Postquam id animum advertit, copias suas Caesar in proximum collem subducit equitatumque qui sustineret hostium impetum misit. Ipse interim in colle medio triplicem aciem instruxit legionum quoattuor veteranorum; sed in summo iugo duas legiones, quas in Gallia citeriore proxime conscripserat, et omnida auxilia collocari ac totum montem hominibus complerir et interea sarcinas in unum locum conferri et eum ab his qui in superiore acie contiterant muniri iussit. Helvetii cum omnibus suis carris secuti impedimenta in unum locum contulerunt; ipsi confertissima acie reiecto nostro equitatu phalange facta sub primam nostram aciem successerunt.
As soon as he remarked this, Caesar withdrew his troops to the nearest hill, and sent the horse to check the enemy's charge. Meanwhile he himself drew up his four legions of veterans in triple line1 half-way up the hill: but he ordered the two legions which he had last enlisted in Nearer Gaul and all the auxiliary troops to be posted on the top of the ridge, so as to fill the hill-side entirely with men: in the meantime the packs were to be collected in one place, which was to be entrenched by the troops posted in line on the higher ground. The Helvetii followed with all their carts, and collected their baggage in one place: the fighting men, in a densely-crowded line, repulsed the Roman horse, then formed mass1 and moved up against our first line.
1 See Appendix A
Translation and notes by H.J. Edwards
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