41.
Then these leaders and chiefs of the Nervii, who had any intimacy
and grounds of friendship with Cicero, say they desire
to confer with him. When permission was granted, they recount the same things
which Ambiorix had related to Titurius,
namely, "that all Gaul was in arms, that the Germans had passed the Rhine , that the
winter-quarters of Caesar and of the others were
attacked." They report in addition also, about the death of Sabinus. They point to Ambiorix for the purpose of
obtaining credence; "they are mistaken," say they, "if they hoped for any relief
from those who distrust their own affairs; that they bear such feelings toward
Cicero and the Roman
people that they deny them nothing but winter-quarters, and are unwilling that
the practice should become constant; that through their [the
Nervii's] means it is possible for them [the Romans]
to depart from their winter-quarters safely and to proceed without fear into
whatever parts they desire." To these Cicero made only
one reply: "that it is not the custom of the Roman
people to accept any condition from an armed enemy: if they are willing to lay
down their arms, they may employ him as their advocate and send embassadors to
Caesar: that he believed, from his
[Caesar's] justice, they would obtain the things which they
might request."
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