XVIII.
Absumptis quae iaciuntur et ardescente pugna procursum ab hoste infestius: (procursum [est] ab hoste infestius: lit. ‘it was run to the attack more aggressively by the enemy’.) immensis corporibus et praelongis hastis (immensis corporibus et praelongis hastis: ablatives of cause) fluitantem labantemque militem (fluitantem labantemque militem: having refused to enter the marshy ground (see preceding chapter at the end) the Romans are presumably now at the edge of the swamp, where slimy water meets slippery land.) eminus fodiebant; simul e mole, quam eductam in Rhenum rettulimus, (e mole, quam eductam in Rhenum rettulimus: cf. ch. 14.) Bructerorum cuneus (cuneus: see note in ch. 16.) transnatavit. Turbata ibi res et pellebatur sociarum cohortium acies, cum legiones pugnam excipiunt suppressaque hostium ferocia proelium aequatur. Inter quae perfuga Batavus adiit Cerialem, (perfuga Batavus adiit Cerialem: adeo, usually intransitive, can have the transitive meaning of ‘to approach [someone or something]’.) terga hostium promittens, si extremo paludis eques mitteretur: (terga hostium promittens, si extremo paludis eques mitteretur: conditional sentence in indir. speech (oratio obliqua); the condition is future and potential; si mitteretur reflects si mittas of direct address.) solidum illa (illa: adverb) et Cugernos, quibus custodia obvenisset, (quibus custodia obvenisset: subjunctive for rel. clause in indir. speech) parum intentos. (parum intentos: ‘little on their guard’) Duae alae cum perfuga missae incauto hosti circumfunduntur. (incauto hosti circumfunduntur: ‘the cavalry squadrons spread themselves around the enemy’; the passive circumfunduntur is reflexive, accompanied by dative.) Quod ubi clamore cognitum, (quod ubi clamore cognitum [est]: ‘as soon as this (quod) became known from the shouting …’) legiones a fronte incubuere, pulsique Germani Rhenum fuga petebant. Debellatum eo die foret, si Romana classis sequi maturasset: (debellatum eo die foret, si Romana classis sequi maturasset: conditional sentence of the third or unreal type: plup. subjunctive in both protasis and apodosis for condition contrary to fact when referring to events in the past.) ne eques quidem institit, repente fusis imbribus et propinqua nocte. (repente fusis imbribus et propinqua nocte: abl abs.: lit.‘heavy showers suddenly being poured and night being near’)