Bellum Africum 60

B. Afr. 60.1Caesaris autem aciēs hōc modō fuit conlocāta, ut ab sinistrō eius cornū ordiar et ad dextrum perveniam.

Caesar's line, on the other hand, was arranged in this way, so that I may begin from his left wing and come to the right.

Note. ut … ōrdiar et … perveniam: a purpose clause in the writer's own voice, 'so that I may begin … and arrive'.

B. Afr. 60.1Habuit legiōnem X et IX in sinistrō cornū, XXX, XXIX, XIII, XIV, XXVIII, XXVI in mediā aciē.

He had the Tenth and Ninth Legions on the left wing, and the Thirtieth, Twenty-ninth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Twenty-eighth and Twenty-sixth in the centre.

Note. The numerals are legion numbers: the Tenth and Ninth on the left; the Thirtieth, Twenty-ninth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Twenty-eighth and Twenty-sixth in the centre.

B. Afr. 60.2In suō autem dextrō cornū ex secundā aciē veterānārum legiōnum partem cohortium conlocāverat, praetereā ex tīrōnum adiēcerat paucās.

On his right wing he had placed, in the second line, part of the cohorts of the veteran legions, and besides had added a few from the recruits.

Note. ex secundā aciē: the second of the three lines of a Roman battle order. tīrōnum: 'of the recruits', i.e. the new legions.

B. Afr. 60.3Tertiam autem aciem in sinistrum suum cornū contulerat et usque ad aciēī suae mediam legiōnem porrēxerat et ita conlocāverat, utī sinistrum suum cornū esset triplex.

He had brought his third line onto his left wing and had stretched it as far as the middle legion of his line, and had placed it so that his left wing was triple.

Note. uti = ut. triplex: the left wing was given three lines' depth because it lay open to the enemy cavalry.

B. Afr. 60.4Id eō cōnsiliō fēcerat, quod suum dextrum lātus mūnītiōnibus adiuvābātur, sinistrum autem, equitātūs hostium multitūdinī utī resistere posset, labōrābat, eōdemque suum omnem equitātum contulerat et, quod eī parum cōnfīdēbat, praesidiō hīs equitibus legiōnem V praemīserat levemque armātūram inter equitēs interposuerat.

He had done this with the following plan: because his right flank was helped by the fortifications, while the left was struggling to be able to withstand the mass of the enemy's cavalry; and he had brought all his cavalry to the same place, and since he had little confidence in it, he had sent the Fifth Legion ahead to support these horsemen and had placed light-armed troops among the cavalry.

Note. suum dextrum latus … adiuvābātur: his right was protected by the siege lines. equitātūs hostium multitūdinī uti resistere posset, labōrābat: 'was hard pressed to be able to withstand the mass of the enemy's cavalry'. praesidiō hīs equitibus: a double dative, 'as a support for these horsemen'.

B. Afr. 60.5Sagittāriōs variē passimque locīs certīs maximēque in cornibus conlocāverat.

He had placed the archers here and there, scattered in fixed places, and especially on the wings.

Note. variē passimque: 'in various places and scattered'. maximē: 'especially'.