From Ancient to Medieval Latin, then on to Modern English I’ve a slightly different take on chapter 1, Book 4….
From:
Ea quae secuta est hieme, qui fuit annus Gnaeo Pompeio, Marco Crasso consulibus, Usipetes Germani et item Tencteri magna cum multitudine hominum flumen Rhenum transierunt, non longe a mari, quo Rhenus influit. Causa transeundi fuit quod ab Suebis complures annos exagitati bello premebantur et agri cultura prohibebantur.
Sueborum gens est longe maxima et bellicosissima Germanorum omnium. Hi centum pagos habere di****ur, ex quibus quotannis singula milia armatorum bellandi causa ex finibus edu****. Reliqui, qui domi manserunt, se atque illos alunt; hi rursus in vicem anno post in armis sunt, illi domi remanent. Sic neque agri cultura nec ratio atque usus belli intermittitur.
Sed privati ac separati agri apud eos nihil est, neque longius anno remanere uno in loco colendi causa licet. Neque multum frumento, sed maximam partem lacte atque pecore vivunt multum sunt in venationibus; quae res et cibi genere et cotidiana exercitatione et libertate vitae, quod a pueris nullo officio aut disciplina adsuefacti nihil omnino contra voluntatem faciunt, et vires alit et immani corporum magnitudine homines efficit. Atque in eam se consuetudinem adduxerunt ut locis frigidissimis neque vestitus praeter pelles habeant quicquam, quarum propter exiguitatem magna est corporis pars aperta, et laventur in fluminibus.
To:
During the winter, in the year of Gnaeus Pompey and Marcus Crassus's consulship, the Germanic Usipetes and Tencteri, together with a large related rabble crossed the River Rhine not far from where it empties into the sea. This affair was due to the Swabians, whom for several years had stirred up war, overwhelmed, and prohibited their holding farmsteads.
The nation of Swabia is by far the largest and most warlike of all Germany. It's said they hold one hundred districts and every year from each, one thousand armed warriors are educed to expand their domain. Furthermore, remaining households feed the levy and themselves, one and all. Hence, these conscriptions are annually altered according to rank and correspondingly those once armed return home. Therefor, this routine insures that neither sustenance nor the pursuit of war is neglected.
Indeed amongst them are no private or separate homesteads. Neither are they allowed to remain in place to farm for more than a year. In fact, having few crops they normally live off milk and beef whilst many hunt. Herein events and rations daily give birth to the labors of freedom. They are as youth, unaccustomed to obligation or discipline; disinclined and altogether opposed to bring about a common will. To this end they nurture violence to produce a huge collection of savage humanity. All together, according to traditions developed in frigid realms of such great want, all wear not cloth but pelts, til hidden body parts expose to bathe amidst a running stream.
As one may note a result far removed from the traditional 19th century example.
McDevitte, W. A.,
and W. S. Bohn 1869
The following winter (this was the year in which Cn. Pompey and M. Crassus were consuls), those Germans [called] the Usipetes, and likewise the Tenchtheri, with a great number of men, crossed the Rhine, not far from the place at which that river discharges itself into the sea. The motive for crossing [that river] was, that having been for several years harassed by the Suevi, they were constantly engaged in war, and hindered from the pursuits of agriculture.
The nation of the Suevi is by far the largest and the most warlike nation of all the Germans. They are said to possess a hundred cantons, from each of which they yearly send from their territories for the purpose of war a thousand armed men: the others who remain at home, maintain [both] themselves and those-engaged in the expedition. The latter again, in their turn, are in arms the year after: the former remain at home. Thus neither husbandry, nor the art and practice of war are neglected.
But among them there exists no private and separate land; nor are they permitted to remain more than one year in one place for the purpose of residence. They do not live much on corn, but subsist for the most part on milk and flesh, and are much [engaged] in hunting; which circumstance must, by the nature of their food, and by their daily exercise and the freedom of their life (for having from boyhood been accustomed to no employment, or discipline, they do nothing at all contrary to their inclination), both promote their strength and render them men of vast stature of body. And to such a habit have they brought themselves, that even in the coldest parts they wear no clothing whatever except skins, by reason of the scantiness of which, a great portion of their body is bare, and besides they bathe in open rivers.
Any questions or comments?