§2.33.1Sub vesperum Caesar portas claudi militesque ex oppido exire iussit, ne quam noctu oppidani a militibus iniuriam acciperent.
Toward evening, Caesar ordered the gates to be closed and the soldiers to leave the town, lest the townspeople should receive any injury from the soldiers during the night.
§2.33.2Illi ante inito, ut intellectum est, consilio, quod deditione facta nostros praesidia deducturos aut denique indiligentius servaturos crediderant, partim cum iis quae retinuerant et celaverant armis, partim scutis ex cortice factis aut viminibus intextis, quae subito, ut temporis exiguitas postulabat, pellibus induxerant, tertia vigilia, qua minime arduus ad nostras munitiones ascensus videbatur, omnibus copiis repente ex oppido eruptionem fecerunt.
They, having formed a plan beforehand, as was afterwards understood—because they had believed that, once the surrender was made, our men would withdraw the outposts or at least guard them more carelessly—partly with those arms which they had retained and concealed, partly with shields made of bark or woven of osiers, which they had suddenly covered with skins as the shortness of time required, at the third watch, where the ascent to our fortifications seemed least steep, suddenly made a sally from the town with all their forces.
§2.33.3Celeriter, ut ante Caesar imperaverat, ignibus significatione facta, ex proximis castellis eo concursum est, §2.33.4pugnatumque ab hostibus ita acriter est ut a viris fortibus in extrema spe salutis iniquo loco contra eos qui ex vallo turribusque tela iacerent pugnari debuit, cum in una virtute omnis spes consisteret.
Quickly, as Caesar had previously commanded, a signal having been given by fires, there was a rush thither from the nearest redoubts, and the enemy fought so fiercely as brave men ought to have fought in the extreme hope of safety in an unfavorable position against those who threw missiles from the rampart and towers, since all hope rested on courage alone.
§2.33.5Occisis ad hominum milibus IIII reliqui in oppidum reiecti sunt.
About four thousand men having been slain, the rest were driven back into the town.
§2.33.6Postridie eius diei refractis portis, cum iam defenderet nemo, atque intromissis militibus nostris, sectionem eius oppidi universa Caesar vendidit.
On the following day, the gates having been broken open when there was now no one defending, and our soldiers having been admitted, Caesar sold the entire booty of that town in one lot.
§2.33.7Ab iis qui emerant capitum numerus ad eum relatus est milium LIII.
By those who had purchased it, the number of heads reported to him was fifty-three thousand.