Bellum Africum 11

B. Afr. 11.1Caesar ūnā nocte in nāvibus cōnsūmptā iam caelō albente cum proficīscī cōnārētur, subitō nāvium pars, dē quā timēbat, ex errōre eōdem cōnferēbātur.

Caesar spent one night on board the ships, and when at first light he was trying to set out, suddenly the part of the fleet he was anxious about came to that same place after going astray.

Note. caelō albente: ablative absolute, 'as the sky was growing white', i.e. at dawn. dē quā timēbat: 'about which he was anxious'. ex errōre: 'after going astray'. eōdem: adverb, 'to the same place'.

B. Afr. 11.2Hāc rē cognitā Caesar celeriter dē nāvibus imperat omnēs ēgredī atque in lītore armātōs reliquōs advenientēs mīlitēs exspectāre.

When he learned this Caesar quickly ordered everyone to leave the ships and wait under arms on the shore for the rest of the soldiers who were arriving.

Note. imperat … omnēs ēgredī: imperō with an accusative and infinitive instead of ut, rather loose usage. armātōs: predicative, 'under arms'.

B. Afr. 11.3Itaque sine morā nāvibus eīs in portum receptīs et advectīs mīlitum equitumque cōpiīs rūrsus ad oppidum Ruspinam redit atque ibi castrīs cōnstitūtīs ipse cum cohortibus expedītīs XXX frūmentātum est profectus.

So, without delay, those ships were brought into harbour and the forces of infantry and cavalry carried over, and he returned again to the town of Ruspina; and there he pitched camp and himself set out to forage with thirty light-armed cohorts.

Note. advectīs … cōpiīs: ablative absolute, 'the forces having been carried over'. frūmentātum est profectus: supine of purpose with the perfect of proficīscor.

B. Afr. 11.4Ex eō est cognitum Caesaris cōnsilium, illum cum classe nāvibus onerāriīs, quae dēerrāssent, subsidiō īre clam hostibus voluisse, nē cāsū imprūdentēs suae nāvēs in classem adversāriōrum inciderent, neque eam rem eōs voluisse scīre, quī in praesidiīs relictī suī mīlitēs fuissent, nē propter suōrum paucitātem et hostium multitūdinem metū dēficerent.

From this Caesar's plan became known: he had wanted to go secretly from the enemy with the fleet to help the transport ships that had gone astray, so that his ships should not fall unawares into the enemy fleet by accident; and he had not wanted the soldiers who had been left behind in the garrisons to know about it, so that they should not lose heart through fear because of their own small numbers and the great numbers of the enemy.

Note. Ex eō: 'from this'. illum … voluisse: indirect statement explaining cōnsilium. clam hostibus: clam as a preposition with the ablative, 'without the enemy's knowledge'. nē … inciderent and nē … dēficerent: purpose clauses.