1At barbarī,
But the barbarians,
2cōnsiliō Rōmānōrum cōgnitō
with the plan of the Romans having been recognized
3praemīssō equitātū et essedāriīs,
with their cavalry and charioteers having been sent ahead,
4quō plērumque genere
which type, often,
5in proeliīs ūtī cōnsuērunt,
they are accustomed to use in their battles,
6reliquīs cōpiīs subsecūtī
having followed closely with the remaining troops
7nostrōs nāvibus ēgredī prohibēbant.
they were prohibiting our men from getting off the ships.
8Erat ob hās causās summa difficultās,
There was on account of these reasons the greatest difficulty,
9quod nāvēs
because the ships
10propter māgnitūdinem
because of their size
11nisi in altō cōnstituī nōn poterant,
were not able to be deployed except in deep water,
12mīlitibus autem,
the soldiers moreover,
13īgnōtīs locīs,
with the places unknown,
14impedītīs manibus,
with their hands impeded,
15māgnō et gravī onere armōrum oppressīs,
overwhelmed by the great and serious burden of their arms
16simul et dē nāvibus dēsiliendum
all at the same time they had to both jump down from the ships,
17et in fluctibus cōnsistendum
take up position in the waves
18et cum hostibus erat pūgnandum,
and fight with the enemies,
19cum illī aut ex āridō aut paulum in aquam prōgressī,
when they [the Britons] having come forth either from dry land or a little bit into the water,
20omnibus membrīs expedītīs,
with all their limbs unimpeded,
21nōtissimīs locīs,
with the places very well known,
22audācter tēla cōicerent
they were throwing their spears boldly
23et equōs īnsuēfactōs incitārent.
and spurring on their well-trained horses.
24Quibus rēbus nostrī perterritī
Our men, completely terrified by these things
25atque hūius omnīnō generis pūgnae imperītī,
and altogether inexperienced of this type of fight,
26nōn eādem alacritāte āc studiō quō in pedestribus ūtī proeliīs cōnsuērant utēbantur.
they were not using the same speed and zeal which they were accustomed to use in infantry battles.