Bellum Africum 18

B. Afr. 18.1Interim M. Petrēius et Cn. Pīsō cum equitibus Numidīs MDC ēlēctīs peditātūque eiusdem generis satis grandī ex itinere rēctā subsidiō suīs occurrunt.

Meanwhile Marcus Petreius and Gnaeus Piso, with sixteen hundred picked Numidian cavalry and a fairly large force of infantry of the same kind, came straight from the march to help their side.

Note. M. Petrēius: Marcus Petreius, a veteran Pompeian commander who had fought against Caesar in Spain. Cn. Pīsō: see sentence 15. MDC = 1,600. rēctā (sc. viā): 'straight'. subsidiō suīs: double dative, 'as a help for their own side'.

B. Afr. 18.2Atque hostēs suīs ex terrōre firmātīs rūrsusque renovātīs animīs legiōnāriōs conversīs equitibus recipientēs novissimōs adorīrī et impedīre coepērunt, quō minus in castra sē reciperent.

And the enemy, their men recovered from their terror and their spirits renewed again, wheeled their cavalry and began to attack the rear of the legionaries as they withdrew, and to prevent them from getting back to camp.

Note. suīs … firmātīs: ablative absolute; suīs means 'their own men'. quō minus … reciperent: 'from getting back', after impedīre; also written quōminus.

B. Afr. 18.3Hāc rē animadversā Caesar iubet signa convertī et mediō campō redintegrārī proelium.

When he noticed this Caesar ordered the standards to be turned about and the battle to be renewed in the middle of the plain.

Note. signa convertī: 'the standards to be turned about', i.e. the army to face the enemy again. mediō campō: ablative of place without in.

B. Afr. 18.4Cum ab hostibus eōdem modō pugnārētur nec comminus ad manūs redīrētur Caesarisque equitēs iūmenta ex nauseā recentī, sitī, languōre, paucitāte, vulneribus dēfatīgāta ad īnsequendum hostem persevērandumque cursum tardiōra habērent diēīque pars exigua iam reliqua esset, cohortibus equitibus circumdatīs cohortātur, ut ūnō ictū contenderent neque remitterent, dōnec ultrā ultimōs collēs hostēs reppulissent atque eōrum essent potītī.

Since the enemy kept fighting in the same way and would not come to close quarters, and Caesar's cavalry had horses that were too slow to pursue the enemy and keep up the chase, worn out by their recent seasickness, by thirst, fatigue, small numbers and wounds, and only a small part of the day was now left, he surrounded the cohorts with the cavalry and urged them to make one charge and not let up until they had driven the enemy beyond the furthest hills and taken possession of them.

Note. Cum … pugnārētur … redīrētur: impersonal passives, 'since the fighting was going on'. ex nauseā recentī: the horses were still suffering from the sea crossing. ūnō ictū: 'in one charge'. eōrum essent potītī: potior takes the genitive or ablative.

B. Afr. 18.5Itaque signō datō cum iam hostēs languidē tēla neglegenterque mitterent, subitō immittit cohortēs turmāsque suōrum;

So, giving the signal when the enemy were already throwing their missiles feebly and carelessly, he suddenly sent in the cohorts and squadrons of his men;

Note. languidē … neglegenterque: adverbs; -que joins neglegenter to languidē. turmās: cavalry squadrons.

B. Afr. 18.5atque punctō temporis hostibus nūllō negōtiō campō pulsīs post collemque dēiectīs nactī locum atque ibi paulisper commorātī, ita, utī erant īnstrūctī, lēniter sē ad suās recipiunt mūnītiōnēs.

and in a moment, the enemy having been driven off the plain without trouble and thrown back behind the hill, they gained the position and stayed there a little while, then slowly withdrew to their own fortifications in battle order, just as they were.

Note. nūllō negōtiō: 'without trouble'. post collemque: -que is attached to the noun after the preposition. nactī: perfect participle of nancīscor. ūtī erant īnstrūctī: 'in battle order, just as they were'.

B. Afr. 18.5Itemque adversāriī male acceptī tum dēmum sē ad sua praesidia contulērunt.

Likewise the enemy, roughly handled, then at last went back to their own defences.

Note. male acceptī: 'roughly handled', a soldiers' expression. tum dēmum: 'only then'.