§1.36.1Ad haec Ariovistus respondit: ius esse belli ut qui vicissent iis quos vicissent quem ad modum vellent imperarent. Item populum Romanum victis non ad alterius praescriptum, sed ad suum arbitrium imperare consuesse.
To this Ariovistus replied: that it was the right of war that those who had conquered should rule those whom they had conquered in what manner they pleased; that in like manner the Roman people were accustomed to rule the conquered, not according to the dictation of any other, but according to their own discretion.
§1.36.2Si ipse populo Romano non praescriberet quem ad modum suo iure uteretur, non oportere se a populo Romano in suo iure impediri.
If he himself did not dictate to the Roman people how they should use their own right, he ought not to be obstructed by the Roman people in his own right.
§1.36.3Haeduos sibi, quoniam belli fortunam temptassent et armis congressi ac superati essent, stipendiarios esse factos.
That the Haedui had become tributary to him, because they had tried the fortune of war, and had engaged in arms and been vanquished.
§1.36.4Magnam Caesarem iniuriam facere, qui suo adventu vectigalia sibi deteriora faceret.
That Caesar was doing a great injustice, since by his arrival he was making his revenues less valuable to him.
§1.36.5Haeduis se obsides redditurum non esse neque his neque eorum sociis iniuria bellum inlaturum, si in eo manerent quod convenisset stipendiumque quotannis penderent; si id non fecissent, longe iis fraternum nomen populi Romani afuturum.
That he would not restore the hostages to the Haedui, nor would he make war on them or their allies without cause, if they remained in that which had been agreed upon, and paid their tribute yearly; if they did not do so, the brotherly name of the Roman people would be far from helping them.
§1.36.6Quod sibi Caesar denuntiaret se Haeduorum iniurias non neglecturum, neminem secum sine sua pernicie contendisse.
As to Caesar's declaring to him that he would not overlook the wrongs of the Haedui, no one had ever contended with him without his own destruction.
§1.36.7Cum vellet, congrederetur: intellecturum quid invicti Germani, exercitatissimi in armis, qui inter annos XIIII tectum non subissent, virtute possent.
Let him engage when he pleased; he would learn what the invincible Germans, who were highly trained in arms, and who had not gone under a roof for fourteen years, could accomplish by their valor.