XI.
Postero die Germanorum acies trans Visurgim stetit. Caesar nisi pontibus praesidiisque inpositis dare in discrimen legiones haud imperatorium ratus, (nisi pontibus praesidiisque inpositis dare in discrimen legiones haud imperatorium [esse] ratus: ‘convinced that to place the legions in harm’ way, without (nisi = ‘unless’) bridges and their defenses being established, was not a tactic worthy of a good general.’ nisi forms a protasis by combining with a perfect participle of an abl. abs., a construction not uncommon in Tacitus (see G. 667, Note). The apodosis is infinitive with implied esse after ratus, from reor, a verb of thinking. imperatorium may well be the neutral noun form of imperatorius, i.e. ‘good leadership’.) equitem vado tramittit. praefuere Stertinius et e numero primipilarium Aemilius, (e numero primipilarium Aemilius: primipilaris is an honorary title, like consularis, given to those who had served as primipilus, the centurion of the first century of the first cohort in a legion. After leaving the army, primipilares could be considered for higher offices and even admittance to the equestrian order. According to an inscription found in Capua, Paulus Aemilius, probably the person mentioned here, had been twice praefectus equitum.) distantibus locis invecti, ut hostem diducerent. (distantibus locis invecti, ut hostem diducerent: ‘having waded across the river in places far apart to cause the enemy to divide their forces’) qua celerrimus amnis, (qua celerrimus amnis: qua is relative adverb: ‘where the current was strongest’) Chariovalda dux Batavorum erupit. eum Cherusci fugam simulantes in planitiem saltibus circumiectam traxere: (eum … in planitiem saltibus circumiectam traxere: ‘they enticed him into a clearing surrounded by wooded hills’) dein coorti et undique effusi trudunt adversos, instant cedentibus (instant cedentibus: ‘they press hard those who give way’; insto, like the similar insisto, is found with dat. or abl.) collectosque in orbem pars congressi, (congressi: ‘fighting hand to hand’, lit. ‘coming to grips with …’) quidam eminus proturbant. (pars …, quidam: both subjects of perturbant, both referring to the Germans) Chariovalda diu sustentata hostium saevitia, (diu sustentata hostium saevitia: ‘the fury of the enemy having long been sustained’) hortatus suos ut ingruentis catervas globo perfringerent, (ut ingruentis catervas globo perfringerent: ‘to break in a compact body through the swarms of Germans assaulting them’) atque ipse densissimos inrumpens, (densissimos inrumpens: lit. ‘bursting upon the foe at their thickest’; used here with a direct object, inrumpo is normally intransitive.) congestis telis et suffosso equo labitur, (congestis telis et suffosso equo labitur: ‘missiles being directed at him in large numbers and his horse pierced under him, he fell dead to the ground.’ labitur is hist present, like other verbs in the chapter.) ac multi nobilium circa: ceteros vis sua aut equites cum Stertinio Aemilioque subvenientes periculo exemere. (periculo exemere: periculo is abl. of separation, ‘they rescued them from destruction.’)