§8.7.1His copiis coactis ad Bellovacos proficiscitur castrisque in eorum finibus positis equitum turmas dimittit in omnes partes ad aliquos excipiendos ex quibus hostium consilia cognosceret.
Having assembled these forces, he set out for the territory of the Bellovaci, and after pitching camp in their territory, he sent out troops of cavalry in all directions to capture some from whom he might learn the plans of the enemy.
§8.7.2Equites officio functi renuntiant paucos in aedificiis esse inventos, atque hos, non qui agrorum colendorum causa remansissent (namque esse undique diligenter demigratum), sed qui speculandi causa essent remissi.
The cavalry, having performed their duty, reported back that only a few had been found in the buildings, and that these had remained not for the sake of tilling the fields (for evacuation had been diligently carried out everywhere), but had been sent back for the purpose of scouting.
§8.7.3A quibus cum quaereret Caesar quo loco multitudo esset Bellovacorum quodve esset consilium eorum, inveniebat Bellovacos omnes qui arma ferre possent in unum locum convenisse, §8.7.4itemque Ambianos, Aulercos, Caletos, Veliocasses, Atrebatas; locum castris excelsum in silva circumdata palude delegisse, impedimenta omnia in ulteriores silvas contulisse.
When Caesar inquired of them where the multitude of the Bellovaci was and what their plan was, he found out that all the Bellovaci who could bear arms had assembled in one place, and likewise the Ambiani, Aulerci, Caleti, Veliocasses, and Atrebatas; and that they had chosen an elevated place for their camp in a forest surrounded by a marsh, and had conveyed all their baggage into the further forests.
§8.7.5Complures esse principes belli auctores, sed multitudinem maxime Correo obtemperare, quod ei summo esse odio nomen populi Romani intellexissent.
He learned that there were several leaders who were instigators of the war, but that the multitude obeyed Correus most of all, because they understood that the name of the Roman people was held by him in the greatest hatred.
§8.7.6Paucis ante diebus ex his castris Atrebatem Commium discessisse ad auxilia Germanorum adducenda; quorum et vicinitas propinqua et multitudo esset infinita.
A few days before, Commius the Atrebatian had departed from this camp to bring auxiliary forces of the Germans, whose proximity was close and whose numbers were infinite.
§8.7.7Constituisse autem Bellovacos omnium principum consensu, summa plebis cupiditate, si, ut diceretur, Caesar cum tribus legionibus veniret, offerre se ad dimicandum, ne miseriore ac duriore postea condicione cum toto exercitu decertare cogerentur; §8.7.8si maiores copias adduceret, in eo loco permanere quem delegissent, pabulatione autem, quae propter anni tempus cum exigua tum disiecta esset, et frumentatione et reliquo commeatu ex insidiis prohibere Romanos.
They had decided, moreover, by the consensus of all the leaders and with the greatest eagerness of the common people, that if Caesar should come with three legions, as was rumored, they would offer themselves for battle, lest they should be forced to fight later under more miserable and harder conditions with his entire army; but if he should bring larger forces, they would remain in the place they had chosen, and by ambuscades prevent the Romans from foraging (which owing to the season of the year was both scanty and scattered), grain-gathering, and other supplies.