§1.44.1Ariovistus ad postulata Caesaris pauca respondit, de suis virtutibus multa praedicavit: §1.44.2transisse Rhenum sese non sua sponte, sed rogatum et arcessitum a Gallis; non sine magna spe magnisque praemiis domum propinquosque reliquisse; sedes habere in Gallia ab ipsis concessas, obsides ipsorum voluntate datos; stipendium capere iure belli, quod victores victis imponere consuerint.
Ariovistus replied briefly to the demands of Caesar, but boasted much of his own virtues: that he had crossed the Rhine not of his own accord, but because he had been requested and summoned by the Gauls; that he had not left his home and kindred without great hope and great rewards; that he had settlements in Gaul granted by themselves, hostages given with their own consent; that he received tribute by the right of war, which victors were accustomed to impose on the vanquished.
§1.44.3Non sese Gallis sed Gallos sibi bellum intulisse: omnes Galliae civitates ad se oppugnandum venisse ac contra se castra habuisse; eas omnes copias a se uno proelio pulsas ac superatas esse.
That he had not made war upon the Gauls, but the Gauls upon him; that all the states of Gaul had come to attack him and had encamped against him; that all those forces had been routed and overcome by him in a single battle.
§1.44.4Si iterum experiri velint, se iterum paratum esse decertare; si pace uti velint, iniquum esse de stipendio recusare, quod sua voluntate ad id tempus pependerint.
If they wished to try their fortune again, he was ready to fight again; if they wished to enjoy peace, it was unfair to refuse the tribute which they had paid till that time of their own free will.
§1.44.5Amicitiam populi Romani sibi ornamento et praesidio, non detrimento esse oportere, atque se hac spe petisse.
That the friendship of the Roman people ought to be an honor and a protection to him, not a detriment, and that he had sought it with this hope.
Si per populum Romanum stipendium remittatur et dediticii subtrahantur, non minus libenter sese recusaturum populi Romani amicitiam quam adpetierit.
If through the Roman people the tribute should be remitted and the surrendered persons withdrawn, he would reject the friendship of the Roman people no less heartily than he had sought it.
§1.44.6Quod multitudinem Germanorum in Galliam traducat, id se sui muniendi, non Galliae oppugnandae causa facere; eius rei testimonium esse quod nisi rogatus non venerit et quod bellum non intulerit sed defenderit.
As to his bringing a multitude of Germans into Gaul, he did it for the purpose of securing himself, not of attacking Gaul; of this thing the proof was that he had not come except when requested, and that he had not made war, but had defended himself.
§1.44.7Se prius in Galliam venisse quam populum Romanum.
That he had come into Gaul before the Roman people.
Numquam ante hoc tempus exercitum populi Romani Galliae provinciae finibus egressum.
Never before this time had an army of the Roman people gone outside the boundaries of the Province of Gaul.
§1.44.8Quid sibi vellet? Cur in suas possessiones veniret? Provinciam suam hanc esse Galliam, sicut illam nostram.
What did he want? Why did he come into his possessions? This part of Gaul was his province, just as that other was ours.
Ut ipsi concedi non oporteret, si in nostros fines impetum faceret, sic item nos esse iniquos, quod in suo iure se interpellaremus.
As it ought not to be conceded to him if he made an attack on our territories, so likewise we were unjust in interrupting him in his right.
§1.44.9Quod fratres a senatu Haeduos appellatos diceret, non se tam barbarum neque tam imperitum esse rerum ut non sciret neque bello Allobrogum proximo Haeduos Romanis auxilium tulisse neque ipsos in iis contentionibus quas Haedui secum et cum Sequanis habuissent auxilio populi Romani usos esse.
As to his saying that the Haedui had been styled "brothers" by the senate, he was not so uncivilized, nor so ignorant of affairs, as not to know that neither had the Haedui rendered assistance to the Romans in the late war with the Allobroges, nor had they themselves, in those struggles which the Haedui had maintained with him and with the Sequani, enjoyed the assistance of the Roman people.
§1.44.10Debere se suspicari simulata Caesarem amicitia, quod exercitum in Gallia habeat, sui opprimendi causa habere.
He had reason to suspect that Caesar, under the pretense of friendship, had an army in Gaul for the purpose of crushing him.
§1.44.11Qui nisi decedat atque exercitum deducat ex his regionibus, sese illum non pro amico sed pro hoste habiturum.
Unless he should depart and withdraw his army from these regions, he would regard him not as a friend, but as an enemy.
§1.44.12Quod si eum interfecerit, multis sese nobilibus principibusque populi Romani gratum esse facturum (id se ab ipsis per eorum nuntios compertum habere), quorum omnium gratiam atque amicitiam eius morte redimere posset.
And if he should kill him, he would do a favor to many nobles and leading men of the Roman people (this he had ascertained from themselves through their messengers), the favor and friendship of all of whom he could purchase by his death.
§1.44.13Quod si decessisset et liberam possessionem Galliae sibi tradidisset, magno se illum praemio remuneraturum et quaecumque bella geri vellet sine ullo eius labore et periculo confecturum.
But if he should depart and hand over the free possession of Gaul to him, he would reward him with a great recompense, and would carry out whatever wars he wished to be waged without any labor or danger to him.