vˈæn hˈuːf nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ, haʊˈɛvɚ, dˌɪsɐɡɹˈiːz; ɪn hɪz vjˈuː ðɪ ˈɔːθɚɹ ɪz mˈoːɹ lˈaɪkli tə hɐvbɪn ɐ pˌɑːlɪtˈɪʃən sˈʌtʃ ɐz wˈʌn ʌv sˈiːzɚz lˈɛɡeɪts kwˈɪntəs pˈiːdɪəs ɔːɹ kwˈɪntəs fˈæbɪəs mˈæksɪməs ɹˈæðɚ ðˌænə pɹəfˈɛʃənəl sˈoʊldʒɚ, ɔːlðˈoʊ nˌɑːt nˌɛsɪsˈɛɹᵻli ˈiːðɚɹ ʌv ðˈiːz, sˈɪns ðə ɹˈaɪɾɚ ʃˈoʊz ɛkspˈiəɹɪəns ʌv ˈæfɹɪkən kˈʌstəmz ænd sˌoʊ hæd pɹˈɑːbəbli vˈɪzɪɾᵻd ˈæfɹɪkə.
Van Hooff (1974), however, disagrees; in his view the author is more likely to have been a politician such as one of Caesar's legates Quintus Pedius or Quintus Fabius Maximus rather than a professional soldier, although not necessarily either of these, since the writer shows experience of African customs and so had probably visited Africa.