Hīs rēbus permōtus Q. Titūrius, cum procul Ambiorīgem suōs cohortantem cōnspēxisset, interpretem suum Cn. Pompēium ad eum mittit rōgātum ut sibi mīlitibusque parcat. Ille appellātus respondit: sī velit sēcum colloquī, licēre; spērāre ā multitūdine impetrārī posse, quod ad mīlitum salūtem pertineat; ipsī vērō nihil nocitum īrī, inque eam rem sē suam fidem interpōnere. Ille cum Cottā sauciō commūnicat, sī videātur, pūgnā ut excēdant et cum Ambiorīge ūnā colloquantur: spērāre ab eō dē suā āc mīlitum salūte impetrārī posse. Cotta sē ad armātum hostem itūrum negat atque in eō persevērat.
notes
Ambiorix's forces attack the column in a defile.
rogatum: 'to ask'; supine used to express purpose (Gaisser) ( A&G 509).
Ille: Ambiorix. ille is often used, as here, to indicate a change of subject (Gaisser) ( A&G 297.b).
quod…pertineat: subject of posse. (Hodges)
ipsi: i.e., Titurius Sabinus; dative with nociturum iri: future passive infinitive( A&G 164.c). This is an extremely rare form. Translate: 'he himself would not be harmed' (Gaisser); 'that to him, certainly no harm will be done'; nihil is accusative of specification and nocitum iri impersonal. Instead of the latter we should expect fore ut noceatur. ( A&G 397.b, 208.d)
suam fidem interponere: 'pledged his word' (Hodges); 'gave his word' (Gaisser).
pugna: ablative with excedant (Gaisser) ( A&G 402).
ut excedant: depends upon communicat – 'proposes that they should withdraw', etc., 'if it should seem best'. (Harkness)
impetrari posse: impersonal passive: '(their request) could be granted' (Gaisser) ( A&G 208.d).
vocabulary
permǒvěo, -mǒvēre, -mōvi, -mōtum: to move or stir up thoroughly
conspǐcǐo, -ěre, -spexi, -spectum: to look at attentively, to get sight of, observe
interprĕs, -ĕtis m.: interpreter
collǒquor, colloqui, collocūtus: to speak, talk, converse
impĕtro, -āre: obtain, succeed in obtaining
interpōno, -poněre, -pǒsǔi, -pǒsǐtum: to place between, interpose
saucĭus, -a, -um: wounded, bleeding
commūnǐcō, -āre, -āvi, -ātum: communicate, impact, share
excēdo, -ĕre, -cessi, -cessum: go out of, withdraw from; advance out of
armō, -āre, -āvi, -ātum: to arm, equip, to furnish with weapons
persĕvēro, -āre: persist
