§1.14.1His Caesar ita respondit: eo sibi minus dubitationis dari, quod eas res quas legati Helvetii commemorassent memoria teneret, atque eo gravius ferre quo minus merito populi Romani accidissent; §1.14.2qui si alicuius iniuriae sibi conscius fuisset, non fuisse difficile cavere; sed eo deceptum, quod neque commissum a se intellegeret quare timeret neque sine causa timendum putaret.
To this Caesar replied: that less hesitation was given to him for the reason that he kept in memory those things which the Helvetian ambassadors had mentioned, and that he bore them the more heavily as they had happened the less deservedly to the Roman people; that if they had been conscious of any injury to themselves, it would not have been difficult to be on guard; but they had been deceived by this, that they neither understood that anything had been done by them why they should fear, nor did they think they should fear without cause.
§1.14.3Quod si veteris contumeliae oblivisci vellet, num etiam recentium iniuriarum, quod eo invito iter per provinciam per vim temptassent, quod Haeduos, quod Ambarros, quod Allobrogas vexassent, memoriam deponere posse?
But even if he were willing to forget the old insult, could he also lay aside the memory of recent injuries, namely, that against his will they had attempted a passage through the Province by force, and that they had harassed the Haedui, the Ambarri, and the Allobroges?
§1.14.4Quod sua victoria tam insolenter gloriarentur quodque tam diu se impune iniurias tulisse admirarentur, eodem pertinere.
As to the fact that they boasted so insolently of their victory, and that they wondered that they had committed injuries with impunity for so long, this pointed to the same thing.
§1.14.5Consuesse enim deos immortales, quo gravius homines ex commutatione rerum doleant, quos pro scelere eorum ulcisci velint, his secundiores interdum res et diuturniorem impunitatem concedere.
For the immortal gods were accustomed, in order that men might grieve more heavily from a change of fortune, to grant sometimes more favorable circumstances and longer impunity to those whom they wished to punish for their crime.
§1.14.6Cum ea ita sint, tamen, si obsides ab iis sibi dentur, uti ea quae polliceantur facturos intellegat, et si Haeduis de iniuriis quas ipsis sociisque eorum intulerint, item si Allobrogibus satis faciunt, sese cum iis pacem esse facturum.
Although these things were so, nevertheless, if hostages should be given to him by them, so that he might understand that they would perform what they promised, and if they made satisfaction to the Haedui for the injuries which they had inflicted on them and their allies, and likewise to the Allobroges, he would make peace with them.
§1.14.7Divico respondit: ita Helvetios a maioribus suis institutos esse uti obsides accipere, non dare, consuerint; eius rei populum Romanum esse testem.
Divico replied: that the Helvetii had been so trained by their ancestors that they were accustomed to receive, not to give, hostages; and of that fact the Roman people was witness.
Hoc responso dato discessit.
Having given this response, he departed.