Bellum Africum 28

B. Afr. 28.1Dum haec ad Ruspinam ab utrīsque ducibus administrantur, C. Vergilius praetōrius, quī Thapsī, oppidō maritimō, praeerat, cum animum advertisset nāvēs singulās cum exercitū Caesaris incertās locōrum atque castrōrum suōrum vagārī, occāsiōnem nactus nāvem, quam ibi habuit, āctuāriam complet mīlitibus et sagittāriīs et eīdem scaphās dē nāvibus adiungit ac singulās nāvēs Caesariānās cōnsectārī coepit.

While these things were being carried on near Ruspina by the commanders on both sides, Gaius Vergilius, an ex-praetor who was in command at Thapsus, a town on the coast, noticed that single ships carrying Caesar's army were wandering about, unsure of the country and of where their camp was; seizing the opportunity, he filled a fast ship that he had there with soldiers and archers, attached to it some boats from his ships, and began to hunt down Caesar's ships one by one.

Note. Thapsī: locative, with oppidō maritimō in apposition. animum advertisset: 'had noticed'. occāsiōnem nactus: 'having seized the opportunity' (nancīscor). nāvem … āctuāriam: a fast, light ship with oars.

B. Afr. 28.2Et cum plūrēs adortus esset pulsus fugātusque inde discessisset nec tamen dēsisteret perīclitārī, forte incidit in nāvem, in quā erant duo Titiī, Hispānī adulēscentēs, tribūnī legiōnis V, quōrum patrem Caesar in senātum lēgerat, et cum hīs T. Saliēnus, centuriō legiōnis eiusdem, quī M. Messālam lēgātum obsēderat Messānae sēditiōsissimā ōrātiōne apud eum ūsus īdemque pecūniam et ōrnāmenta triumphī Caesaris retinenda et custōdienda cūrārat et ob hās causās sibi timēbat.

And when he had attacked several, been beaten off and put to flight, and had withdrawn from there, but still did not stop taking risks, he happened upon a ship carrying the two Titii, young Spaniards, military tribunes of the Fifth Legion, whose father Caesar had enrolled in the Senate, and with them Titus Salienus, a centurion of the same legion, who had besieged the legate Marcus Messala at Messana, using most seditious language towards him, and had also seen to it that money and decorations for Caesar's triumph were held back and kept in custody, and for these reasons was afraid for himself.

Note. pulsus fugātusque: 'beaten back and put to flight'. Messānae: locative, 'at Messana'. Salienus had led a mutiny in 47 BC. pecūniam … retinenda et custōdienda cūrārat: cūrō with a gerundive, 'had seen to it that … were held back'; cūrārat = cūrāverat.

B. Afr. 28.3Hīc propter cōnscientiam peccātōrum suōrum persuāsit adulēscentibus, nē repugnārent sēsēque Vergiliō trāderent.

Because of his guilty conscience about his misdeeds, this man persuaded the young men not to resist and to surrender to Vergilius.

Note. persuāsit … nē repugnārent: 'persuaded them not to resist'. sēsē is an emphatic form of sē.

B. Afr. 28.3Itaque dēductī ā Vergiliō ad Scīpiōnem custōdibus trāditī et post diem tertium sunt interfectī.

So they were taken by Vergilius to Scipio, handed over to guards, and two days later put to death.

Note. post diem tertium: 'two days later' (Roman inclusive counting).

B. Afr. 28.4Quī cum dūcerentur ad necem, petīsse dīcitur maior Titius ā centuriōnibus, utī sē priōrem quam frātrem interficerent, idque ab eīs facile impetrāsse, atque ita esse interfectōs.

As they were being led to execution, the elder Titius is said to have asked the centurions to kill him before his brother, to have easily obtained this from them, and so they were killed.

Note. petīsse = petīvisse. maior Titius: 'the elder Titius'. utī (= ut) … interficerent: indirect request. priōrem quam frātrem: 'before his brother'.