Bellum Africum 45

B. Afr. 45.1Hāc habitā ōrātiōne Scīpiō cum exīstimāsset prō suō beneficiō sine dubiō ab hīs grātiās sibi āctum īrī, potestātem iīs dīcundī fēcit.

After this speech Scipio thought that they would no doubt thank him for his kindness, and gave them permission to speak.

Note. āctum īrī: the future passive infinitive, made from the supine āctum and the passive infinitive of eō; grātiās agere 'to give thanks'. dīcundī: old spelling of dīcendī.

B. Afr. 45.2Ex eīs centuriō legiōnis XIV "Prō tuō", inquit, "summō beneficiō, Scīpiō, tibi grātiās agō— nōn enim tē imperātōrem appellō—, quod mihi vītam incolumitātemque bellī iūre captō pollicēris, et forsan istō ūterer beneficiō, sī nōn eī summum scelus adiungerētur.

One of them, a centurion of the Fourteenth legion, said: "For your great kindness, Scipio, I thank you — for I do not call you commander — in that you promise me, a prisoner taken by the law of war, my life and safety; and perhaps I would accept that kindness, if it were not joined to the greatest crime.

Note. nōn enim tē imperātōrem appellō: the centurion refuses Scipio the title of 'commander'. belli iūre captō: 'taken (prisoner) by the law of war'. forsan: 'perhaps'. ūterer: imperfect subjunctive in a present unreal condition.

B. Afr. 45.3Egone contrā Caesarem imperātōrem meum, apud quem ōrdinem dūxī, eiusque exercitum, prō cuius dignitāte victōriāque amplius XXXVI annōs dēpugnāvī, adversus armātusque cōnsistam?

Am I to take up arms and stand against Caesar, my commander, under whom I have led a company, and against his army, for whose honour and victory I have fought for more than thirty-six years?

Note. Egone … cōnsistam: deliberative subjunctive in an indignant question, with -ne attached to ego. ōrdinem dūcere: 'to command a century', the centurion's post. amplius XXXVI annōs: 'more than 36 years'; amplius does not change the case.

B. Afr. 45.4Neque ego istud factūrus sum et tē magnopere, ut dē negōtiō dēsistās, adhortor.

I will not do that, and I strongly urge you to give up the attempt.

Note. factūrus sum: the active periphrastic, 'I am not going to do'.

B. Afr. 45.4Contrā cuius enim cōpiās contendās, sī minus anteā expertus es, licet nunc cognōscās.

For if you have not found out before whose forces you are fighting against, you can learn it now.

Note. licet … cognōscās: licet with the subjunctive, 'you may learn'.

B. Afr. 45.5Ēlige ex tuīs cohortem ūnam, quam putās esse firmissimam, et cōnstitue contrā mē;

Choose from your men the one cohort you think strongest, and set it against me;

Note. Ēlige … cōnstitue: imperatives. The challenge is ten veterans against a whole cohort.

B. Afr. 45.5ego autem ex meīs commīlitōnibus, quōs nunc in tuā tenēs potestāte, nōn amplius X sūmam.

I will take from my comrades, whom you now hold in your power, no more than ten.

Note. amplius X: 'more than ten'.

B. Afr. 45.5Tunc ex virtūte nostrā intellegēs, quid ex tuīs cōpiīs spērāre dēbeās."

Then you will see from our courage what you ought to hope for from your own forces."

Note. intellegēs: future indicative.