni, terrified, surround him and implore him to look after their fortunes and not let them be plundered by the enemy, especially since he saw that the whole war had been turned against them. 7.8.5Quōrum ille precibus permōtus castra ex Biturīgibus movet in Arvernōs versus.Moved by their prayers, he moves his camp from the Bituriges toward the Arverni.