Part 1
Erant omnīnō itinera duo, quibus itineribus domō exīre possent:
There were in all two routes, by which they could leave home:
alterum per prōvinciam nostram, multō facilius atque expedītius,
another (route) thorugh our province, easier and quicker by much,
Ex eō oppidō pōns ad Helvētiōs pertinet.
From that town, a bridge extends to the Helvetii.
ūnum per Sēquanōs, angustum et difficile,
one through the Sequani, narrow and difficult,
comparative
Allobrogibus sēsē vel persuāsūrōs, quod nōndum bonō animō in populum Rōmānum vidērentur, existimabant
They were thinking THAT they would either persuade the Allobrogi, because they seemed not yet in a good mind toward the Roman people,
inter mōntem Iūram et flūmen Rhodanum, vix quā singulī carrī dūcerentur;
between Mt. Jura and the Rhome River, by which scarcly wagons one at a time could be led:
proptereā quod inter fīnēs Helvētiōrum et Allobrogum, quī nūper pācātī erant, Rhodanus fluit,
because between the borders of the Helvetii and the Allobrogi, who had recently made peace, the Rhone river flowed,
vel vī coāctūrōs ut per suōs fīnēs eōs īre paterentur.
or THAT they would compell/force them by force to allow them to go through their borders.
mōns autem altissimus impendēbat,
but the very tall mountain was overhanging,
isque nōn nūllīs locīs vadō trānsītur.
and it is crossed in some places by wading.
Omnibus rēbus ad profectiōnem comparātīs, diem dīcunt,
With all the things towards setting out prepared (AA), they say the day,
ut facile perpaucī prohibēre possent:
so that very few (enemies) could easily prevent/block them:
Extrēmum oppidum Allobrogum est proximumque Helvētiōrum fīnibus Genāva.
The farthest town of the Allobrogi is nearest to the borders of the Helvetii, Geneva.
quā diē ad rīpam Rhodanī omnēs conveniant. Is diēs erat a. d. V. Kal. April., L. Pīsōne, A. Gabīniō cōnsulibus.
on which day at the bank of the Rhodanus River everyone will meet. This day was 5 days before the Kalends of April, during the consulship of Piso and Gabinius.