§3.14.1Compluribus expugnatis oppidis Caesar, ubi intellexit frustra tantum laborem sumi neque hostium fugam captis oppidis reprimi neque iis noceri posse, statuit expectandam classem.
Caesar, having stormed many towns, when he realized that so much labor was taken in vain, and that neither the flight of the enemy could be restrained by the capture of the towns nor could they be harmed, decided that the fleet must be waited for.
§3.14.2Quae ubi convenit ac primum ab hostibus visa est, circiter CCXX naves eorum paratissimae atque omni genere armorum ornatissimae profectae ex portu nostris adversae constiterunt; §3.14.3neque satis Bruto, qui classi praeerat, vel tribunis militum centurionibusque, quibus singulae naves erant attributae, constabat quid agerent aut quam rationem pugnae insisterent.
When this assembled and was first seen by the enemy, about 220 of their ships, fully prepared and most excellently equipped with every kind of armaments, having set out from the harbor, drew up opposite our ships; nor was it sufficiently clear to Brutus, who was in command of the fleet, or to the military tribunes and centurions, to whom individual ships had been assigned, what they should do or what tactics they should pursue.
§3.14.4Rostro enim noceri non posse cognoverant; turribus autem excitatis tamen has altitudo puppium ex barbaris navibus superabat, ut neque ex inferiore loco satis commode tela adigi possent et missa a Gallis gravius acciderent.
For they had known that they could not be injured by the beak; and although towers had been erected, nevertheless the height of the sterns of the barbarian ships surpassed these, so that neither could missiles be cast with sufficient convenience from a lower position and those sent by the Gauls fell with greater force.
§3.14.5Una erat magno usui res praeparata a nostris, falces praeacutae insertae adfixaeque longuriis, non absimili forma muralium falcium.
There was one thing prepared by our men which was of great use: extremely sharp hooks inserted and fastened to long poles, of a form not unlike that of wall-hooks.
§3.14.6His cum funes qui antemnas ad malos destinabant comprehensi adductique erant, navigio remis incitato praerumpebantur.
When with these the ropes which fastened the yards to the masts had been gripped and pulled tight, they were snapped by the vessel being urged forward by oars.
§3.14.7Quibus abscisis antemnae necessario concidebant, ut, cum omnis Gallicis navibus spes in velis armamentisque consisteret, his ereptis omnis usus navium uno tempore eriperetur.
These being cut down, the yards of necessity fell, so that, since all hope for the Gallic ships depended on their sails and rigging, when these were snatched away, all use of the ships was taken away at one and the same time.
§3.14.8Reliquum erat certamen positum in virtute, qua nostri milites facile superabant, atque eo magis quod in conspectu Caesaris atque omnis exercitus res gerebatur, ut nullum paulo fortius factum latere posset; §3.14.9omnes enim colles ac loca superiora, unde erat propinquus despectus in mare, ab exercitu tenebantur.
The remaining conflict depended on courage, in which our soldiers easily excelled, and all the more so because the action was carried on in the sight of Caesar and of the whole army, so that no deed a little braver than usual could go unnoticed; for all the hills and higher places, from where there was a close view down onto the sea, were occupied by the army.