Caesar Gallic Wars 5.29-31

[5.29-31]
1 Contrā ea Titūrius sērȱ factūrōs clāmitābat, cum
2 maiōrēs manūs hostium adiūnctīs Germānīs convēnissent aut
3 cum aliquid calamitātis in proximīs hībernīs esset acceptum.
4 Brevem cōnsulendī esse occāsiōnem. Caesarem arbitrārī
5 profectum in Ītaliam; neque aliter Carnutēs interficiendī Tasgetī
6 cōnsilium fuisse captūrōs, neque Eburōnēs, sī ille adesset, tantā
7 contemptiōne nostrī ad castra ventūrōs esse.

On the other hand Sabinus was crying out repeatedly that they would do too late, after larger bands of the enemy had convened with the Germans having been added or when anything of misfortune had been received in the nearest winter quarters. The occasion for consulting was short. He judged that Caesar had set out into Italy; neither otherwise had the Carnutes been going to adopt a plan of killing Tasgetius, nor the Eburones, if that one were
present, would be coming to the camp with such great contempt for us

8 Nōn hostem auctōrem, sed rem spectāre: subesse Rhēnum;
9 magnō esse Germānīs dolōriī Ariovistī mortem et superiōrēs
10 nostrās victōriās; ārdēre Galliam tot contumēliīs acceptīs sub
11 populī Rōmānī imperium redāctam superiōre glōriā reī militāris
12 exstīnctā.

That he saw not the enemy but the situation as the authority: that the Rhenus was close at hand; that the death of Ariovistus and our previous victories were for the Germans for great grief; That Gaul, having been reduced under the power of the Roman people, burned, with so many injuries having been received and with the previous glory of military matters having been destroyed.

13 Postrēmō quis hōc sibi persuādēret, sine certā rē Ambiorīgem
14 ad eiusmodī cōnsilium dēscendisse? Suam sententiam in
15 utramque partem esse tūtam: sī nihil esset dūrius, nūllō cum
16 perīculō ad proximam legiōnem perventūrōs; sī Gallia omnis cum
17 Germānīs cōnsentīret, ūnam esse in celeritāte positam salūtem.

Finally, who might persuade himself by means of this, without a reliable reason that Ambiorix had resorted to a plan of such a sort? That his own opinion was safe on each side: if nothing were more harsh, they would arrive with no danger at the closest legion; if all Gaul was agreeing with the Germans, [their] only safety was placed in speed.

18 Cottae quidem atque eōrum, quī dissentīrent, cōnsilium quem
19 habēre exitum? In quō sī nōn praesēns perīculum, at certē
20 longinquā obsidiōne famēs esset timenda?

What result indeed does the proposal of Cotta and those who were disagreeing have? In which case, if not present danger, but certainly was [not] starvation from a long siege to be feared?

1 Hāc in utramque partem disputātiōne habitā, cum ā
2 Cottā prīmīsque ōrdinibus ācriter resistēretur, "Vincite," inquit,
3 "sī ita vultis," Sabīnus, et id clariōre vōce, ut magna pars mīlitum
4 exaudiret; "neque is sum," inquit, "qui gravissime ex vobis mortis
5 perīculō terrear: hī sapient; sī gravius quid acciderit, abs tē
6 ratiōnem reposcent, quī, sī per tē liceat, perendinō diē cum
7 proximīs hībernīs coniūnctī commūnem cum reliquīs bellī cāsum
8 sustineant, nōn rēiectī et relēgātī longē ab cēterīs aut ferrō aut
9 fame intereant."

With this discussion having been held into both part(s), when it was being sharply opposed by Cotta and the first ranks, he said, "conquer, If you wish so," Sabinus and this, with a clearer voice, so that a great part of the soldiers would hear; "And I am not the man," he said, "who very seriously would be frightened by the danger of death among you: these men will understand; if anything more serious happens, they will ask for a reason from you, they who if it would be permitted through you, united on the day after tomorrow with neighboring winter quarters, may sustain the common fate of war with the remaining ones, and they would not, driven back and sent away from others, die either by the sword or by famine.”

1 Cōnsurgitur ex cōnsiliō; comprehendunt utrumque et
2 ōrant, nē suā dissēnsiōne et pertināciā rem in summum perīculum
3 dēdūcant: facilem esse rem, seu maneant, seu proficīscantur, sī
4 modo ūnum omnēs sentiant ac probent; contrā in dissēnsiōne
5 nūllam sē salūtem perspicere. Rēs disputatiōne ad mediam
6 noctem perdūcitur.

It is risen from the council, they seize each and they beg by their own disagreement and stubbornness that they not bring the matter into the highest danger: that the matter is easy, either they remain, or they set forth, if all are aware of and approve of the one thing just now; on the other hand they view no safety in dissension. The affair is extended by argument to midnight.

7 Tandem dat Cotta permōtus manūs: superat sententia Sabīnī.
8 Prōnūntiātur prīmā lūce itūrōs. Cōnsūmitur vigiliīs reliqua
9 pars noctis, cum sua quisque mīles circumspiceret, quid sēcum
10 portāre posset, quid ex īnstrūmentō hībernōrum relinquere
11 cōgerētur.

Finally, Cotta, having been moved, gives his hands; the opinion of Sabinus wins. It is announced that they will go at first light. The remaining part of the night is wasted with wakefulness when each soldier examined his own things, what he could carry with himself, what he was forced to leave behind from the equipment of the winter camp.

12 Omnia excōgitantur, quārē nec sine perīculō maneātur, et
13 languōre mīlitum et vigiliīs perīculum augeātur. Prīmā lūce sīc
14 ex castrīs proficīscuntur, ut quibus esset persuāsum nōn ab hoste,
15 sed ab homine amīcissimō Ambiorīge cōnsilium datum, longissimō
16 agmine maximīsque impedīmentīs.

All things are thought out, why they would remain not without danger, and danger would be enhanced because of the fatigue of the soldiers and guards. Thus at first light they departed from the camp as [if men] who were persuaded that the plan had been given to them not by the enemy, but by the most friendly man Ambiorix, with the longest marching column and the greatest baggage train.