C. Iulius Caesar, De Bello Gallico 4.27
The fighting has ended and the Britons are suing for peace. The passage covers the embassy and the terms Caesar sets, and it brings in Commius of the Atrebates, sent across to Britain ahead of the fleet.
Tier 1
hostēs in proeliō superātī sunt. deinde ex fugā sē recēpērunt. statim lēgātōs ad Caesarem mīsērunt. lēgātī pācem petīvērunt et dīxērunt: “obsidēs tibi dabimus. omnia faciēmus quae imperābis.”
cum hīs lēgātīs vēnit Commius. Commius ex gente Atrebātum erat. Caesar hunc virum anteā in Britanniam mīserat. tum Britannī eum cēpērunt et in vincula coniēcērunt. ille enim verba Caesaris ad eōs portābat. post proelium tamen Britannī Commium remīsērunt.
nunc Britannī pācem petēbant. itaque dīxērunt: “nōn prīncipēs, sed multitūdō hoc fēcit. male fēcimus. ignōsce nōbīs, Caesar!”
Caesar tamen īrātus erat. “vōs ipsī,” inquit, “anteā lēgātōs in Galliam mīsistis. tum pācem ā mē petīvistis. deinde sine causā bellum mihi intulistis.” Caesar tamen eīs ignōvit. deinde obsidēs imperāvit. Britannī partem obsidum statim dedērunt. dē reliquīs dīxērunt: “illī in locīs longinquīs sunt. eōs paucīs diēbus dabimus.”
eō tempore Britannī suōs mīlitēs in agrōs remīsērunt. prīncipēs quoque undique vēnērunt. omnēs sē et cīvitātēs suās Caesarī trādidērunt.
Tier 2
hostēs proeliō superātī sunt. postquam sē ex fugā recēpērunt, statim lēgātōs ad Caesarem dē pāce mīsērunt. lēgātī dīxērunt: “obsidēs tibi dabimus et omnia faciēmus quae imperāveris.”
ūnā cum hīs lēgātīs vēnit Commius, ex gente Atrebātum, quem Caesar anteā in Britanniam praemīserat. Britannī hunc virum cēperant, ubi ē nāvī ēgressus est, et in vincula coniēcerant. ille enim verba Caesaris ad eōs sīcut lēgātus ferēbat. sed post proelium eum remīsērunt.
Britannī pācem petēbant. itaque culpam eius reī in multitūdinem coniēcērunt et Caesarem ōrāvērunt: “male fēcimus. ignōsce nōbīs!”
Caesar tamen querēbātur: “ipsī anteā lēgātōs in Galliam mīsistis et pācem ā mē petīvistis. deinde sine causā bellum intulistis.” tamen “vōbīs ignōscō,” inquit. tum obsidēs imperāvit. Britannī partem obsidum statim dedērunt. dē reliquīs dīxērunt: “illī in locīs longinquiōribus sunt. eōs paucīs diēbus dabimus.”
eō tempore Britannī suōs mīlitēs in agrōs redīre iussērunt. prīncipēs quoque undique convenīre coepērunt et sē cīvitātēsque suās Caesarī trādere.
Tier 3
hostēs proeliō superātī, simul atque sē ex fugā recēpērunt, statim mīsērunt lēgātōs ad Caesarem dē pāce. pollicitī sunt sēsē obsidēs datūrōs [esse] quaeque imperāsset factūrōs [esse].
ūnā cum hīs lēgātīs vēnit Commius Atrebās, quem suprā dēmōnstrāveram ā Caesare in Britanniam praemissum [esse]. illī hunc, ē nāvī ēgressum, comprehenderant atque coiēcerant in vincula, cum dēferret ad eōs ōrātōris modō Caesaris mandāta. tum, proeliō factō, remīsērunt [eum].
in petendā pāce eius reī culpam coiēcērunt in multitūdinem et, propter imprūdentiam, petīvērunt ut ignōscerētur.
Caesar, questus quod, cum ultrō in continentem lēgātīs missīs pācem ab sē petīssent, bellum sine causā intulissent, dīxit [sē] ignōscere imprūdentiae obsidēsque imperāvit. quōrum illī partem statim dedērunt; partem, ex longīnquiōribus locīs arcessītam, dīxērunt sēsē datūrōs [esse] paucīs diēbus.
intereā iussērunt suōs [mīlitēs] remigrāre in agrōs, prīncipēsque coepērunt undique convenīre et sē cīvitātēsque suās Caesarī commendāre.
Tier 4 - Liber Ipse
hostēs proeliō superātī, simul atque sē ex fugā recēpērunt, statim ad Caesarem lēgātōs dē pāce mīsērunt; obsidēs datūrōs quaeque imperāsset sēsē factūrōs pollicitī sunt. ūnā cum hīs lēgātīs Commius Atrebās vēnit, quem suprā dēmōnstrāveram ā Caesare in Britanniam praemissum. hunc illī ē nāvī ēgressum, cum ad eōs ōrātōris modō Caesaris mandāta dēferret, comprehenderant atque in vincula coiēcerant: tum proeliō factō remīsērunt. in petendā pāce eius reī culpam in multitūdinem coiēcērunt et propter imprūdentiam ut ignōscerētur petīvērunt. Caesar questus quod, cum ultrō in continentem lēgātīs missīs pācem ab sē petīssent, bellum sine causā intulissent, ignōscere imprūdentiae dīxit obsidēsque imperāvit; quōrum illī partem statim dedērunt, partem ex longīnquiōribus locīs arcessītam paucīs diēbus sēsē datūrōs dīxērunt. intereā suōs remigrāre in agrōs iussērunt, prīncipēsque undique convenīre et sē cīvitātēsque suās Caesarī commendāre coepērunt.
