Caesar De Bello Gallico 1.2

Apud Helvetios longe nobilissimus fuit et ditissimus Orgetorix.

Among the Helvetii, Orgetorix was by far the most distinguished and wealthy.

Is M. Messala, [et P.] M. Pisone consulibus regni cupiditate inductus coniurationem nobilitatis

He, when Marcus Messala and Marcus Piso were consuls [61 B.C.], incited by lust of sovereignty, formed a conspiracy among the nobility,

et civitati persuasit ut de finibus suis cum omnibus copiis exirent:

and persuaded the people to go forth from their territories with all their possessions

perfacile esse, cum virtute omnibus praestarent

[saying] that it would be very easy, since they excelled all in valor,

totius Galliae imperio potiri.

to acquire the supremacy of the whole of Gaul.

Id hoc facilius iis persuasit,

To this he more easily persuaded them

quod undique loci natura Helvetii continentur:

because the Helvetti are confined on every side by the nature of their situation

una ex parte flumine Rheno

on one side, the river Rhine

latissimo atque altissimo

a very broad and deep (river Rhine)

qui agrum Helvetium a Germanis dividit

Which separated the Helvitian territory from the Germans

altera ex parte monte Iura

on a second side by the Jura

altissimo, qui est inter Sequanos et Helvetios;

a very high (mountain Jura), which is between the Sequanis and the Helvetians

tertia lacu Lemanno et flumine Rhodano

on the third (side) by the Lake of Geneva and the river Rhodanus

qui provinciam nostram ab Helvetiis dividit.

which separated our province from the Helvitians

His rebus fiebat ut et

From these circumstances it results that

minus late vagarentur

they could range less widely

et minus facile finitimis bellum inferre possent;

and could easily make war against their neighbors

qua ex parte homines bellandi cupidi magno dolore adficiebantur.

for which reason, men who were fond of war were affected with great regret

Pro multitudine autem hominum

They thought, that considering the extent of their population

et pro gloria belli atque fortitudinis

and their renown for warfare and bravery

angustos se fines habere arbitrabantur,

they considered themselves to have narrow boundaries

qui in longitudinem milia passuum CCXL

although they extended in length 240

in latitudinem CLXXX patebant.

and in width, 180 miles