Bellum Africum 34

B. Afr. 34.1Per id tempus C. Sallustius Crispus, quem paucīs ante diēbus missum ā Caesare cum classe dēmōnstrāvimus, Cercinam pervēnit.

About this time Gaius Sallustius Crispus, who, as we have shown, had been sent by Caesar with a fleet a few days before, reached Cercina.

Note. C. Sallustius Crispus is Sallust the historian, then praetor. quem … missum … dēmōnstrāvimus: the author refers back to his own earlier narrative.

B. Afr. 34.2Cuius adventū C. Decimius quaestōrius, quī ibi cum grandī familiae suae praesidiō praeerat commeātuī, parvulum nāvigium nactus cōnscendit ac sē fugae commendat.

On his arrival Gaius Decimius, the former quaestor, who was there in charge of the supplies with a large guard made up of his own household, got hold of a small boat, went aboard and took to flight.

Note. Cuius adventū: connecting relative, 'At his arrival'. commeātuī praeerat: praesum takes the dative. sē fugae commendat: 'entrusts himself to flight', a vivid way of saying he ran away.

B. Afr. 34.3Sallustius interim praetor ā Cercinītānīs receptus magnō numerō frūmentī inventō nāvēs onerāriās, quārum ibi satis magna cōpia fuit, complet atque in castra ad Caesarem mittit.

Meanwhile Sallustius the praetor was welcomed by the people of Cercina; he found a large quantity of grain, filled the transport ships, of which there was a good number there, and sent them to Caesar in his camp.

Note. a Cercinītānīs receptus: 'welcomed by the people of Cercina'. quārum … satis magna cōpia fuit: 'of which there was quite a large supply'.

B. Afr. 34.4Alienus interim prō cōnsule Lilybaeō in nāvīs onerāriās impōnit legiōnem XIII et XIV et equitēs Gallōs DCCC, funditōrum sagittāriōrumque mīlle ac secundum commeātum in Āfricam mittit ad Caesarem.

Meanwhile Alienus the proconsul put the Thirteenth and Fourteenth legions, 800 Gallic cavalry and 1,000 slingers and archers on board transport ships at Lilybaeum, and sent the second supply convoy to Caesar in Africa.

Note. prō cōnsule: 'as proconsul', the governor of Sicily. Lilybaeō: ablative of place from which without a preposition, as usual with town names. legiōnem XIII et XIV: the singular legiōnem covers two legions, the Thirteenth and the Fourteenth.

B. Afr. 34.5Quae nāvēs ventum secundum nactae quārtō diē in portum ad Ruspinam, ubi Caesar castra habuerat, incolumēs pervēnērunt.

These ships found a favourable wind and on the fourth day arrived safe in the harbour at Ruspina, where Caesar had his camp.

Note. Quae nāvēs: connecting relative used as an adjective, 'These ships'. quārtō diē: 'on the fourth day', ablative of time when.

B. Afr. 34.6Ita Caesar duplicī laetitiā ac voluptāte ūnō tempore auctus, frūmentō auxiliīsque, tandem suīs hilarātīs annōnāque levātā sollicitūdinem dēpōnit, legiōnēs equitēsque ex nāvibus ēgressōs iubet ex languōre nauseāque reficere, dīmissōs in castella mūnītiōnēsque dispōnit.

So Caesar, given a double joy and pleasure at one time, by grain and by reinforcements, with his men cheered at last and the grain shortage relieved, put aside his anxiety; he ordered the legions and cavalry who had landed from the ships to recover from their weariness and seasickness, and sent them off and stationed them in the forts and defences.

Note. duplicī laetitiā … auctus: 'blessed with a double joy', explained by frūmentō auxiliīsque. annōnā levātā: annōna is the grain supply and its price; the shortage was eased.