Bellum Africum 90

B. Afr. 90.1Posterō diē māne in oppidum introiit cōntiōneque advocātā Uticēnsēs incolās cohortātus grātiās prō eōrum ergā sē studiō agit, cīvēs autem Rōmānōs negōtiātōrēs et eōs, quī inter CCC pecūniās contulerant Vārō et Scīpiōnī, multīs verbīs accūsātōs et dē eōrum sceleribus longiōre habitā ōrātiōne ad extrēmum, ut sine metū prōdīrent, ēdīcit: sē eīs dumtaxat vītam concessūrum;

Early the next day he entered the town, called an assembly, encouraged the people of Utica and thanked them for their loyalty to him; but the Roman citizens, the traders and those among the Three Hundred who had contributed money to Varus and Scipio, he accused at length and spoke for some time about their crimes, and at the end announced that they should come forward without fear: he would at least grant them their lives;

Note. Uticēnsēs incolās: 'the inhabitants, the Uticans'. eōs, quī inter CCC …: 'those among the Three Hundred who'. Vārō: P. Attius Varus, the Pompeian governor of Africa. ut sine metū prōdīrent, ēdīcit: 'proclaims that they should come forward without fear'. sē … concessūrum (esse): reported speech, future infinitive.

B. Afr. 90.1bona quidem eōrum sē vēnditūrum, ita tamen, quī eōrum ipse sua bona redēmisset, sē bonōrum vēnditiōnem inductūrum et pecūniam multae nōmine relātūrum, ut incolumitātem retinēre posset.

he would sell their property, but on these terms, that if any of them bought back his own property himself, he would cancel the sale of the goods and enter the money as a fine, so that the man could keep his safety.

Note. venditūrum, inductūrum, relātūrum (esse): future infinitives continuing the reported speech. ita tamen … ut: 'but on condition that'. quī … redēmisset: 'whoever bought back'. multae nōmine relātūrum: 'enter as a fine'.

B. Afr. 90.2Quibus metū exsanguibus dē vītāque ex suō prōmeritō dēspērantibus subitō oblātā salūte libentēs cupidīque condiciōnem accēpērunt petiēruntque ā Caesare, ut ūniversīs CCC ūnō nōmine pecūniam imperāret.

Pale with fear and despairing of their lives because of what they had deserved, they were suddenly offered safety, gladly and eagerly accepted the terms, and asked Caesar to impose the money on all the Three Hundred together as a single sum.

Note. Quibus … dēspērantibus … oblātā salūte: two ablatives absolute run together, with Quibus as the dative of the persons offered safety. ex suō prōmeritō: 'from what they had deserved'. libentēs cupidīque: 'gladly and eagerly'. ūnō nōmine: 'as one sum'.

B. Afr. 90.3Itaque bis mīliēns sēstertiō hīs impositō, ut per triennium sex pēnsiōnibus populō Rōmānō solverent, nūllō eōrum recūsante ac sē eō dēmum diē nātōs praedicantēs laetī grātiās agunt Caesarī.

So two hundred million sesterces were imposed on them, to be paid to the Roman people in six instalments over three years; and none of them objected, declaring that they had been born again on that day, and they thanked Caesar joyfully.

Note. bis mīliēns sēstertiō: 'two hundred million sesterces' (literally 'twice a thousand times a hundred thousand'). sex pēnsiōnibus: 'in six instalments'. nūllō … recūsante: ablative absolute. sē eō dēmum diē nātōs: 'that they had been born only on that day', a common way of describing a reprieve.