§3.17.1Dum haec in Venetis geruntur, Q. Titurius Sabinus cum iis copiis quas a Caesare acceperat in fines Venellorum pervenit.
While these things were being transacted among the Veneti, Quintus Titurius Sabinus, with those forces which he had received from Caesar, arrived in the territories of the Venelli.
§3.17.2His praeerat Viridovix ac summam imperii tenebat earum omnium civitatum quae defecerant, ex quibus exercitum [magnasque copias] coegerat; §3.17.3atque his paucis diebus Aulerci Eburovices Lexoviique, senatu suo interfecto quod auctores belli esse nolebant, portas clauserunt seque cum Viridovice coniunxerunt; §3.17.4magnaque praeterea multitudo undique ex Gallia perditorum hominum latronumque convenerat, quos spes praedandi studiumque bellandi ab agri cultura et cotidiano labore revocabat.
Viridovix presided over them and held the chief command of all those states which had revolted, from which he had collected an army [and large forces]; and within these few days, the Aulerci Eburovices and the Lexovii, having put their own senate to death because they did not wish to be promoters of the war, closed their gates and joined Viridovix; and besides, a great multitude of desperate men and robbers had assembled from all parts of Gaul, whom the hope of plunder and the love of fighting recalled from agriculture and daily labor.
§3.17.5Sabinus idoneo omnibus rebus loco castris sese tenebat, cum Viridovix contra eum duorum milium spatio consedisset cotidieque productis copiis pugnandi potestatem faceret, ut iam non solum hostibus in contemptionem Sabinus veniret, sed etiam nostrorum militum vocibus non nihil carperetur; §3.17.6tantamque opinionem timoris praebuit ut iam ad vallum castrorum hostes accedere auderent.
Sabinus kept himself within his camp in a place suitable for all purposes, while Viridovix had encamped opposite him at a distance of two miles, and daily led out his forces and gave him an opportunity of fighting, so that Sabinus now came into contempt not only with the enemy, but was also somewhat carped at by the remarks of our own soldiers; and he gave so great an impression of fear that the enemy now dared to approach the rampart of the camp.
§3.17.7Id ea de causa faciebat quod cum tanta multitudine hostium, praesertim eo absente qui summam imperii teneret, nisi aequo loco aut oportunitate aliqua data legato dimicandum non existimabat.
He did this for this reason, because he did not think that a lieutenant-general ought to fight with so great a multitude of the enemy, especially in the absence of him who held the chief command, unless on favorable ground or some opportunity was given.