[16] Interim cotidie Caesar Haeduos frumentum, quod essent publice polliciti, flagitare. Nam propter frigora [quod Gallia sub septentrionibus, ut ante dictum est, posita est,] non modo frumenta in agris matura non erant, sed ne pabuli quidem satis magna copia suppetebat; eo autem frumento quod flumine Arari navibus subvexerat propterea utiminus poterat quod iter ab Arari Helvetii averterant, a quibus discedere nolebat. Diem ex die ducere Haedui: conferri,comportari, adesse dicere.
Eng: Caesar is demanding the daily grain from the Haedui which they had promised publicly. Because of the cold (as previously mentioned, Gaul is situated in the north), not only was the grain not mature in the fields, but there was also a shortage of sufficient forage. However, Caesar was still making use of the grain that had been transported by ship on the river Arar, because he did not want to depart from the Helvetians, from whom the Haedui did not wish to separate, but who had diverted their route from the Arar. The Haedui were postponing the matter day by day, claiming that the grain was being brought together, assembled, and was nearby.
华文: 同时，凯撒每天都在催促埃杜阿人提供他们承诺的粮食。因为由于气候寒冷（正如前面所说，高卢地区位于北部），不仅农田中的庄稼还没有成熟，而且牧场上的饲料也不够丰富；而凯撒运来的那些麦粒，又因为被阻断了通往河流阿拉里斯的道路，不能被运往其他地方。埃杜阿人一再拖延，称正在收集、搬运和运送中。
Commentary: The Roman reliance on grain (frumentum) was essential to feed their armies during campaigns, and shortages could have dire consequences.
The reference to the "frigora" (cold weather) and lack of food in the fields is a reminder of the challenges of campaigning in Gaul, particularly during the harsh winters.
The phrase "diem ex die ducere" (to lead the day from day to day) implies that the Haedui were procrastinating and not fulfilling their promises promptly, which could have frustrated Caesar's plans.
Ubi se diutius duci intellexit et diem instare quo die frumentum militibus metiri oporteret, convocatis eorum principibus, quorum magnam copiam in castris habebat, in his Diviciaco et Lisco, qui summo magistratui praeerat, quem vergobretum appellant Haedui, qui creatur annuus et vitae necisque in suos habet potestatem, graviter eos accusat,
Eng: When Caesar realized that he was being delayed for a long time and that the day was approaching on which the grain had to be measured out to the soldiers, he called together the leaders of the Haeduans, who had a large number of men in their camp, including Diviciacus and Liscus. Liscus was the chief magistrate, whom the Haeduans call the vergobretus, and he is elected annually and has power of life and death over his own people. Caesar sternly accused them,
华文: 当他意识到自己被拖延了很长时间，并且军队必须测量粮食的日期即将到来时，他召集了在营地中拥有很多首领的人，其中包括迪维西亚库和利斯科。后者是奥维托鲁曼时期的哈德良帝国的最高官员，哈杜伊人称之为“维尔戈布雷特”，每年选举一次，并对自己的生死拥有权力。他严厉谴责了这些领袖，
Commentary: The vergobretum was a political and religious leader among the Haedui, a powerful tribe in Gaul. The title was held for one year, and the holder had the power of life and death over his people.
The metatio frumentaria was a Roman system for measuring out grain rations to soldiers. It was an important logistical process for the Roman army, as soldiers relied heavily on their daily grain ration.
Diviciacus, mentioned in the passage, was a prominent Haeduan leader and Druid. He was an ally of Caesar and served as a mediator between Caesar and the Gauls.
Liscus, also mentioned in the passage, was a co-leader of the Haedui alongside Diviciacus. He was a friend of Caesar and was influential in convincing his people to support the Roman cause.
quod, cum neque emi neque ex agris sumi possit, tam necessario tempore, tam propinquis hostibus ab iis non sublevetur, praesertim cum magna ex parte eorum precibus adductus bellum susceperit[; multo etiam gravius quod sit destitutus queritur].
Eng: He laments that, in such a necessary time, with enemies so close at hand, he is not being assisted by them since neither purchasing nor taking from the fields is possible; especially considering that he was convinced to engage in war by their urging, which makes it much more grievous that he has been abandoned.
华文: =他严厉地指责他们，因为在这么紧要关头，那么接近的敌人却没有从他们那里得到任何救济，因为他们大部分是在满足他们的请求下发动战争的[; 更加严重的是，他抱怨自己已经被抛弃了]。
Commentary: The use of wheat and barley as the main staple foods of the Roman army was established by the time of the Republic. Soldiers were entitled to a daily ration of bread, usually baked on portable ovens called clibanarii.
The reliance on the local populations for supply, especially in hostile territories, was a recurring challenge for the Roman army. Julius Caesar, in particular, had to deal with the scarcity of resources during his campaigns in Gaul and Britain.
The phrase "bellum susceperit" in the passage means "undertook the war." Caesar had invaded Gaul with the aim of subjugating it and bringing it under Roman rule. His campaign against the Helvetii was part of this larger effort.
The phrase "multo etiam gravius quod sit destitutus queritur" means "he complains even more bitterly that he has been abandoned."
The passage is also notable for its use of indirect speech, which is a common feature of ancient Latin prose. This involves reporting what someone said without using their exact words, but rather summarizing their message or conveying the sense of what they said. In this case, the passage reports Caesar's soldiers' complaints about the lack of food in indirect speech.
[17] Tum demum Liscus oratione Caesaris adductus quod antea tacuerat proponit:esse non nullos, quorum auctoritas apud plebem plurimum valeat, qui privatim plus possint quam ipsi magistratus.
Eng: Finally, Liscus, persuaded by Caesar's speech, puts forward something he had previously kept silent about: that there were some individuals whose influence among the people was very great, and who in private had more power than the magistrates themselves.
华文: 终于，利斯库斯在凯撒的讲话下，提出了他之前没有说的话：有些人的私人影响力在人民中非常大，他们可以私下影响比官方更多的事情。
Commentary:
Hos seditiosa atque improba oratione multitudinem deterrere, ne frumentum conferant quod debeant: praestare, si iam principatum Galliae obtinere non possint, Gallorum quam Romanorum imperia perferre, neque dubitare [debeant] quin, si Helvetios superaverint Romani, una cum reliqua Gallia Haeduis libertatem sint erepturi.
Eng: These individuals, through their seditious and wicked speeches, are discouraging the multitude from providing the grain that they owe. They advocate that, if they can no longer hold the leadership of Gaul, they should prefer the rule of the Gauls over that of the Romans, and they should not doubt that, if the Romans conquer the Helvetians, they will snatch liberty away from the Haedui along with the rest of Gaul.
华文: 随后，利斯库斯被凯撒的演讲所说服，提出了之前没有提及的事情：有一些人，他们的权威在人民中非常高，私下里的影响力甚至比官方政府还大。这些人用叛乱和恶意的言辞来吓阻人们，不让他们贡献应该提供的粮食，而是更愿意接受高卢人的领导，而不是罗马人的领导，特别是如果他们无法继续掌握高卢的主导地位的话。他们不怀疑，如果罗马人击败了瑞士人，就会连同其他高卢人一起被剥夺自由。
Commentary: The reference to the possibility of the Romans enslaving the Haedui if they were defeated by the Helvetii reflects the fear and anxiety that many Gallic tribes felt about the Roman presence in Gaul. While the Haedui were loyal to Rome, other tribes were more ambivalent or openly hostile to the Roman presence, and there were frequent uprisings and revolts against Roman rule.
Ab isdem nostra consilia quaeque in castris gerantur hostibus enuntiari; hos a se coerceri non posse. Quin etiam, quod necessariam rem coactus Caesari enuntiarit, intellegere sese quanto id cum periculo fecerit, et ob eam causam quam diu potuerit tacuisse.
Eng: The same individuals are disclosing our plans and all that is being done in the camp to the enemy, and they cannot be restrained by them. Moreover, he stated that by disclosing to Caesar what was necessary, he understood how great a danger he had brought upon himself and for this reason he had kept silent for as long as he could.
华文: 同样的人将我们在营地中的计划和所做的一切向敌人泄露；他们无法控制这些人。此外，他被迫告诉了凯撒必要的事情，他知道自己的这一举动带来了多大的风险，因此他尽可能地保持了沉默。
Commentary: During wars and military campaigns, espionage and intelligence gathering have always been essential components of strategic planning. The ancient Romans were no exception, and they developed elaborate networks of spies and informants to gather information about their enemies.
However, the use of spies and informants was a risky business, and the Romans were aware of the dangers of betrayal and disloyalty. There are several instances in Roman history where spies and informants were caught and punished severely.
One such example is the case of Publius Licinius Crassus, who was appointed by the Roman Senate to negotiate a peace treaty with the Parthians in 171 BC. Crassus was captured by the Parthians and executed, reportedly because he had been betrayed by one of his own officers.
Another example is the case of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, better known as Pompey the Great. In 49 BC, Pompey was betrayed by one of his own officers, Lucius Afranius, who defected to Julius Caesar's side during the civil war between Pompey and Caesar.
The passage also shows Caesar's leadership skills in handling the situation. Rather than reacting impulsively or harshly, he took the time to understand the situation and assess the risk. He also recognized the courage and loyalty of the informant, which suggests that he was respected and trusted by his men.