Bellum Africum 2

B. Afr. 2.1Legiōnibus collēctīs VI et equitum II mīlibus, ut quaeque prīma legiō vēnerat, in nāvēs longās impōnēbātur, equitēs autem in onerāriās.

When six legions and two thousand cavalry had been collected, each legion was put on board the warships as it arrived first, and the cavalry on the transports.

Note. ut quaeque prīma legiō vēnerat: 'as each legion had arrived first', i.e. in order of arrival. impōnēbātur: 'was put on board'; the singular agrees with quaeque legiō.

B. Afr. 2.2Ita maiōrem partem nāvium antecēdere iussit et īnsulam petere Apōniānam, quae abest ā Lilybaeō… commorātus bona paucōrum pūblicē vēndit, deinde Aliēnō praetōrī, quī Siciliam obtinēbat, dē omnibus rēbus praecipit et dē reliquō exercitū celeriter impōnendō.

So he ordered the greater part of the ships to go on ahead and make for the island of Aponiana, which is ... miles from Lilybaeum ... having stayed there, he sold the property of a few men at public auction; then he gave the praetor Allienus, who governed Sicily, instructions on all matters, and in particular on embarking the rest of the army quickly.

Note. The manuscripts have lost words after Lilybaeō (marked …), so the distance and the place where Caesar stayed are missing. bona … pūblicē vendit: 'sold at public auction the property' of a few men, probably Pompeians whose goods had been confiscated. dē … exercitū celeriter impōnendō: gerundive, 'about the rest of the army being quickly embarked'.

B. Afr. 2.4Datīs mandātīs ipse nāvem cōnscendit a. d. VI Kal. Iān.

After giving his orders he himself boarded a ship on the sixth day before the Kalends of January

Note. a. d. VI Kal. Iān.: 25 December (pre-Julian calendar). Sentences 9 and 10 belong together: the edition's abbreviation full stop splits them.

B. Afr. 2.4et reliquās nāvēs statim est cōnsecūtus.

and at once caught up with the rest of the ships.

Note. est cōnsecūtus: perfect of the deponent cōnsequor, 'overtook, caught up with'.

B. Afr. 2.5Ita ventō certō celerīque nāvigiō vectus post diem quārtum cum longīs paucīs nāvibus in cōnspectum Āfricae vēnit;

So, carried by a steady wind and a swift ship, on the fourth day he came within sight of Africa with a few warships;

Note. post diem quārtum: 'after four days', counting inclusively, 'on the fourth day'. vectus: perfect participle of vehor, 'carried, sailing'.

B. Afr. 2.5namque onerāriae reliquae praeter paucās ventō dispersae atque errābundae dīversa loca petierant.

for the rest of the transports, except a few, had been scattered by the wind and, wandering off course, had made for different places.

Note. errābundae: 'wandering', an adjective in -bundus, which describes a continuing action. petierant = petīverant.

B. Afr. 2.6Clupeam classe praetervehitur, dein Neāpolim;

He sailed past Clupea with his fleet, then Neapolis;

Note. Clupeam: accusative singular of the plural name Clupeae. praetervehitur: deponent-like passive of praetervehō, 'sails past'. dein = deinde. Neāpolim: Greek-style accusative in -im.

B. Afr. 2.6complūra praetereā castella et oppida Nōn longē ā marī relinquit.

besides this he passed by several forts and towns not far from the sea.

Note. complūra: neuter plural of complūrēs, agreeing with castella et oppida.