Bellum Africum 33

B. Afr. 33.1Dum haec ad Ruspinam fīunt, lēgātī ex Acyllā, cīvitāte līberā et immūnī, ad Caesarem veniunt sēque parātōs, quaecumque imperāsset, et libentī animō factūrōs pollicentur;

While this was happening at Ruspina, envoys came to Caesar from Acylla, a free community exempt from tribute, and promised that they were ready to do whatever he commanded, and to do it gladly;

Note. cīvitās lībera et immūnis: a 'free and tax-exempt' community, the most privileged status a provincial town could have. sē parātōs … factūrōs [esse] pollicentur: indirect statement after a verb of promising, with the future infinitive; quaecumque imperāsset is subjunctive because it stands in reported speech (the pluperfect represents a future perfect).

B. Afr. 33.1tantum ōrāre et petere ab eō, utī sibi praesidium daret, quō tūtius id et sine perīculō facere possent;

they only begged and asked of him that he give them a garrison, so that they could do this more safely and without danger;

Note. Still reported speech: ōrāre et petere depend on the idea of saying in pollicentur. quō tūtius: quō (= ut eō) introduces a purpose clause containing a comparative.

B. Afr. 33.1sē et frūmentum et, quaecumque rēs eīs suppeteret, commūnis salūtis grātiā subministrātūrōs.

they themselves would supply grain and whatever else they had in plenty, for the sake of their common safety.

Note. subministrātūrōs [esse]: future infinitive, as in sentence 0. commūnis salūtis grātiā: grātiā with the genitive, 'for the sake of'.

B. Afr. 33.2Quibus rēbus facile ā Caesare impetrātīs praesidiōque datō, C. Messium, aedīliciā fūnctum potestāte, Acyllam iubet proficīscī.

These requests were readily granted by Caesar and a garrison was given: he ordered Gaius Messius, a former aedile, to set out for Acylla.

Note. aedīliciā fūnctum potestāte: fungor takes the ablative, 'having held the office of aedile'. The ablative absolute Quibus rēbus … impetrātīs is joined by -que to a second one, praesidiō datō.

B. Afr. 33.3Quibus rēbus cognitīs Cōnsidius Longus, quī Hadrūmētī cum duābus legiōnibus et equitibus DCC praeerat, celeriter ibi parte praesidiī relictā cum VIII cohortibus ad Acyllam īre contendit.

When he learned of this, Considius Longus, who was in command at Hadrumetum with two legions and 700 cavalry, quickly left part of the garrison there and hurried to go to Acylla with eight cohorts.

Note. Hadrūmētī: locative, 'at Hadrumetum'. Considius Longus held the town for the Pompeians.

B. Afr. 33.4Messius celerius itinere cōnfectō prior Acyllam cum cohortibus pervēnit.

Messius, who had made the journey faster, reached Acylla first with his cohorts.

Note. celerius … prior: the comparatives stress that Messius won the race to Acylla.

B. Afr. 33.5Cōnsidius interim cum ad urbem cum cōpiīs accessisset et animadvertisset praesidium Caesaris ibi esse, nōn ausus perīculum suōrum facere nūllā rē gestā prō multitūdine hominum rūrsus sē Hadrūmētum recēpit;

Meanwhile Considius, when he had approached the city with his forces and noticed that Caesar's garrison was there, did not dare to put his men at risk, and without achieving anything worthy of his large numbers he withdrew again to Hadrumetum;

Note. pro multitūdine hominum: 'in proportion to', 'considering' his numbers, i.e. he achieved nothing worthy of so large a force. suōrum: 'of his own men'.

B. Afr. 33.5deinde, paucīs post diēbus equestribus cōpiīs ā Labiēnō adductīs, rūrsus Acyllitānōs castrīs positīs obsidēre coepit.

then, a few days later, when cavalry forces had been brought up by Labienus, he came back, pitched camp and began to besiege the people of Acylla.

Note. paucīs post diēbus: post is an adverb here, 'a few days afterwards' (ablative of degree of difference).