Bellum Africum 54

B. Afr. 54.1Quibus legiōnibus expositīs memor in Ītaliā prīstinae licentiae mīlitāris ac rapīnārum certōrum hominum parvulam modo causulam nactus Caesar, quod C. Aviēnus, tribūnus mīlitum X legiōnis, nāvem ex commeātū familiā suā atque iūmentīs occupāvisset neque mīlitem ūnum ab Siciliā sustulisset, posterō diē dē suggestū convocātīs omnium legiōnum tribūnīs centuriōnibusque, "Maximē vellem", inquit, "hominēs suae petulantiae nimiaeque lībertātis aliquandō fīnem fēcissent meaeque lēnitātis, modestiae patientiaeque ratiōnem habuissent.

When these legions had been landed, Caesar, mindful of the old lawlessness of the soldiers in Italy and of the plundering of certain men, seized on a quite small pretext, namely that Gaius Avienus, a military tribune of the Tenth Legion, had filled a ship from the convoy with his own household and pack animals and had not carried a single soldier from Sicily; next day, having called together from the platform the tribunes and centurions of all the legions, he said: "I should most of all have wished that men would at some time have put an end to their insolence and excessive licence and had taken some account of my mildness, moderation and patience.

Note. causulam: a diminutive of causa, 'a petty pretext'. quod … occupāvisset … sustulisset: subjunctive because the charge is given as Caesar's reason. Maximē vellem … fēcissent: a wish about the past that was not fulfilled, 'I should have wished most of all that men had …'.

B. Afr. 54.3Sed quoniam ipsī sibi neque modum neque terminum cōnstituunt, quō cēterī dissimiliter sē gerant, egomet ipse documentum mōre mīlitārī cōnstituam.

But since they set themselves neither limit nor bound, I myself will set an example in the military fashion, so that the rest may behave differently.

Note. quō + subjunctive (gerant): purpose clause with a comparative idea (dissimiliter). egomet: ego strengthened by the suffix -met.

B. Afr. 54.4C. Aviēne, quod in Ītaliā mīlitēs populī Rōmānī contrā rempūblicam īnstīgāstī rapīnāsque per mūnicipia fēcistī quodque mihi reīque pūblicae inūtilis fuistī et prō mīlitibus tuam familiam iūmentaque in nāvēs imposuistī tuāque operā mīlitibus tempore necessāriō rēspūblica caret, ob eās rēs ignōminiae causā ab exercitū meō tē removeō hodiēque ex Āfricā abesse et, quantum pote, proficīscī iubeō.

Gaius Avienus, because in Italy you stirred up soldiers of the Roman people against the state and carried out plundering through the towns, and because you have been useless to me and to the state, and in place of soldiers you put your own household and pack animals on board the ships, and through your doing the state lacks soldiers at a time of need, for these reasons I remove you from my army in disgrace, and I order you to leave Africa today and set out as fast as you can.

Note. Caesar addresses the tribune in the vocative (C. Aviēne). instīgāstī = instīgāvistī. quantum pote: 'as far as possible', pote being the neuter of potis with est understood. tempore necessāriō: 'at a time of need'.

B. Afr. 54.4Itemque tē, A. Fontēī, quod tribūnus mīlitum sēditiōsus malusque cīvis fuistī, tē ab exercitū dīmittō.

Likewise you, Aulus Fonteius, because you have been a mutinous tribune of the soldiers and a bad citizen, I dismiss from the army.

Note. A. Fontēī: vocative of Fontēius. tē is repeated for emphasis after the quod clause.

B. Afr. 54.5T. Saliēne, M. Tīrō, C. Clūsīnās, cum ōrdinēs in meō exercitū beneficiō, nōn virtūte cōnsecūtī ita vōs gesserītis, ut neque bellō fortēs neque pāce bonī aut ūtilēs fuerītis et magis in sēditiōne concitandīsque mīlitibus adversum vestrum imperātōrem quam pudōris modestiaeque fuerītis studiōsiōrēs, indignōs vōs esse arbitror, quī in meō exercitū ōrdinēs dūcātis, missōsque faciō et, quantum pote, abesse ex Āfricā iubeō."

Titus Salienus, Marcus Tiro, Gaius Clusinas, since you obtained your ranks in my army through favour, not merit, and have behaved in such a way that you were neither brave in war nor good or useful in peace, and were keener on stirring up mutiny and inciting the soldiers against your commander than on decency and moderation, I judge you unworthy to command companies in my army; I discharge you, and I order you to leave Africa as fast as you can."

Note. T. Saliēne, M. Tīrō, C. Clūsinās: vocatives of three centurions. cum … gesseritis: causal cum with the perfect subjunctive. ōrdinēs dūcere: 'to command centuries', i.e. to be a centurion. missōs faciō: 'I discharge', a formal military phrase. quī … dūcātis: relative clause of characteristic after indignōs.

B. Afr. 54.5Itaque trāditōs centuriōnibus et singulīs nōn amplius singulōs additōs servōs in nāvem impōnendōs sēparātim cūrāvit.

And so he handed them over to centurions and had them put on board a ship separately, with not more than one slave each given to them.

Note. singulīs … singulōs: distributive, 'with one slave each given to each man'. impōnendōs … cūrāvit: cūrō + gerundive, 'had them put on board'.