Bellum Africum 12

B. Afr. 12.1Interim cum iam Caesar prōgressus esset ā castrīs circiter mīlia passuum III, per speculātōrēs et antecessōrēs equitēs nūntiātur eī cōpiās hostium haud longē ab sē esse vīsās.

Meanwhile, when Caesar had already advanced about three miles from the camp, it was reported to him by scouts and cavalry who had gone on ahead that the enemy's forces had been seen not far from him.

Note. per speculātōrēs et antecessōrēs equitēs: 'by scouts and the cavalry who had gone ahead'. nūntiātur … cōpiās … esse vīsās: impersonal passive with accusative and infinitive.

B. Afr. 12.1Et herculē cum eō nūntiō pulvis ingēns cōnspicī coeptus est.

And, by Hercules, together with that report a huge cloud of dust began to be seen.

Note. hercule: an exclamation, 'by Hercules', a sign of this author's lively, colloquial style. cōnspicī coeptus est: with a passive infinitive coepī is itself often passive.

B. Afr. 12.2Hāc rē cognitā Caesar celeriter iubet equitātum ūniversum, cuius cōpiam habuit in praesentiā Nōn magnam, et sagittāriōs, quōrum parvus ex castrīs exierat numerus, arcessī, atque ōrdinātim signa sē lēniter cōnsequī;

When he learned this Caesar quickly ordered all his cavalry, of which he had no great number at that moment, and the archers, of whom only a small number had left the camp, to be fetched, and the standards to follow him slowly in order;

Note. iubet … arcessī: 'ordered (them) to be fetched'. ōrdinātim: 'in order'. signa … cōnsequī: the standards stand for the legions following behind.

B. Afr. 12.2ipse antecēdere cum paucīs armātīs.

he himself went on ahead with a few armed men.

Note. antecēdere: historical infinitive, or understand iubet loosely: 'he himself went on ahead'.

B. Afr. 12.3Iamque cum procul hostis cōnspicī posset, mīlitēs in campō iubet galeārī et ad pugnam parārī;

And when the enemy could now be seen in the distance, he ordered the soldiers to put on their helmets in the plain and prepare for battle;

Note. galeārī: passive in a middle sense, 'to put on their helmets'. ad pugnam parārī: 'to get ready for battle'.

B. Afr. 12.3quōrum omnīnō numerus fuit XXX cohortium cum equitibus CCCC, sagittāriīs CL.

their number altogether was thirty cohorts, with four hundred cavalry and a hundred and fifty archers.

Note. quōrum: connecting relative, referring to Caesar's men. numerus fuit XXX cohortium: genitive of description, 'their number was thirty cohorts'. CCCC = 400, CL = 150.