Bellum Africum 86

B. Afr. 86.1Caesar trīnīs castrīs potītus occīsīsque hostium X mīlibus fugātīsque complūribus sē recēpit L mīlitibus āmissīs, paucīs sauciīs in castra ac statim ex itinere ante oppidum Thapsum cōnstitit elephantōsque LXIV ōrnātōs armātōsque cum turribus ōrnāmentīsque capit, captōs ante oppidum īnstrūctōs cōnstituit, id hōc cōnsiliō, sī posset Vergilius, quīque cum eō obsidēbantur, reī male gestae suōrum indiciō ā pertināciā dēdūcī.

Caesar took three camps, killed ten thousand of the enemy and routed many more, and withdrew to his camp having lost fifty soldiers and with a few wounded; and at once, straight from the march, he took up position before the town of Thapsus, captured sixty-four elephants, equipped and armed, with their towers and trappings, and drew the captured animals up in line before the town, with this purpose: to see whether Vergilius and those besieged with him could be moved from their stubbornness by this proof of their side's defeat.

Note. trīnīs castrīs: distributives are used with nouns found only in the plural, so trīna castra = 'three camps'. hostium X mīlibus: about 10,000 enemy dead against 50 of Caesar's men, the usual lopsided figures of victory reports. ex itinere: 'straight from the march'. id hōc cōnsiliō: 'this with this aim'. sī posset: 'to see whether … could', a conditional of hope. quīque: here quī + que, 'and those who'.

B. Afr. 86.2Deinde ipse Vergilium appellāvit invītāvitque ad dēditiōnem suamque lēnitātem et clēmentiam commemorāvit.

Then he called to Vergilius himself, invited him to surrender, and reminded him of his own mildness and mercy.

Note. Vergilius: C. Vergilius, the Pompeian commander holding Thapsus. lēnitātem et clēmentiam: Caesar's famous 'clemency' towards defeated Roman citizens, a theme that runs through these chapters.

B. Afr. 86.2Quem postquam animadvertit respōnsum sibi nōn dare, ab oppidō discessit.

When he saw that Vergilius gave him no answer, he left the town.

Note. Quem … respōnsum sibi nōn dare: relative connective as the subject of the infinitive, 'that he gave him no answer'.

B. Afr. 86.3Posterō diē dīvīnā rē factā cōntiōne advocātā in cōnspectū oppidānōrum mīlitēs conlaudat tōtumque exercitum veterānum dōnāvit, praemia fortissimō cuique ac bene merentī prō suggestū tribuit, ac statim inde dīgressus Rebilō prōcōnsule cum III ad Thapsum legiōnibus et Cn. Domitiō cum duābus Thysdrae, ubi Cōnsidius praeerat, ad obsidendum relictīs, M. Messālā Uticam ante praemissō cum equitātū ipse eōdem iter facere contendit.

The next day, after offering sacrifice, he called an assembly and, in sight of the townsfolk, praised the soldiers, gave rewards to the whole veteran army, and from the platform gave prizes to all the bravest and most deserving men; then, setting out from there at once, he left the proconsul Rebilus at Thapsus with three legions and Gnaeus Domitius with two at Thysdra, where Considius was in command, to besiege them, sent Marcus Messala ahead to Utica with the cavalry, and himself hurried to march to the same place.

Note. rē dīvīnā factā: 'when sacrifice had been made'. fortissimō cuique: 'to each very brave man', i.e. 'to all the bravest'; quisque with a superlative. bene merentī: present participle of mereō, 'deserving well'. prō suggestū: 'from the platform'. Rebilus (C. Caninius Rebilus) and Cn. Domitius Calvinus are Caesar's legates. ad obsidendum: gerund of purpose. Thysdrae: locative, 'at Thysdra'.