[7] His rebus gestis cum omnibus de causis Caesar pacatam Galliam existimaret, [superatis Belgis, expulsis Germanis, victis in Alpibus Sedunis,] atque ita inita hieme in Illyricum profectus esset, quod eas quoque nationes adire et regiones cognoseere volebat, subitum bellum in Gallia coortum est.
Eng: After these events, with Caesar believing that Gaul was pacified for all the reasons we mentioned: the Belgians subdued, the Germans expelled, and the Seduni in the Alps conquered, and having thus set out for Illyricum at the beginning of winter, as he wished to visit those nations and learn about the regions there, a sudden war broke out in Gaul.
华文: 在这些事件发生后，凯撒认为整个高卢已经被平定，比利时人被击败，德国人被赶走，塞杜努斯山区的敌人被打败。他因此计划在这个冬季前往伊利里亚，因为他也想要探访那些地方和部族。然而，突然在高卢爆发了一场战争。
Commentary: At this point in the Gallic Wars, Caesar had already made significant inroads into Gaul. His campaigns were characterized by a combination of military conquests and diplomatic alliances. Caesar's objective was to bring Gaul under Roman control, not only through military might but also by winning the loyalty and cooperation of various Gallic tribes.
Eius belli haec fuit causa. P. Crassus adulescens eum legione VII. proximus mare Oceanum in Andibus hiemabat. Is, quod in his locis inopia frumenti erat, praefectos tribunosque militum complures in finitimas civitates frumenti causa dimisit; quo in numero est T. Terrasidius missus in Esuvios, M. Trebius Gallus in Coriosolites, Q. Velanius eum T. Silio in Venetos.
Eng: The cause of this war was the following: Publius Crassus, a young man, was wintering in the Andes with the seventh legion near the Ocean Sea. Because there was a shortage of grain in these regions, he sent out many praefecti and military tribunes to the neighboring tribes for the sake of grain. Among those sent out were Titus Terrasidius to the Esuvii, Marcus Trebius Gallus to the Coriosolites, and Quintus Velanius and Titus Silius to the Veneti.
华文: 这场战争的原因是因为年轻的普布利乌斯·克拉苏斯带领第七军团冬季驻扎在安德部，靠近大西洋。由于这些地方粮食匮乏，他派遣了多名军团的军官和军士长前往附近的部族寻找粮食。其中包括提比乌斯·特拉西迪乌斯，他被派往埃苏维奥人那里，马克西穆斯·特雷比乌斯·加卢斯，他被派到科里奥索利特人那里，还有昆图斯·韦拉尼乌斯，他和提图斯·西利乌一起被派到维内托人那里。
Commentary: Publius Crassus, also known as Publius Licinius Crassus, was a Roman general and politician who played a part in the Gallic Wars alongside Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. This campaign is sometimes referred to as the "rebellion of the Veneti."
[8] Huius est civitatis longe amplissima auctoritas omnis orae maritimae regionum earum, quod et naves habent Veneti plurimas, quibus in Britanniam navigare consuerunt, et scientia atque usu rerum nauticarum ceteros antecedunt et in magno impetu maris atque aperto paucis portibus interiectis, quos tenent ipsi, omnes fere qui eo mari uti consuerunt habent vectigales.
Eng: The Veneti possessed by far the greatest authority along the entire coastal regions, as they not only had a multitude of ships, with which they were accustomed to sail to Britain, but also excelled in their knowledge and experience of maritime affairs. In the vast expanse of the sea, and amidst the few ports they controlled, they imposed tolls on nearly all those who were accustomed to navigate those waters.
华文: 这个城市在整个沿海地区拥有巨大的权威，因为 Veneti 拥有大量的船只，他们习惯性地前往不列颠，他们在航海知识和技术方面领先于其他人。他们面对巨浪和广阔的海洋时几乎是无敌的，而且在这片海域上只有他们掌握着几乎所有的港口，这些港口都在他们的控制之下，几乎所有经常使用这片海域的人都需要向他们交纳税款。
Commentary: The mention of voyages to Britannia signifies the importance of these maritime routes. Trade, communication, and possibly even political interactions with Britannia were facilitated by the Veneti's naval prowess.
Ab his fit initium retinendi Silii atque Velanii, quod per eos suos se obsides, quos Crasso dedissent, recuperaturos existimabant. Horum auctoritate finitimi adducti, ut sunt Gallorum subita et repentina consilia, eadem de causa Trebium Terrasidiumque retinent et celeriter missis legatis per suos principes inter se coniurant nihil nisi communi consilio acturos eundemque omnes fortunae exitum esse laturos, reliquasque civitates sollicitant, ut in ea libertate quam a maioribus acceperint permanere quam Romanorum servitutem perferre malint. Omni ora maritima celeriter ad suam sententiam perducta communem legationem ad P. Crassum mittunt, si velit suos recuperare, obsides sibi remittat.
Eng: Upon this, Silius and Velanius, in the belief that through their efforts they would recover the hostages that they had given to Crassus, began to obstruct the envoys from returning. Influenced by the authority of these leaders, as is characteristic of the swift and impulsive decisions of the Gauls, the neighboring tribes acted similarly to detain Trebius and Terrasidius. They quickly dispatched messengers through their own chieftains, collectively conspiring to make no decision without common counsel, and agreed that they would all endure the same fortune rather than bear the servitude of the Romans. The entirety of the coastal region was swiftly brought to their way of thinking. They jointly sent a delegation to P. Crassus, urging him to return their hostages if he wished to see his men again.
华文: 这些事情导致了对于西利乌和韦拉尼乌斯的关押，他们认为通过他们可以夺回克拉苏斯所交出的人质。受他们的影响，他们的邻居部族也被说服，如同高卢人常有的突然和意外的决策，出于同样的原因，他们也扣押了 特雷比乌斯和 特拉西迪乌斯。通过这两位部族的领袖迅速派遣使者，他们约定共同决定，并且决定只会在共同协商下行动，他们相信这对于所有人的命运来说是相同的，而且宁愿继续保留其祖先留下的自由而不是忍受罗马人的奴役。他们立刻通过沿海地区，将这一立场广泛传播开来，向普布利乌斯·克拉苏斯发送了共同的使者，如果他愿意释放他们的人质，他就应该将人质送回给他们。
Commentary: The passage mentions the "ora maritima," signifying the coastal regions. The control of these regions was significant due to their economic importance, trade routes, and proximity to Britannia.
[9] Quibus de rebus Caesar a Crasso certior factus, quod ipse aberat longius, naves interim longas aedificari in flumine Ligeri, quod influit in Oceanum, remiges ex provincia institui, nautas gubernatoresque comparari iubet. His rebus celeriter administratis ipse, cum primum per anni tempus potuit, ad exercitum contendit.
Eng: Concerning these matters, Caesar was informed by Crassus that, as he himself was away at a considerable distance, long ships were being constructed in the River Liger, which flows into the Ocean, rowers were being trained from the province, and sailors and pilots were being procured. After expediting these matters, Caesar himself, as soon as he could do so within the timeframe of the year, hastened to his army.
华文: 关于这些事情，因为他当时远离，凯撒从克拉苏斯那里得到通知，便让人在流入大西洋的利格里河上迅速建造长船，从省内招募了桨手，聘请了船员和舵手。这些事情很快就安排妥当后，他亲自尽早前往军队。
Commentary: The passage mentions the recruitment of "gubernatores," meaning pilots or helmsmen.
Veneti reliquaeque item civitates cognito Caesaris adventu [certiores facti], simul quod quantum in se facinus admisissent intellegebant, [legatos, quod nomen ad omnes nationes sanctum inviolatumque semper fuisset, retentos ab se et in vincula coniectos,] pro magnitudine periculi bellum parare et maxime ea quae ad usum navium pertinent providere instituunt, hoc maiore spe quod multum natura loci confidebant.
Eng: The Veneti and the other communities, upon learning of Caesar's arrival, became aware of the severity of their actions, and they also knew that the title of "ambassador" had always been held as sacred and inviolable among all nations. Upon learning that the envoys had been held and thrown into chains, they prepared for war in anticipation of the great danger, especially with regard to those things that pertained to the use of their ships. They took heart from their natural surroundings, confident in their area of expertise.
华文: Veneti和其他一些城邦在得知了凯撒的到来后，既知道自己犯下了何等的罪行，又因他们对于海上作战有深厚的经验，开始准备战争并特别注重船只的准备，因为他们对这一地理环境充满信心。此外，他们还关押并监禁了那些被他们扣留的使者，这是因为使者的名誉在所有民族中都是神圣和不可侵犯的。
Commentary: The passage mentions the tribes' detainment of Roman envoys. The sanctity and inviolability of envoys were highly regarded in ancient diplomacy. The detainment of envoys was considered a grave breach of customary diplomatic etiquette.
Pedestria esse itinera concisa aestuariis, navigationem impeditam propter inscientiam locorum paucitatemque portuum sciebant, neque nostros exercitus propter inopiam frumenti diutius apud se morari posse confidebant; ac iam ut omnia contra opinionem acciderent, tamen se plurimum navibus posse, [quam] Romanos neque ullam facultatem habere navium, neque eorum locorum ubi bellum gesturi essent vada, portus, insulas novisse; ac longe aliam esse navigationem in concluso mari atque in vastissimo atque apertissimo Oceano perspiciebant.
Eng: They recognized that the land routes were limited by estuaries and that navigation was hindered due to their lack of local knowledge and the scarcity of harbors. They didn't believe that our armies could stay with them for an extended period due to the lack of grain. Even though they expected everything to turn out contrary to their expectations, they were confident that their ships were far superior to those of the Romans, as the Romans had no experience with ships or knowledge of the shallows, harbors, and islands where the war would be fought. They understood that navigating in enclosed seas was very different from the vast and open Ocean.
华文: 他们认识到陆路受到河口的限制，而航行则受到当地知识的不足以及港口的稀缺而受阻。他们认为我们的军队由于缺粮无法与他们长时间同在。尽管他们预料一切将会出人意料，但他们相信他们的船只远远优于罗马人的船只，因为罗马人对船只没有经验，对浅滩、港口和将进行战斗的岛屿没有了解。他们明白，在封闭的海域中航行与广阔和开阔的大洋有很大的不同。
Commentary: Veneti's strategic assessment indicates their belief in their naval power and unfamiliarity with Roman naval capabilities and the geographical challenges of the region.
His initis consiliis oppida muniunt, frumenta ex agris in oppida comportant, naves in Venetiam, ubi Caesarem primum bellum gesturum constabat, quam plurimas possunt cogunt. Socios sibi ad id bellum Osismos, Lexovios, Namnetes, Ambiliatos, Morinos, Diablintes, Menapios adsciscunt; auxilia ex Britannia, quae contra eas regiones posita est, arcessunt.
Eng: With these plans in place, they fortify their towns, gather grain from the fields into the towns, and assemble as many ships as possible in Venetia, where they knew Caesar intended to wage his initial campaign. They secure allies for this war, enlisting the Osismi, Lexovii, Namnetes, Ambiliati, Morini, Diablintes, and Menapii. They also call for reinforcements from Britain, which is situated opposite these regions.
华文: 他们制定了这些计划，加强了城镇的防御，将谷物从田野储存到城镇中，并在他们知道凯撒打算进行最初战役的威尼斯地区集结尽可能多的船只。他们为这场战争争取了盟友，包括奥西斯米人、勒克索维人、纳姆内特人、安比利亚蒂人、莫林尼人、迪亚布林特人和梅纳皮人。他们还请求不列颠的增援，因为不列颠位于这些地区的对面。
Commentary: The Veneti took significant steps to bolster their naval strength, understanding that the conflict would likely revolve around control of the sea. They concentrated as many ships as possible in Venetia, a strategic location for maritime operations.