Bellum Africum 78

B. Afr. 78.1Erat oppidum īnfrā castra Scīpiōnis nōmine Tegea, ubi praesidium equestre circiter II mīlium numerō habēre cōnsuērat.

Below Scipio's camp there was a town called Tegea, where he had been used to keep a cavalry garrison about two thousand strong.

Note. nōmine Tegea: 'called Tegea'. numerō: ablative of respect, 'in number'.

B. Afr. 78.2Eō equitātū dextrā sinistrā dērēctō ab oppidī lateribus ipse legiōnēs ex castrīs ēductās atque in iugō īnferiōre īnstrūctās nōn longius ferē mīlle passūs ab suīs mūnītiōnibus prōgressus in aciē cōnstituit.

With this cavalry drawn up to right and left of the town's flanks, he himself led his legions out of camp, drew them up on a lower ridge, and advancing not much more than a mile from his own fortifications stood in battle line.

Note. dextrā sinistrā: in asyndeton, 'on right and left'. ab oppidī lateribus: 'on the town's flanks'. nōn longius … mīlle passūs: accusative of extent.

B. Afr. 78.3Postquam diūtius in ūnō locō Scīpiō commorābātur et tempus diēī in ōtiō cōnsūmēbātur, Caesar equitum turmās suōrum iubet in hostium equitātum, quī ad oppidum in statiōne erant, facere impressiōnem levemque armātūram, sagittāriōs funditōrēsque eōdem submittit.

When Scipio had stayed in one place for quite a long time and the daylight was being spent in idleness, Caesar ordered the squadrons of his own cavalry to make a charge against the enemy's cavalry, which were on guard by the town, and sent the light-armed troops, archers and slingers to the same place in support.

Note. facere impressiōnem: 'to make a charge'. eōdem: adverb, 'to the same place'.

B. Afr. 78.4Quod ubi coeptum est fierī, et equīs concitātīs Iūliānī impetum fēcissent, Pacīdēius suōs equitēs exporrigere coepit in longitūdinem, ut habērent facultātem turmās Iūliānās circumfundī et nihilō minus fortissimē ācerrimēque pugnāre.

When this began to be done, and the Caesarians had spurred their horses and made their attack, Pacideius began to stretch out his horsemen in a long line, so that they would have the means to surround the Caesarian squadrons and nevertheless fight most bravely and fiercely.

Note. Iūliānī: 'the Caesarians'. exporrigere … in longitūdinem: 'to stretch out lengthwise' in order to outflank the attackers. circumfundī: middle in sense, 'to pour round'. nihilō minus: 'none the less'.

B. Afr. 78.5Quod ubi Caesar animum advertit, CCC, quōs ex legiōnibus habēre expedītōs cōnsuērat, ex legiōne, quae proxima eī proeliō in aciē cōnstiterat, iubet equitātuī succurrere.

When Caesar noticed this, he ordered the three hundred men he was used to keeping ready for action from the legions, from the legion that stood nearest that fight in the line, to run to the help of the cavalry.

Note. CCC: these are the three hundred lightly equipped men from each legion mentioned in 75.4. quae proxima eī proeliō … cōnstiterat: 'which stood nearest that fight'.

B. Afr. 78.6Labiēnus interim suīs equitibus auxilia equestria submittere sauciīsque ac dēfatīgātīs integrōs recentiōribusque vīribus equitēs subministrāre.

Meanwhile Labienus kept sending cavalry reinforcements to his horsemen and supplying fresh horsemen with unspent strength to replace the wounded and exhausted.

Note. Historic infinitives again: submittere, subministrāre. recentiōribus vīribus: ablative of description, 'with fresher strength'.

B. Afr. 78.7Postquam equitēs Iūliānī CCCC vim hostium ad IV mīlia numerō sustinēre nōn poterant et ab levī armātūrā Numidārum vulnerābantur minūtātimque cēdēbant, Caesar alteram ālam mittit, quī satagentibus celeriter occurrerent.

When the four hundred Caesarian horsemen could not withstand the force of the enemy, about four thousand in number, and were being wounded by the Numidians' light-armed troops and were giving ground little by little, Caesar sent the other wing to go quickly to help the hard-pressed men.

Note. ad IV mīlia numerō: 'about four thousand in number'. ālam: a wing of cavalry. quī … occurrerent: relative clause of purpose. satagentibus: 'to those in difficulties'.

B. Afr. 78.8Quō factō suī sublātī ūniversī in hostēs impressiōne factā in fugam adversāriōs dedērunt;

At this his men were heartened, charged the enemy all together, and put their opponents to flight;

Note. suī sublātī: 'his men, encouraged'. in fugam … dedērunt: 'put to flight'.

B. Afr. 78.8multīs occīsīs, complūribus vulnerātīs īnsecūtī per III mīlia passuum usque ad collem hostibus adāctīs sē ad suōs recipiunt.

they killed many, wounded a good number, pursued them for three miles until the enemy were driven to the hill, and then withdrew to their own side.

Note. hostibus adāctīs: 'the enemy having been driven'.

B. Afr. 78.9Caesar in hōram X commorātus, sīcut erat īnstrūctus, sē ad sua castra recēpit omnibus incolumibus.

Caesar waited until the tenth hour and then, drawn up as he was, withdrew to his own camp with everyone unharmed.

Note. in hōram X: 'until the tenth hour'. omnibus incolumibus: ablative absolute, 'all being safe'.

B. Afr. 78.10In quō proeliō Pacīdēius graviter pīlō per cassidem caput ictus complūrēsque ducēs ac fortissimus quisque interfectī vulnerātīque sunt.

In this battle Pacideius was badly wounded by a javelin that struck his head through his helmet, and several commanders and all the bravest men were killed or wounded.

Note. per cassidem caput ictus: 'struck on the head through his helmet'; caput is an accusative of respect with the passive participle. fortissimus quisque: 'all the bravest men'.