Bellum Africum 31

B. Afr. 31.1Quibus rēbus cognitīs Caesar iubet mīlitēs, quī extrā mūnītiōnēs prōcesserant pābulandī aut lignandī aut etiam mūniendī grātiā quīque vallum petierant quaeque ad eam rem opus erant, omnēs intrā mūnītiōnēs minūtātim modestēque sine tumultū aut terrōre sē recipere atque in opere cōnsistere.

On learning this, Caesar ordered the soldiers who had gone outside the fortifications to forage, gather wood or even to work on the defences, and those who had gone for palisade stakes and the things needed for that task, all to withdraw within the fortifications a few at a time, in good order, without commotion or panic, and to stand at their work.

Note. Quibus rēbus cognitīs: ablative absolute. quīque vallum petierant: here vallum means the stakes for a palisade. ad eam rem opus erant: opus esse, 'to be needed'. minūtātim modestēque: 'a few at a time and in good order'.

B. Afr. 31.2Equitibus autem, quī in statiōne fuerant, praecipit, ut usque eō locum optinērent, in quō paulō ante cōnstitissent, dōnec ab hoste tēlum missum ad sē pervenīret;

He instructed the cavalry who had been on guard to hold the position where they had been posted shortly before until a missile thrown by the enemy reached them;

Note. ūsque eō … dōnec: 'until'. ut … optinērent (= obtinērent): the order is a purpose-like ut-clause after praecipit.

B. Afr. 31.2quod sī propius accēderētur, quam honestissimē sē intrā mūnītiōnēs reciperent.

if the enemy came any closer, they were to withdraw within the fortifications as honourably as they could.

Note. quod sī: 'but if'. accēderētur: impersonal passive, 'if anyone came closer'. quam honestissimē: 'as honourably as possible', i.e. without a rout.

B. Afr. 31.3Aliī quoque equitātuī ēdīcit, utī suō quisque locō parātus armātusque praestō esset.

He also ordered the rest of the cavalry that each man should be ready and armed at his own post.

Note. aliī equitātuī: 'to the rest of the cavalry' (dative). praestō esse: 'to be at hand'.

B. Afr. 31.4At haec nōn ipse per sē cōram, cum dē vallō prōspeculārētur, sed mīrābilī perītus scientiā bellandī in praetōriō sedēns per speculātōrēs et nūntiōs imperābat, quae fierī volēbat.

But he did not give these orders in person, looking out from the rampart himself; with his wonderful skill in the science of war he sat in his headquarters and issued the orders he wanted carried out through scouts and messengers.

Note. per sē cōram: 'personally, face to face'. mīrābilī perītus scientiā bellandī: 'skilled with wonderful knowledge of warfare'; bellandī is a genitive gerund. The author's admiration for Caesar shows plainly.

B. Afr. 31.5Animadvertēbat enim, quamquam magnīs essent cōpiīs adversāriī frētī, tamen saepe ā sē fugātīs, pulsīs perterritīsque et concessam vītam et ignōta peccāta;

For he saw that although his opponents relied on their large forces, still they were men he had often routed, driven back and terrified, who had been granted their lives and pardoned for their offences;

Note. Indirect statement after animadvertēbat: (eīs) fugātīs, pulsīs perterritīsque are datives, 'to men routed, driven back and terrified'; with concessam supply esse. ignōta peccāta: 'offences pardoned' (ignōscō).

B. Afr. 31.5quibus rēbus numquam tanta suppeteret ex ipsōrum inertiā cōnscientiāque animī victōriae fīdūcia, ut castra sua adorīrī audērent.

for these reasons, given their own lack of spirit and their guilty consciences, they would never have enough confidence of victory to dare to attack his camp.

Note. quibus rēbus: 'for which reasons'. ut … audērent: result clause after tanta.

B. Afr. 31.6Praetereā ipsīus nōmen auctōritāsque magnā ex parte eōrum exercitūs minuēbat audāciam.

Moreover, his own name and prestige greatly lessened the boldness of their army.

Note. ipsīus: Caesar's own. magnā ex parte: 'to a great extent'.

B. Afr. 31.7Tum ēgregiae mūnītiōnēs castrōrum atque vallī fossārumque altitūdō et extrā vallum stilī caecī mīrābilem in modum cōnsitī vel sine dēfēnsōribus aditum adversāriīs prohibēbant: scorpiōnum, catapultārum cēterōrumque tēlōrum, quae ad dēfendendum solent parārī, magnam cōpiam habēbat.

Then, too, the excellent fortifications of the camp, the height of the rampart and the depth of the ditches, and the hidden stakes planted outside the rampart in a remarkable way kept the enemy from approaching even without defenders: he had a great stock of scorpions, catapults and the other missiles that are usually got ready for defence.

Note. stilī caecī: hidden pointed stakes set in the ground (compare the stimulī at Alesia). mīrābilem in modum: 'in a remarkable way'. cōnsitī: 'planted', from cōnserō -sēvī -situs (not cōnserō 'join'). ad dēfendendum: gerund of purpose.

B. Afr. 31.8Atque haec propter exercitūs suī praesentis paucitātem et tīrōcinium praeparāverat, nōn hostium vī et metū commōtus patientem sē timidumque hostium opīniōnī praebēbat.

And he had prepared these because of the small numbers and inexperience of the army he had with him; it was not that he was moved by fear of the enemy's strength when he showed himself patient and timid in the enemy's estimation.

Note. tīrōcinium: 'the inexperience of recruits'. patientem sē timidumque … praebēbat: 'showed himself patient and timid'; hostium opīniōnī: 'in the enemy's eyes'.

B. Afr. 31.9Neque idcircō cōpiās, quamquam erant paucae tīrōnumque, nōn ēdūcēbat in aciem, quod victōriae suōrum diffīderet, sed referre arbitrābātur, cuiusmodī victōria esset futūra;

Nor was it because he distrusted his men's chances of victory that he did not lead out his forces into battle, few and raw though they were; he thought it mattered what kind of victory it would be;

Note. Neque idcircō … nōn ēdūcēbat … quod diffīderet: a rejected reason takes the subjunctive, 'it was not because he distrusted … that he did not lead out'. referre: 'that it mattered'. cuiusmodī victōria esset futūra: indirect question.

B. Afr. 31.9turpe enim sibi exīstimābat tot rēbus gestīs tantīsque exercitibus dēvictīs, tot tam clārīs victōriīs partīs, ab reliquīs cōpiīs adversāriōrum suōrum ex fugā collēctīs sē cruentam adeptum exīstimārī victōriam.

for he thought it shameful for himself, after so many achievements, so many great armies defeated, so many famous victories won, to be thought to have gained a bloody victory over the remnants of his opponents' forces gathered from flight.

Note. turpe … exīstimārī: the subject is the accusative-and-infinitive sē … adeptum exīstimārī. tot … tot: anaphora. victōriīs partīs: from pariō, 'victories gained'.

B. Afr. 31.10Itaque cōnstituerat glōriam exsultātiōnemque eōrum patī, dōnec sibi veterānārum legiōnum pars aliqua in secundō commeātū occurrisset.

So he had decided to put up with their boasting and exultation until some part of his veteran legions should reach him with the second convoy.

Note. pārs aliqua: 'some part'. occurrisset: pluperfect subjunctive after dōnec, expressing expectation.