Bellum Alexandrinum 27

B. Alex. 27.1Locus est ferē regiōnum illārum nōbilissimus nōn ita longē ab Alexandrīā, quī nōminātur Delta;

There is a place, almost the most famous of those regions, not very far from Alexandria, which is called the Delta;

Note. Delta: named from the Greek letter Δ; indeclinable.

B. Alex. 27.1quod nōmen ā similitūdine litterae cēpit: nam pars quaedam flūminis Nīlī dērīvāta duōbus itineribus paulātim maius inter sē spatium relinquēns dīversissimō ad lītus intervallō marī coniungitur.

it took its name from its likeness to the letter: for a certain part of the river Nile is drawn off in two channels which gradually leave a greater space between them, and it joins the sea at the coast with the widest interval between them.

Note. a similitūdine litterae: 'from its likeness to the letter'. dīversissimō … intervallō: 'with the widest separation'.

B. Alex. 27.2Cui locō cum adpropinquāre Mithridātēn rēx cognōvisset et trānseundum eī flūmen scīret, magnās adversus eum cōpiās mīsit, quibus vel superārī dēlērīque Mithridātēn vel sine dubiō retinērī posse crēdēbat.

When the king learned that Mithridates was approaching this place and knew that he had to cross the river, he sent large forces against him, by which he believed Mithridates could either be defeated and destroyed or at least held up without any doubt.

Note. trānseundum eī flūmen: gerundive of obligation with dative of agent, 'that he had to cross the river'.

B. Alex. 27.3Quemadmodum autem optābat eum vincī, sīc satis habēbat interclūsum ā Caesare retinērī.

And just as he wished him to be defeated, so he would be content if he were cut off from Caesar and held back.

Note. quemadmodum … sīc: 'just as … so'. satis habēbat: 'he was content'.

B. Alex. 27.4Quae prīmae cōpiae flūmen ā Deltā trānsīre et Mithridati occurrere potuērunt, proelium commīsērunt festīnantēs praeripere subsequentibus victōriae societātem.

The first forces that were able to cross the river from the Delta and meet Mithridates joined battle, hurrying to snatch the share in the victory from those following behind.

Note. quae prīmae cōpiae: 'the forces which first (were able)'. festīnantēs praeripere … societātem: they wanted the victory for themselves.

B. Alex. 27.5Quōrum impetum Mithridates magnā cum prūdentiā cōnsuētūdine nostrā castrīs vallātīs sustinuit;

Mithridates withstood their attack with great prudence, having fortified a camp in our fashion;

Note. cōnsuētūdine nostrā: 'in our fashion', i.e. a Roman fortified camp.

B. Alex. 27.5cum vērō incautē atque īnsolenter succēdere eōs mūnītiōnibus vidēret, ēruptiōne undique factā magnum numerum eōrum interfēcit.

but when he saw them coming up to his fortifications carelessly and arrogantly, he made a sally on all sides and killed a great number of them.

Note. cum … vidēret: circumstantial cum. ēruptiōne … factā: ablative absolute.

B. Alex. 27.6Quod nisi locōrum nōtitiā reliquī sē tēxissent partimque in nāvēs, quibus flūmen trānsierant, recēpissent, funditus dēlētī essent.

And if the rest had not hidden themselves through their knowledge of the ground, and some had not retreated to the ships in which they had crossed the river, they would have been wiped out completely.

Note. quod nisi: 'but if … not'. dēlētī essent: past unreal condition, 'they would have been destroyed'.

B. Alex. 27.7Quī ut paulum ab illō timōre sē recreārunt, adiūnctīs hīs, quī subsequēbantur, rūrsus oppugnāre Mithridātēn coepērunt.

As soon as they had recovered a little from that fright, they joined those who were following and began to attack Mithridates again.

Note. ut: with the indicative recreārunt, 'when', 'as soon as'.