Bellum Africum 10

B. Afr. 10.1Itaque ibi relictō P. Sasernā, frātre eius, quem Leptī proximō oppidō relīquerat, cum legiōne iubet comportārī ligna in oppidum quam plūrima;

So, leaving there Publius Saserna, the brother of the man he had left at Leptis, the next town, with a legion, he ordered as much wood as possible to be carried into the town;

Note. P. Sasernā: Publius Saserna, brother of Gaius whom Caesar had left at Leptis. quam plūrima: 'as much as possible'; quam with a superlative.

B. Afr. 10.1ipse cum cohortibus VII, quae ex veterānīs legiōnibus in classe cum Sulpiciō et Vatīniō rem gesserant, ex oppidō Ruspinā ēgressus proficīscitur ad portum, quī abest ab oppidō mīlia passuum duo, ibique classem sub vesperum cum eā cōpiā cōnscendit.

he himself, with seven cohorts which had served in the fleet with Sulpicius and Vatinius from the veteran legions, left the town of Ruspina and set out for the harbour, which is two miles from the town, and there towards evening he boarded the fleet with that force.

Note. cum cohortibus VII … quae … in classe … rem gesserant: veterans who had served with the fleet under P. Sulpicius Rufus and P. Vatinius. mīlia passuum duo: accusative of extent, 'two miles'. sub vesperum: 'towards evening'. ea cōpia: 'that force'.

B. Afr. 10.2Omnibus in exercitū īnsciīs et requīrentibus imperātōris cōnsilium, magnō metū ac trīstimōniā sollicitābantur.

Everyone in the army was unaware of the commander's plan and kept asking about it, and they were troubled with great fear and gloom.

Note. Omnibus … īnsciīs et requīrentibus: ablative absolute. The subject of sollicitābantur shifts to 'the men'. trīstimōnia: a rare word for trīstitia, 'sadness'.

B. Afr. 10.3Parvā enim cum cōpiā et eā tīrōnum, neque omnī expositā, in Āfricā contrā magnās cōpiās et īnsidiōsae nātiōnis equitātum innumerābilem sē expositōs vidēbant neque quicquam sōlātiī in praesentiā neque auxiliī in suōrum cōnsiliō animum advertēbant, nisi in ipsīus imperātōris vultū, vigōre mīrābilīque hilaritāte;

For they saw themselves landed in Africa with a small force, and that of recruits, and not all of it landed, against great forces and the countless cavalry of a treacherous nation; and they could see no comfort in the present situation and no help in the counsel of their own officers, except in the face, the vigour and the wonderful cheerfulness of the commander himself;

Note. Parvā … cum cōpiā et eā tīrōnum: 'with a small force, and that one of recruits'; et is with is emphasizes an added point. neque omnī expositā: 'and not all of it landed'. nisi in … vultū: 'except in the face'.

B. Afr. 10.3animum enim altum et ērēctum prae sē gerēbat.

for he showed a lofty and upright spirit.

Note. prae sē gerēbat: 'he showed openly, displayed'.

B. Afr. 10.4Huic adquiēscēbant hominēs et in eius scientiā et cōnsiliō omnia sibi prōclīvia omnēs fore spērābant.

In him the men found rest, and they all hoped that through his knowledge and judgement everything would be easy for them.

Note. Huic adquiēscēbant: 'they found rest in him'; adquiēscō with the dative. omnia sibi prōclīvia … fore: 'that everything would be easy for them'; fore = futūra esse.