Tunc ducēs prīncipēsque Nerviōrum quī aliquem sermōnis aditum causamque amīcitiae cum Cicerōne habēbant colloquī sēsē velle dīcunt. Factā potestāte eadem quae Ambiorīx cum Titūriō ēgerat commemorant: omnem esse in armīs Galliam; Germānōs Rhēnum trānsīsse; Caesaris reliquōrumque hīberna oppūgnārī. Addunt etiam dē Sabīnī morte; Ambiorīgem ostentant fideī faciendae causā. Errāre eōs dīcunt, sī quicquam ab eīs praesidī spērent, quī suīs rēbus diffīdant; sēsē tamen hōc esse in Cicerōnem populumque Rōmānum animō ut nihil nisi hīberna recūsent atque hanc inveterāscere cōnsuētūdinem nōlint: licēre illīs incolumibus per sē ex hībernīs discēdere et quāscumque in partēs velint sine metū proficīscī. Cicerō ad haec ūnum modo respondit: nōn esse cōnsuētūdinem populī Rōmānī accipere ab hoste armātō condiciōnem: sī ab armīs discēdere velint, sē adiūtōre ūtantur lēgātōsque ad Caesarem mittant; spērāre prō ēius iūstitiā, quae petierint, impetrātūrōs.
notes
Cicero refuses 'to accept terms from an armed enemy'.
sermonis aditum: The meaning is, ‘any means of addressing themselves to Cicero.’ (Moberly).
causam amicitiae: 'grounds of friendship'. (Hodges)
quicquam…praesidi: 'any protection'; praesidii is partitive genitive (Gaisser) (A&G 346).
suis rebus: 'their own safety'. (Hodges)
diffidunt: 'lack confidence (in),' 'are worried (about)'; + dative (Gaisser).
hoc esse…animo: 'were of this mind'; hoc animo is ablative of description. We might say: 'felt this way' (Gaisser) (A&G 415).
ut nihil nisi…recusent: ‘that what they absolutely refused was the use of their country for winter-quarters’ (Moberly); i.e. they will be friends, but not subjects; they only refuse to admit a standing military force. (Allen & Judson).
incolumibus: in agreement with illis. (Hodges)
per se: 'as far as they were concerned' (Gaisser).
se adiutore utantur: 'they may use him as an advocate'. (Allen & Greenough)
se: subject of sperare. (Hodges)
pro: here 'in view of' (Gaisser) (A&G 221.16).
impetraturos (esse): The accusative subject is omitted. Supply eos (Gaisser).Configure
vocabulary
collǒquor, -loqui, -locūtus: to talk together, converse
comměmǒrō, -āre: to call to mind, be mindful, remember; recount, relate
hībernus, -a, -um: referring to winter; hīberna, -ōrum n.: winter quarters
oppugno, -āre: assault, attack, storm
ostentō, -āre: to present, to view, to show, exhibit
quisquam, quicquam: indefinite pronoun: anyone, anything
praesĭdĭum, -i n.: garrison; defense, protection
diffīdo, -fiděre, -fīsus: to distrust; to be different or distrustful
rĕcūso, -āre: refuse
invětĕrasco, -ĕre, -āvi: gain a permanent foothold, become established
consǔētūdo, -ǐnis f.: custom, habit, use
incŏlŭmis, -e: unharmed, safe, without loss
quīcumquě, quaecumquě, quodcumquě: whoever, whichever, whatever
armō, -āre: to furnish with weapons, to arm
adiūtor, -ōris m.: one who helps, an aide, helper
iustǐtǐa, ae f.: justice, equity, righteousness
impĕtro, -āre: obtain, succeed in obtaining