Caesar Gallic Wars 5.44-45

[5.44-45]
1 Erant in eā legiōne fortissimī virī, centuriōnēs, quī
2 prīmīs ōrdinibus appropinquārent, Titus Pullō et Lūcius
3 Vorēnus. Hī perpetuās inter sē contrōversiās habēbant, quīnam
4 anteferrētur, omnibusque annīs dē locīs summīs simultātibus
5 contendēbant. Ex hīs Pullō, cum ācerrimē ad mūnītiōnēs
6 pugnārētur, "quid dubitās," inquit, " Vorēne?

There were in that legion the strongest men, centurions, who were approaching the first ranks, Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus. These ones were having perpetual arguments between themselves, who would be preferred, and in every year they were contending about ranks with the greatest rivalries. From these [men] Pullo, when it was being fought most fiercely near the fortifications, he said, “Why do you hesitate, Vorenus?

7 Aut quem locum tuae probandae virtūtis exspectās? Hic diēs
8 dē nostrīs contrōversiīs iūdicābit." Haec cum dīxisset, prōcēdit
9 extrā mūnītiōnēs quaque pars hostium cōnfertissima est vīsa
10 irrumpit. Nē Vorēnus quidem tum sēsē vāllō continet, sed
11 omnium veritus exīstimātiōnem subsequitur.

“Or what opportunity of demonstrating your courage do you anticipate? This day will decide about our disputes.” When he had said these things, he proceeds beyond the fortifications and which direction of the enemies seemed most dense he rushes into. Not even then does Vorenus remain within the wall, but having feared the opinion of all he follows closely.

12 Mediocrī spatiō relictō Pullō pīlum in hostēs immittit atque
13 ūnum ex multitūdine prōcurrentem trāicit; quō percussō et
14 exanimātō hunc scūtīs prōtegunt, in hostem tēla ūniversī
15 coniciunt neque dant regrediendī facultātem. Trānsfigitur
16 scūtum Pullōnī et verūtum in balteō dēfīgitur. Āvertit hic
17 cāsus vāgīnam et gladium ēdūcere cōnantī dextram morātur
18 manum, impedītumque hostēs circumsistunt.

With the fairly small space having been left behind Pullo directs a heavy javelin into the enemies and pierces one man charging from the crowd; with whom having been struck through and rendered breathless they protect this one with shields, they all together throw spears into the enemy and do not give an opportunity of retreating. The shield is transfixed for Pullo, and a javelin is planted in his sword belt. This misfortune turns away the sheath and hinders his right hand for the one trying to draw his sword and the enemies surround him, obstructed.

19 Succurrit inimīcus illī Vorēnus et labōrantī subvenit. Ad hunc
20 sē cōnfestim ā Pullōne omnis multitūdō convertit: illum verūtō
21 arbitrantur occīsum. Gladiō comminus rem gerit Vorēnus atque
22 ūnō interfectō reliquōs paulum prōpellit; dum cupidius īnstat,
23 in locum dēiectus īnferiōrem concidit. Huic rūrsus circumventō
24 fert subsidium Pullō, atque ambō incolumēs complūribus
25 interfectīs summā cum laude sēsē intrā mūnītiōnēs recipiunt.

Vorenus, a rival, aids that one, and goes to help the laboring one. The whole crowd turns themselves around hastily from Pullo toward this man: they think that that one was killed by a spear. Vorenus carries on the matter with a sword in close combat and with one having been killed he drives back the remaining men a little; while he presses on more eagerly, having been dislodged, he falls into a lower place. To the one having been surrounded, Pullo brings help anew, and with a very great number having been killed, both uninjured, they retreat between the fortifications with the highest praise.

26 Sīc fortūna in contentiōne et certāmine utrumque versāvit, ut
27 alter alterī inimīcus auxiliō salūtīque esset, neque dīiūdicārī
28 posset, uter utri virtūte anteferendus vidērētur.

So Fortune turned around both men in struggle and strife, that one, an enemy to the other, was for health and safety, and it was not able to be decided to which one was seeming to be preferred in respect to virtue.

1 Quantō erat in diēs gravior atque asperior oppugnātiō,
2 et maximē quod magnā parte militum cōnfectā vulneribus
3 rēs ad paucitātem dēfēnsōrum pervēnerat, tantō crēbriōrēs
4 litterae nūntiīque ad Caesarem mittēbantur; quōrum pars
5 dēprehēnsa in cōnspectū nostrōrum mīlitum cum cruciātū
6 necābātur. Erat ūnus intus Nervius nōmine Verticō, locō nātus
7 honestō, quī ā prīmā obsidiōne ad Cicerōnem perfūgerat
8 suamque eī fidem praestiterat.

By how much heavier and more violent the attack was day by day, and especially because with a great part of the soldiers having been weakened by wounds, the situation had arrived to the fewness of the defenders, by so much more frequent letters and messengers were being sent to Caesar; of whom the part who, having been captured, were being killed in sight of our soldiers with torture. There was one Nervius within by the name Vertico, born from an honorable place, who had taken refuge from the first siege to Cicero and had shown his own trust to him.

9 Hic servō spē lībertātis magnīsque persuādet praemiīs, ut litterās
10 ad Caesarem dēferat. Hās ille in iaculō illigātās effert et Gallus
11 inter Gallōs sine ūllā suspīciōne versātus ad Caesarem pervenit.
12 Ab eō dē perīculīs Cicerōnis legiōnisque cognōscitur.

This man persuades his slave by means of help of freedom and by great rewards, that he should carry letters to Caesar. That one carries these, having been bound in a spear, and as a Gaul, having conducted himself among the Gauls without any suspicion, arrives to Caesar. It is learned from him about the dangers of Cicero and the legion.