§4.32.1Dum ea geruntur, legione ex consuetudine una frumentatum missa, quae appellabatur VII., neque ulla ad id tempus belli suspicione interposita, cum pars hominum in agris remaneret, pars etiam in castra ventitaret, ii qui pro portis castrorum in statione erant Caesari nuntiaverunt pulverem maiorem quam consuetudo ferret in ea parte videri quam in partem legio iter fecisset.
While these things were going on, when one legion, which was called the Seventh, had been sent out according to custom to forage, and no suspicion of war had been raised up to that time, while some of the men remained in the fields and others were also frequently coming and going to the camp, those who were on guard duty in front of the gates of the camp reported to Caesar that a larger cloud of dust than usual was seen in that direction towards which the legion had marched.
§4.32.2Caesar—id quod erat—suspicatus aliquid novi a barbaris initum consilii, cohortes quae in statione erant secum in eam partem proficisci, ex reliquis duas in stationem succedere, reliquas armari et confestim sese subsequi iussit.
Caesar—suspecting, as was indeed the case, that some new plan had been formed by the barbarians—ordered the cohorts which were on guard duty to set out with him in that direction, two of the remaining cohorts to take their place on guard, and the rest to be armed and follow him immediately.
§4.32.3Cum paulo longius a castris processisset, suos ab hostibus premi atque aegre sustinere et conferta legione ex omnibus partibus tela coici animadvertit.
When he had proceeded a little further from the camp, he noticed that his men were being hard pressed by the enemy and were holding their ground with difficulty, and that, as the legion was crowded together, weapons were being hurled from all sides.
§4.32.4Nam quod omni ex reliquis partibus demesso frumento pars una erat reliqua, suspicati hostes huc nostros esse venturos noctu in silvis delituerant; §4.32.5tum dispersos depositis armis in metendo occupatos subito adorti paucis interfectis reliquos incertis ordinibus perturbaverant, simul equitatu atque essedis circumdederant.
For because, since the grain had been reaped from all the other parts, only one part was left, the enemy, suspecting that our men would come here, had hidden themselves in the woods by night; then, suddenly attacking them while they were dispersed and busy reaping, with their arms laid aside, they killed a few, threw the rest into confusion as their ranks were disorganized, and at the same time surrounded them with cavalry and chariots.