Bellum Africum 73

B. Afr. 73.1Ob hās causās, quās suprā commemorāvī, sollicitābātur Caesar tardiorque et cōnsīderātior erat factus et ex prīstinā bellandī cōnsuētūdine celeritāteque excesserat.

For these reasons, which I have mentioned above, Caesar was troubled, had become slower and more deliberate, and had departed from his former speed and habit of making war.

Note. Ob hās causās, quās suprā commemorāvī: the author again speaks in his own voice. tardior … cōnsīderātior: comparatives; the writer explains why the usually swift Caesar now moved slowly.

B. Afr. 73.2Neque mīrum: cōpiās enim habēbat in Galliā bellāre cōnsuētās locīs campestribus et contrā Gallōs, hominēs apertōs minimēque īnsidiōsōs, quī per virtūtem, nōn per dolum dīmicāre cōnsuērunt;

No wonder: for he had forces used to fighting in Gaul in open country and against Gauls, men who were open and not at all treacherous, who are used to fighting by courage, not by trickery;

Note. Neque mīrum: 'and no wonder'. in Galliā: Caesar's army had fought the Gallic War (58–50 BC). cōnsuērunt = cōnsuēvērunt, 'they are accustomed'.

B. Afr. 73.2tum autem erat eī labōrandum, ut cōnsuēfaceret mīlitēs hostium dolōs, īnsidiās, artificia cognōscere, et quid sequī, quid vītāre convenīret.

but now he had to work at accustoming his soldiers to recognise the enemy's tricks, ambushes and stratagems, and what it was right to follow and what to avoid.

Note. erat eī labōrandum: impersonal gerundive with dative of agent, 'he had to work'. cōnsuēfaceret: 'accustom', with mīlitēs and an infinitive. quid sequī, quid vītāre convenīret: indirect questions.

B. Afr. 73.3Itaque, quō haec celerius conciperent, dabat operam, ut legiōnēs nōn in ūnō locō continēret, sed per causam frūmentandī hūc atque illūc rapsāret, ideō quod hostium cōpiās ab sē suōque vestīgiō nōn discessūrās exīstimābat.

So, to make them grasp this more quickly, he took care not to keep the legions in one place, but to hurry them here and there on the pretext of foraging, because he thought the enemy forces would not leave him or his tracks.

Note. quō … conciperent: purpose clause with a comparative (celerius), introduced by quō. dabat operam, ut: 'took pains that'. rapsāret: a rare frequentative, 'hurried them about'. discessūrās (esse): future infinitive.

B. Afr. 73.4Atque post diem tertium prōductās accūrātius suās cōpiās, sīcut īnstrūxerat, propter hostium castra praetergressus aequō locō invītat ad dīmicandum.

And three days later he led out his forces drawn up with special care, just as he had arranged them, marched past the enemy's camp, and invited them to fight on level ground.

Note. post diem tertium: 'two days later' by Roman inclusive counting. sīcut īnstrūxerat: 'just as he had drawn them up'. aequō locō: on level ground, a fair field for both.

B. Afr. 73.4Postquam abhorrēre eōs videt, redūcit sub vesperum legiōnēs in castra.

When he saw that they shrank from it, he led the legions back into camp towards evening.

Note. abhorrēre: 'to shrink from' fighting. sub vesperum: 'towards evening'.