Bellum Africum 50

B. Afr. 50.1Erat convallis satis magnā lātitūdine, altitūdine praeruptā, crēbrīs locīs spēluncae in modum subrutīs, quae erat trānsgredienda Caesarī, antequam ad eum collem, quem capere volēbat, pervenīrētur;

There was a valley of fair width and steep depth, undermined in many places in the manner of a cave, which Caesar had to cross before he could reach the hill he wanted to take;

Note. satis magnā lātitūdine, altitūdine praeruptā: ablatives of description. speluncae in modum: 'in the manner of a cave'. quae erat trānsgredienda Caesarī: the gerundive of obligation with the dative of the agent, 'which had to be crossed by Caesar'. pervenīrētur: impersonal passive, literally 'before it could be come to the hill'.

B. Afr. 50.1ultrāque eam convallem olīvētum vetus crēbrīs arboribus condēnsum.

and beyond that valley was an old olive grove, thick with close-set trees.

Note. A verbless clause: supply erat from the previous sentence. olīvētum: an olive grove, from olīva. crēbrīs arboribus: ablative of description or means with condēnsum.

B. Afr. 50.2Hīc cum Labiēnus animadvertisset Caesarem, sī vellet eum locum occupāre, prius necesse esse convallem olīvētumque trānsgredī, eōrum locōrum perītus in īnsidiīs cum parte equitātūs levīque armātūrā cōnsēdit et praetereā post montem equitēs in occultō conlocāverat, ut, cum ipse ex imprōvīsō legiōnāriōs adortus esset, ex colle sē equitātus ostenderet, et rē duplicī perturbātus Caesar eiusque exercitus neque retrō regrediundī neque ultrā prōcēdendī oblātā facultāte circumventus concīderētur.

Here, since Labienus had noticed that, if Caesar wanted to occupy that position, he must first cross the valley and the olive grove, he, knowing the ground, took up a position in ambush with part of the cavalry and the light-armed troops, and besides he had placed horsemen out of sight behind the hill, so that when he himself had attacked the legionaries unexpectedly, the cavalry would show itself from the hill, and Caesar and his army, thrown into confusion by the double danger, with no chance offered either of going back or of going forward, would be surrounded and cut to pieces.

Note. The sentence is built on Labiēnus … cōnsēdit et … conlocāverat, with a long purpose clause (ut … ostenderet, et … concīderētur). necesse esse … trānsgredī: indirect statement after animadvertisset. regrediundī: an older spelling of the gerund regrediendī. concīderētur: from concīdō (long i), 'be cut down', not concidō, 'fall'.

B. Afr. 50.3Caesar postquam equitātū ante praemissō īnscius īnsidiārum cum ad eum locum vēnisset, adversāriī sīve oblītī praeceptōrum Labiēnī sīve veritī, nē in fossā ab equitibus opprimerentur, rārī ac singulī dē rūpe prōdīre et summa petere collis.

When Caesar, having sent his cavalry ahead and unaware of the ambush, had come to that place, his opponents, either forgetting Labienus' orders or fearing that they would be crushed by the horsemen in the ditch, began to come out from the rock in scattered ones and twos and to make for the top of the hill.

Note. adversāriī … prōdīre et … petere: historical infinitives, used in vivid narrative for the imperfect indicative. obliti praeceptōrum: oblīvīscor takes the genitive. nē … opprimerentur: a fear clause after veritī, 'that they would be crushed'. summa collis: 'the top parts of the hill'.

B. Afr. 50.4Quōs Caesaris equitēs cōnsecūtī partim interfēcērunt, partim vīvōrum sunt potītī;

Caesar's horsemen pursued them and partly killed them, partly took them alive;

Note. vīvōrum sunt potītī: potior takes the genitive (or ablative); 'they made themselves masters of them alive'. Note the phrase partim … partim, 'some … others'.

B. Afr. 50.4deinde prōtinus collem petere contendērunt atque eum dēcussō Labiēnī praesidiō celeriter occupāvērunt.

then at once they made for the hill and, dislodging Labienus' garrison, quickly occupied it.

Note. dēcussō … praesidiō: ablative absolute; dēcutiō means 'shake off, knock down', here 'dislodge'.

B. Afr. 50.4Labiēnus cum parte equitum vix fugā sibi peperit salūtem.

Labienus with part of his cavalry barely saved himself by flight.

Note. sibi peperit salūtem: literally 'won safety for himself'; pariō, 'bring forth', also means 'gain, procure'.