§5.20.1Interim Trinobantes, prope firmissima earum regionum civitas, ex qua Mandubracius adulescens Caesaris fidem secutus ad eum in continentem Galliam venerat, cuius pater in ea civitate regnum obtinuerat interfectusque erat a Cassivellauno, ipse fuga mortem vitaverat, legatos ad Caesarem mittunt pollicenturque sese ei dedituros atque imperata facturos; §5.20.2petunt ut Mandubracium ab iniuria Cassivellauni defendat atque in civitatem mittat, qui praesit imperiumque obtineat. §5.20.3His Caesar imperat obsides quadraginta frumentumque exercitui Mandubraciumque ad eos mittit. §5.20.4Illi imperata celeriter fecerunt, obsides ad numerum frumentumque miserunt.
In the meantime, the Trinobantes, almost the strongest state of those regions, from which the young man Mandubracius, having followed the protection of Caesar, had come to him into continental Gaul (whose father had held the sovereignty in that state and had been killed by Cassivellaunus, while he himself had escaped death by flight), send ambassadors to Caesar, and promise that they will surrender themselves to him and perform his commands. They petition that he defend Mandubracius from the injustice of Cassivellaunus, and send him to their state to preside over it and possess the sovereignty. Caesar demands of them forty hostages and corn for his army, and sends Mandubracius to them. They speedily performed his commands, and sent hostages to the required number, and the corn.