§4.12.1At hostes, ubi primum nostros equites conspexerunt, quorum erat V milium numerus, cum ipsi non amplius DCCC equites haberent, quod ii qui frumentandi causa ierant trans Mosam profecti nondum redierant, nihil timentibus nostris, quod legati eorum paulo ante a Caesare discesserant atque is dies indutiis erat ab his petitus, impetu facto celeriter nostros perturbaverunt; §4.12.2rursus his resistentibus consuetudine sua ad pedes desiluerunt subfossis equis compluribus nostris deiectis reliquos in fugam coniecerunt atque ita perterritos egerunt ut non prius fuga desisterent quam in conspectum agminis nostri venissent.
But the enemy, as soon as they saw our cavalry, the number of which was five thousand, whereas they themselves had not more than eight hundred cavalry, because those who had gone over the Meuse for the purpose of foraging had not yet returned, while our men suspected nothing, because their ambassadors had departed from Caesar a little before, and that day had been requested by them for a truce, made an onset and quickly threw our men into disorder; and when our men again rallied, they, according to their custom, leaped down to their feet, and stabbing our horses from beneath and throwing down many of our men, put the rest to flight, and drove them in such panic that they did not desist from flight until they had come in sight of our army on the march.
§4.12.3In eo proelio ex equitibus nostris interficiuntur IIII et LXX, §4.12.4in his vir fortissimus Piso Aquitanus, amplissimo genere natus, cuius avus in civitate sua regnum obtinuerat amicus a senatu nostro appellatus.
In that battle, seventy-four of our cavalry were slain, and among them Piso, an Aquitanian, a most valiant man, born of a very noble family, whose grandfather had held the sovereignty in his state, and had been styled friend by our senate.
§4.12.5Hic cum fratri intercluso ab hostibus auxilium ferret, illum ex periculo eripuit, ipse equo vulnerato deiectus, quoad potuit, fortissime restitit; §4.12.6cum circumventus multis vulneribus acceptis cecidisset atque id frater, qui iam proelio excesserat, procul animadvertisset, incitato equo se hostibus obtulit atque interfectus est.
He, while bringing assistance to his brother who had been cut off by the enemy, rescued him from danger, but his own horse being wounded and he himself thrown, resisted most valiantly as long as he was able; when, having been surrounded and having received many wounds, he had fallen, and his brother, who had already escaped from the battle, observed it from a distance, he spurred on his horse, threw himself upon the enemy, and was killed.