§4.13.1Hoc facto proelio Caesar neque iam sibi legatos audiendos neque condiciones accipiendas arbitrabatur ab iis qui per dolum atque insidias petita pace ultro bellum intulissent; §4.13.2expectare vero dum hostium copiae augerentur equitatus reverteretur summae dementiae esse iudicabat, §4.13.3et cognita Gallorum infirmitate quantum iam apud eos hostes uno proelio auctoritatis essent consecuti sentiebat; quibus ad consilia capienda nihil spatii dandum existimabat.
After this battle was fought, Caesar thought that he should no longer listen to legates or accept terms from those who, having sought peace through deceit and treachery, had of their own accord brought war upon them; indeed, he judged that to wait until the enemy's forces should be increased and their cavalry should return would be the height of madness; and since he knew the instability of the Gauls, he perceived how much prestige the enemy had already gained among them by a single battle, and he thought that no time should be given to them to form plans.
§4.13.4His constitutis rebus et consilio cum legatis et quaestore communicato, ne quem diem pugnae praetermitteret, oportunissima res accidit, quod postridie eius diei mane eadem et perfidia et simulatione usi Germani frequentes, omnibus principibus maioribusque natu adhibitis, ad eum in castra venerunt, §4.13.5simul, ut dicebatur, sui purgandi causa, quod contra atque esset dictum et ipsi petissent, proelium pridie commisissent, simul ut, si quid possent, de indutiis fallendo impetrarent.
Having determined these matters and communicated his plan to his lieutenants and the quaestor, in order not to lose any day for battle, a most opportune event occurred, namely, that on the morning of the following day, the Germans, practicing the same perfidy and dissimulation, came in great numbers to him in the camp, bringing with them all their chiefs and elders, partly, as was alleged, for the purpose of clearing themselves, because they had joined battle on the day before, contrary to what had been agreed and what they themselves had requested, and partly that, if they could in any way, they might obtain something concerning a truce by deceiving him.
§4.13.6Quos sibi Caesar oblatos gavisus illos retineri iussit; ipse omnes copias castris eduxit equitatumque, quod recenti proelio perterritum esse existimabat, agmen subsequi iussit.
Rejoicing that they were thrown in his way, Caesar ordered them to be detained; he himself led all his forces out of the camp, and ordered the cavalry, which he believed to be terrified by the recent battle, to follow the rear of the army.