Bellum Africum 91

B. Afr. 91.1Rēx interim Iuba, ut ex proeliō fūgerat, ūnā cum Petrēiō interdiū in vīllīs latitandō tandem nocturnīs itineribus cōnfectīs in regnum pervēnit atque ad oppidum Zamam, ubi ipse domicilium, coniugēs līberōsque habēbat, quō ex cūnctō regnō omnem pecūniam cārissimāsque rēs comportāverat quodque initō bellō operibus maximīs mūnīverat, accēdit.

Meanwhile King Juba, having fled from the battle together with Petreius, hiding by day in country houses and at last travelling by night, reached his kingdom and came to the town of Zama, where he had his home, his wives and his children, to which he had brought all his money and his most precious possessions from his whole kingdom, and which he had fortified with very great works at the start of the war.

Note. rēx … Iuba: Juba I of Numidia, Scipio's ally. latitandō: gerund, 'by hiding'. coniugēs: Juba, like other Numidian kings, had several wives. quō … comportāverat: quō is the adverb 'to which place'. quodque … mūnīverat: 'and which he had fortified'. initō bellō: 'at the start of the war'.

B. Afr. 91.2Quem anteā oppidānī rūmōre exoptātō dē Caesaris victōriā audītō ob hās causās oppidō prohibuērunt, quod bellō contrā populum Rōmānum susceptō in oppidō Zamae lignīs congestīs maximam in mediō forō pyram cōnstrūxerat, ut sī forte bellō foret superātus, omnibus rēbus eō coacervātīs, dein cīvibus cūnctīs interfectīs eōdemque prōiectīs igne subiectō tum dēmum sē ipse īnsuper interficeret atque ūnā cum līberīs, coniugibus, cīvibus cūnctāque gazā rēgiā cremārētur.

But the townspeople, having heard the welcome news of Caesar's victory, shut him out of the town, for these reasons: when he took up war against the Roman people, he had piled up wood in the town of Zama and built a very large pyre in the middle of the forum, so that, if he happened to be beaten in the war, he could pile all his possessions on it, then kill all the citizens and throw them on the same place, set fire to it, and only then kill himself on top of it and be burned together with his children, his wives, his citizens and the whole royal treasure.

Note. rūmōre exoptātō … audītō: ablative absolute, 'when they had heard the welcome report'. oppidō prohibuērunt: 'kept (him) from the town'. ut, sī … foret superātus: foret = esset. The plan is a series of ablatives absolute (coacervātīs, interfectīs, prōiectīs, subiectō) leading to tum dēmum, 'only then'. gāza rēgia: the royal treasure; gāza is a Persian word. Such a royal self-immolation recalls the stories of eastern kings like Sardanapalus.

B. Afr. 91.3Postquam Iuba ante portās diū multumque prīmō minīs prō imperiō ēgisset cum Zamēnsibus, dein cum sē parum prōficere intellēxisset, precibus ōrāsset, utī sē ad suōs deōs penātēs admitterent, ubi eōs perstāre in sententiā animadvertit nec minīs nec precibus suīs movērī, quō magis sē reciperent, tertiō petit ab eīs, ut sibi coniugēs līberōsque redderent, ut sēcum eōs asportāret.

After Juba had long and repeatedly dealt with the people of Zama before the gates, first with threats, as their ruler, and then, when he realised he was getting nowhere, had begged them with prayers to admit him to his household gods, and when he saw that they stood firm in their decision and were moved neither by his threats nor by his prayers, he asked them, a third time, to give him back his wives and children so that he could take them away with him, hoping this might make them more willing to take him in.

Note. minīs prō imperiō ēgisset: 'had dealt (with them) by threats, as their ruler'. dein cum: 'then when'. ad suōs deōs Penātēs: 'to his household gods', i.e. his home. quō magis: 'so that the more'; quō introduces a purpose clause containing a comparative. tertiō: 'thirdly'. sēcum … asportāret: 'carry away with him'.

B. Afr. 91.4Postquam sibi nihil omnīnō oppidānōs respōnsī reddere animadvertit, nūllā rē ab hīs impetrātā ab Zamā discēdit atque ad vīllam suam cum M. Petrēiō paucīsque equitibus sē cōnfert.

When he saw that the townspeople gave him no answer at all, he obtained nothing from them, left Zama and went off to a country house of his with Marcus Petreius and a few horsemen.

Note. nihil … respōnsī: partitive genitive, 'no answer'. nūllā rē … impetrātā: ablative absolute, 'having obtained nothing'.