Bellum Africum 37

B. Afr. 37.1Caesar postquam legiōnibus veterānīs duābus, equitātū levīque armātūrā cōpiās suās ex secundō commeātū auxerat, nāvēs exonerātās statim iubet Lilybaeum ad reliquum exercitum trānsportandum proficīscī;

After Caesar had increased his forces from the second convoy with two veteran legions, cavalry and light-armed troops, he at once ordered the unloaded ships to set out for Lilybaeum to bring over the rest of the army;

Note. ad reliquum exercitum trānsportandum: gerundive of purpose with ad.

B. Afr. 37.1ipse VI Kal. Febr.

he himself, on 25 January,

Note. VI Kal. Febr. = ante diem sextum Kalendās Februāriās, 25 January (46 BC, by the unreformed calendar). The sentence runs on into the next one.

B. Afr. 37.1circiter vigiliā prīmā imperat, speculātōrēs appāritōrēsque omnēs ut sibi praestō essent.

at about the first watch ordered all his scouts and attendants to be ready at hand for him.

Note. vigiliā prīmā: the night was divided into four watches; the first began at sunset.

B. Afr. 37.2Itaque omnibus īnsciīs neque suspicantibus vigiliā tertiā iubet omnēs legiōnēs extrā castra ēdūcī atque sē cōnsequī ad oppidum Ruspinam versus, in quō ipse praesidium habuit et quod prīmum ad amīcitiam eius accessit.

So, with everyone unaware and suspecting nothing, at the third watch he ordered all the legions to be led out of the camp and to follow him in the direction of the town of Ruspina, where he had a garrison and which had been the first to come over to his friendship.

Note. ad oppidum Ruspīnam versus: versus 'towards' follows its phrase. The ablative absolute omnibus īnsciīs neque suspicantibus stresses the surprise.

B. Afr. 37.3Inde parvulam prōclīvitātem dēgressus sinistrā parte campī propter mare legiōnēs dūcit.

From there he went down a slight slope and led the legions along the left side of the plain, close to the sea.

Note. parvulam prōclīvitātem dēgressus: dēgredior is deponent and takes the slope as a direct object, 'going down a gentle slope'.

B. Afr. 37.4Hic campus mīrābilī plānitiē patet mīlia passuum XV;

This plain is wonderfully level and stretches for fifteen miles;

Note. mīlia passuum XV: accusative of extent of space; a Roman mile is a thousand paces, about 1.5 km.

B. Afr. 37.4quem iugum cingēns ā marī ortum neque ita praealtum velut theātrī efficit speciem.

a ridge rising from the sea and not very high surrounds it and gives it the look of a theatre.

Note. velut theātrī efficit speciem: the ring of low hills gave the plain the look of a theatre.

B. Afr. 37.5In hōc iugō collēs sunt excelsī paucī, in quibus singulae turrēs speculaeque singulae perveterēs erant conlocātae, quārum apud ultimam praesidium et statiō fuit Scīpiōnis.

On this ridge there are a few high hills, on each of which very old towers and watchtowers, one apiece, had been placed; at the last of these Scipio had a garrison and an outpost.

Note. singulae turrēs speculaeque singulae: distributives, 'a single tower and a single watchtower on each'.