Latin 5.33-5.36

Tum demum Titurius, qui nihil ante providisset, trepidare et concursare cohortesque disponere, haec tamen ipsa timide atque ut eum omnia deficere viderentur; quod plerumque eis accidere consuevit qui in ipso negotio consilium capere coguntur.

Then finally Titurius, because he had provided nothing before, was confused and ran about and deployed the cohorts, however he was doing these very things timidly and such that everything seemed to fail him; which generally is accustomed to happen to those who are forced to form a plan in the difficulties themselves.

At Cotta, qui cogitasset haec posse in itinere accidere atque ob eam causam profectionis auctor non fuisset, nulla in re communi saluti deerat et in appellandis cohortandisque militibus imperatoris et in pugna militis officia praestabat.

But Cotta, who had thought that these things were able to happen on the journey and for this reason had not been a promoter of departure, in no regard was lacking for the common welfare and performed the duties of a commander in calling and encouraging the soldiers in the battle.

Cum propter longitudinem agminis minus facile omnia per se obire et quid quoque loco faciendum esset providere possent, iusserunt pronuntiare, ut impedimenta relinquerent atque in orbem consisterent.

Since on account of the length of the line of march they were less easily able to personally attend to everything and provide what in each place had to be done, they ordered the soldiers to announce that they leave the baggage behind and form a circle.

Quod consilium etsi in eiusmodi casu reprehendendum non est, tamen incommode accidit: nam et nostris militibus spem minuit et hostes ad pugnam alacriores effecit, quod non sine summo timore et disperatione id factum videbatur.

Also this plan is not to be blamed in a disaster of this kind, nevertheless it unfortunately happened: for it both lessened the hope of our soldiers and made the enemy more eager to fight, because it seemed that it had been done not without the highest fear and desparation.

Praeterea accidit, quod fieri necesse erat, ut vulgo milites ab signis discederent, que quisque eorum carissima haberet ab impedimentis petere atque arriper properaret, clamore et fletu omnia complerentur.

In addition it happened, which was necessary to be done, that generally soldiers departed from their standard, that they hurried to look for and seize the equipment which each of them held dear, everything was filled with shouting and weeping.

At barbaris consilium non defuit.

But the barbarians did not lack a plan.

Nam duces eorum tota acie pronuntiare iusserunt, ne quis ab loco discederet, illorum esse praedam atque iffis reservari quaecumque Romani reliquissent: proinde omnia in victoria posita existimarent.

For they ordered their commanders to announce to the whole line of march that no one should leave his place, that the loot was theirs and whatever the Romans had left behind was reserved for them: likewise they thought that everything had depended on victory.

Erant et virtute et numero pugnandi pares.

The men were equal in fighting in both courage and number,

Nostri, tametsi ab duce et a fortuna deserebantur, tamen omnem spem salutis in virtute ponebant, et quotiens quaeque cohors procurrent, ab ea parte magnus numerus hostium cadebat.

Our men, although they were abandoned by their commander and by fortune, nevertheless placed all hope of safety in courage and as often as each cohort had run forward, a great number of the enemy fell from this side.

Que re animadversa, Ambiorix pronuntiari iubet ut procul tela coicant neu propius accedant et, quam in partem Romani impetum fecerint, cedant: levitate armorum et cotidiana exercitatione nihil his noceri posse; rursus se ad signa recipientes insequantur.

With this matter having been observed, Ambiorix orders that it be announced that they throw spears from afar and that they not approach too closely and yield into which side the Romans make an attack: and that they were not at all able to be harmed because of daily exercise and the lightness of their arms; and pursue them again while they were withdrawing to the standard.

Quo praecepto ab eis diligentissime observato, cum quaepia ex orbe excesserat atque impetum fecerat, hostes velocissime refugiebant.

With this order having been very diligently observed by them, when any cohort had departed from the circle and had made an attack, the enemy very quickly escaped.

Interim eam partem nudari necesse erat et ab latere aperto tela recipi.

Meanwhile it was necessary that this part be exposed and that the spears be received from the open side.

Rursus cum in eum locum unde erant egressi reverti coeperant, et ab eis qui cesserant et ab eis qui proximis steterant circumveniebantur.

Again when they had begun to return into this position from where they had gone out, they were surrounded by both those who had yielded and by those who had stood nearest.

Sin autem locum tenere vellent, nec virtuti locus relinquebatur, neque ab tanta multitudine coiecta tela conferti vitare poterant.

Furthermore if they wished to hold this position, neither was there an opportunity left for courage, nor were they able to avoid the weapons having been thrown together by such a great multitude.

Tamen tot incommodis conflictati, multis vulneribus acceptis resistebant et magna parte diei consumpta, cum a prima luce ad horam octavam pugnaretur, nihil quod ipsis esset indignum committebant.

However, having been tormented by so many misfortunes, and with many wounds having been received, they resisted, and with a great part of the day having been spent, since it was fought from dawn to the eighth hour, they committed nothing which was unworthy of them.

Tum T. Balventio, qui superiore anno primum pilum duxerat, viro forti et magnae auctoritatis, utrumque femur tragula traicitur; Q. Lucianius, eiusdem ordinis, fortissime pugnans, dum cirvumvento filio subvenit, interficitur; L. Cotta legatus omnes cohortes ordinesque adhortans in adversum os funda vulneratur.

For T. Balventio, who had led the first century of soldiers in the previous year, a brave man and one of great prestige, each thigh is pierced by a javelin; Q. Lucianius of the same rank is killed, fighting very bravely, while he helped his surrounded son; the lieutenant L. Cotta, encouraging all the cohorts and ranks, is wounded by a slingshot directly in the face.

His rebus permotus Q. Titurius, cum procul Ambiorigem suos cohortantem conspexisset, interpretem suum Cn. Pompeium ad eum mittit rogatum ut sibi militibusque parcat.

Having been roused by these matters, Q. Titurius, since he had caught sight of Ambiorix in the distance encouraging his soldiers, sends his intermediary Cn. Pompeius to him to ask that he spare himself and his soldiers.

Ille appellatus respindit: si velit secum colloqui, licere; sperare a multitudine impetrati posse, quod ad militum salutem pertineat; ipsi vero nihil nocitum iri, inque eam rem se suam fidem interponere.

That man, having been called, responded: that if he should want to converse with him, it would be permitted; that he hoped that what pertains to the safety of the soldiers was able to be obtained from the crowd; that harm would not be done to him in any way, and that he pledged his word into this matter.

Ille cum Cotta saucio communicat, si videatur, pugna ut excedant et cum Ambiorige una colloquantur: sperare ab eo de sua ac militum salute imptrati posse.

He counsels with the wounded Cotta, if it seemed best, that they yield from the fight and speak together with Ambiorix: that he hopes that their own safety and that of their soldiers would be able to be obtained from him.

Cota se ad armatum hostem iturum negat atque in eo perseverat.

Cotta denies that he will go to an armed enemy and in this matter he perseveres.