Bellum Africum 56

B. Afr. 56.1Caesar brachiīs perfectīs prōmōtīsque usque eō, quō tēlum ex oppidō adigī nōn posset, castra mūnit, ballistīs scorpiōnibusque crēbrīs ante frontem castrōrum contrā oppidum conlocātīs dēfēnsōrēs mūrī dēterrēre nōn intermittit eōque quīnque legiōnēs ex superiōribus castrīs dēdūcit.

Caesar, having completed his lines and pushed them forward to the point where a missile could not be thrown from the town, fortified a camp; with ballistas and scorpions placed close together in front of the camp facing the town, he kept up his efforts to frighten the defenders off the wall, and he brought five legions down there from the upper camp.

Note. ūsque eō, quō: 'right up to the point where'. ballistae and scorpiōnēs are torsion engines throwing stones and bolts. dēterrēre nōn intermittit: 'does not cease to frighten off'.

B. Afr. 56.2Quā facultāte oblātā inlūstriōrēs nōtissimīque cōnspectum amīcōrum propinquōrumque efflāgitābant atque inter sē conloquēbantur.

With this opportunity offered, the more distinguished and best-known men demanded to see their friends and relatives and talked with one another.

Note. inlūstriōrēs nōtissimīque: comparative and superlative used as nouns, 'the more distinguished and the best-known men'. The new lines brought the two sides close enough to talk across them.

B. Afr. 56.3Quae rēs quid ūtilitātis habēret, Caesarem nōn fallēbat: namque Gaetūlī ex equitātū rēgiō nōbiliōrēs equitumque praefectī, quōrum patrēs cum Mariō ante meruerant eiusque beneficiō agrīs fīnibusque dōnātī post Syllae victōriam sub Hiempsalis rēgis erant datī potestātem, occāsiōne captā nocte iam lūminibus accēnsīs cum equīs cālōnibusque suīs circiter mīlle perfugiunt in Caesaris castra, quae erant in campō proximē Uzitam locāta.

What advantage this had did not escape Caesar: for the nobler Gaetulians from the king's cavalry and the commanders of the horsemen, whose fathers had served earlier under Marius and by his favour had been given lands and territory, but after Sulla's victory had been put under the power of King Hiempsal, seized the opportunity at night, when the lamps were already lit, and deserted with their horses and grooms, about a thousand of them, into Caesar's camp, which was placed in the plain right next to Uzita.

Note. quid ūtilitātis: partitive genitive, 'what (of) advantage'. Marius had settled veterans in Africa after the war against Jugurtha. Syllae is the spelling of Sulla's name printed here. sub … erant datī potestātem: 'had been placed under the power'. lūminibus accēnsīs: 'when lamps were lit', i.e. at nightfall.