Bellum Africum 58

B. Afr. 58.1Posterō diē ūniversās omnium cōpiās dē castrīs omnibus ēdūcunt et supercilium quoddam excelsum nactī nōn longē ā Caesaris castrīs aciem cōnstituunt atque ibi cōnsistunt.

The next day they led out all the forces of all of them from all their camps, and having found a certain high ridge not far from Caesar's camp, they formed their battle line and took up position there.

Note. The subject is Scipio and his allies. supercilium: literally 'eyebrow', here 'a brow of a hill, a ridge'.

B. Afr. 58.2Caesar item prōdūcit cōpiās celeriterque iīs īnstrūctīs ante suās mūnītiōnēs, quae erant in campō, cōnstituit, sine dubiō exīstimāns ultrō adversāriōs, cum tam magnīs cōpiīs auxiliīsque rēgis essent praeditī promptiusque prōsiluissent, ante sē concursūrōs propiusque sē accessūrōs.

Caesar likewise led out his forces and, having quickly drawn them up, placed them in front of his fortifications, which were in the plain, believing without doubt that his opponents, since they were furnished with such large forces and the king's auxiliaries and had rushed out so readily, would of their own accord charge towards him and come nearer.

Note. existimāns … adversāriōs … concursūrōs … accessūrōs: indirect statement with future infinitives (esse omitted). cum … essent praeditī … prōsiluissent: causal cum. ultrō: 'of their own accord', i.e. making the first move.

B. Afr. 58.3Equō circumvectus legiōnēsque cohortātus signō datō accessum hostium aucupābātur.

Riding round on horseback and encouraging the legions, he gave the signal and waited for the enemy's approach.

Note. circumvectus: from circumvehor, 'riding round'. aucupābātur: 'he watched for', from aucupor, a word from bird-catching.

B. Afr. 58.4Ipse enim ā suīs mūnītiōnibus longius nōn sine ratiōne nōn prōcēdēbat, quod in oppidō Uzitae, quod Scīpiō tenēbat, hostium erant cohortēs armātae;

For he himself, not without reason, did not advance further from his fortifications, because in the town of Uzita, which Scipio held, there were armed cohorts of the enemy;

Note. nōn sine ratiōne nōn prōcēdēbat: the second nōn is printed in italics as the editor's addition; the meaning is 'not without reason he did not advance'.

B. Afr. 58.4eīdem autem oppidō ad dextrum latus eius cornū erat oppositum, verēbāturque, nē, sī praetergressus esset, ex oppidō ēruptiōne factā ab latere eum adortī concīderent.

and his right wing was set opposite this same town, and he feared that, if he moved past it, they would sally out from the town and attack him in the flank and cut him down.

Note. verēbātur nē … concīderent: a fear clause. sī praetergressus esset: future perfect of the direct thought, made pluperfect subjunctive in reported speech.

B. Afr. 58.5Praetereā haec quoque eum causa tardāvit, quod erat locus quīdam perimpedītus ante aciem Scīpiōnis, quem suīs impedīmentō ad ultrō occurrendum fore exīstimābat.

Besides, this reason too held him back, that there was a very rough piece of ground in front of Scipio's line, which he thought would be a hindrance to his men in charging forward.

Note. quem … impedīmentō … fore: a double dative, 'which would be (for) a hindrance to his men'. ad ultrō occurrendum: gerund with ad expressing purpose, 'for charging forward'.