§8.1.1Omni Gallia devicta Caesar cum a superiore aestate nullum bellandi tempus intermisisset militesque hibernorum quiete reficere a tantis laboribus vellet, complures eodem tempore civitates renovare belli consilia nuntiabantur coniurationesque facere.
All Gaul having been subdued, although Caesar had intermitted no time of warring since the preceding summer, and wished to recruit his soldiers from such great labors by the rest of winter quarters, several states at the same time were reported to be renewing their plans of war and forming conspiracies.
§8.1.2Cuius rei verisimilis causa adferebatur, quod Gallis omnibus cognitum esset neque ulla multitudine in unum locum coacta resisti posse Romanis, nec, si diversa bella complures eodem tempore intulissent civitates, satis auxili aut spati aut copiarum habiturum exercitum populi Romani ad omnia persequenda; non esse autem alicui civitati sortem incommodi recusandam, si tali mora reliquae possent se vindicare in libertatem.
A plausible reason for this was offered: because it was known to all the Gauls that they could not resist the Romans even if any multitude were collected into one place, but that if several states brought diverse wars at the same time, the army of the Roman people would not have enough help, time, or forces to pursue them all; moreover, that the lot of hardship ought not to be refused by any state, if by such a delay the remaining states could vindicate themselves into liberty.