Mittuntur ad Caesarem confestim ab Cicerone litterae
Immediately letters are sent to Caesar from Cicero
magnis propositis praemiis, si pertulissent:
with great rewards proposed, if they had brought them:
obsessis omnibus viis missi intercipiuntur.
will all roads blocked the sent guys are intercepted.
Noctu ex materia quam munitionis causa comportaverant,
At night from the timber which they had gathered for the sake of fortification,
turres admodum centum XX excitantur incredibili celeritate;
about 120 towers are raised with incredible speed;
quae deesse operi videbantur perficiuntur.
the things which seemed to be lacking to this task are completed.
Hostes postero die
The enemies on the next day
multo maioribus coactis copiis castra oppugnant,
attack the camp with a much greater force gathered,
fossam complent.
they fill in the ditch.
Eadem ratione, qua pridie, ab nostris resistitur.
By the same method, as on the day before, it is resisted by our guys.
Hoc idem reliquis deinceps fit diebus.
This same thing happens thereafter on the remaining days.
Nulla pars nocturni temporis ad laborem intermittitur;
No part of the nighttime is interrupted for work;
non aegris, non vulneratis facultas quietis datur.
not to the weak, not to the wounded is an opportunity of rest given.
Quaecumque ad proximi diei oppugnationem opus sunt noctu comparantur;
Whatever things are necessary for the attack of the next day are prepared at night
multae praeustae sudes, magnus muralium pilorum numerus instituitur;
many burnt sticks, a great number of wall-pikes is set up;
turres contabulantur,
towers are stacked up,
pinnae loricaeque ex cratibus attexuntur.
parapets and screens are woven from wicker.
Ipse Cicero, cum tenuissima valetudine esset,
Cicero himself, although he was with a very weak constitution,
ne nocturnum quidem sibi tempus ad quietem relinquebat,
was not even leaving the nighttime for himself toward rest,
ut ultro militum concursu ac vocibus
so that automatically with a gathering and shouts of the soldiers
sibi parcere cogeretur.
he was being forced to spare himself.
Tunc duces principesque Nerviorum
Then the leaders and chiefs of the Nervii
qui aliquem sermonis aditum [...habebant]
who had some access of speaking
causamque amicitiae cum Cicerone (habebant)
and a reason of friendship with Cicero
colloqui sese velle dicunt.
say that they want to chat.
Facta potestate
With the opportunity having been made
eadem quae Ambiorix cum Titurio egerat commemorant:
they mention the same things which Ambiorex had discussed with Titurius:
omnem esse in armis Galliam;
that all of Gall is in arms;
Germanos Rhenum transisse;
that the Germans have crossed the Rhine;
Caesaris reliquorumque hiberna oppugnari.
that the camps of Caesar and of the remaining ones are being attacked.
Addunt etiam de Sabini morte;
They also add concerning the death of Sabinus;
Ambiorigem ostentant fidei faciendae causa.
they show Ambiorex for the sake of making a pledge.
Errare eos dicunt,
They say that they are wrong,
si quicquam ab eis praesidi sperent,
if they should hope for anything of protection from those ones,
qui suis rebus diffidant;
who are weak in their own affairs;
sese tamen hoc esse in Ciceronem populumque Romanum animo
that nevertheless they themselves are with this mind toward Caesar and the Roman people
ut nihil nisi hiberna recusent
that they refuse nothing except winter camps
atque hanc inveterascere consuetudinem nolint:
and they do not want this custom to become habit:
licere illis incolumibus per se ex hibernis discedere
that it is permitted to those ones to depart safe from winter camps through themselves
et quascumque in partes velint sine metu proficisci.
and set out into whatever parts they wish without fear.
Cicero ad haec unum modo respondit:
Cicero responded to these things only one thing:
non esse consuetudinem populi Romani
that it was not the custom of the Roman people
accipere ab hoste armato condicionem:
to accept a condition from an armed enemy:
si ab armis discedere velint, se adiutore utantur
if they should wish to leave from arms, they may use him as an advisor
legatosque ad Caesarem mittant;
and send ambassadors to Caesar;
sperare pro eius iustitia, quae petierint, impetraturos.
that they hope according to his justice they would obtain the things which they sought.