Bellum Alexandrinum 3

B. Alex. 3.1Urbs fertilissima et cōpiōsissima omnium rērum apparātūs suggerēbat.

The city, very fertile and very well supplied, furnished equipment of every kind.

Note. Urbs fertilissima et cōpiōsissima: the superlatives describe the city's resources; apparātūs is accusative plural.

B. Alex. 3.1Ipsī hominēs ingeniōsī atque acūtissimī, quae ā nōbīs fierī vīderant, ea sollertiā effingēbant, ut nostrī illōrum opera imitātī vidērentur, et suā sponte multa reperiēbant ūnōque tempore et nostrās mūnītiōnēs īnfestābant et suās dēfendēbant.

The people themselves, clever and very sharp, copied what they had seen done by us with such skill that our men seemed to have imitated their works; they also invented much of their own accord, and at one and the same time harassed our fortifications and defended their own.

Note. quae … ea: 'what they had seen done by us, those things …'. ea is the object, 'those things', and sollertiā is ablative of manner, 'with such skill that' (the ut clause gives the result). nostrī illōrum opera imitātī vidērentur: 'our men seemed to have copied their works' — a neat reversal. imitātī: deponent, active meaning.

B. Alex. 3.2Atque haec prīncipēs in cōnsiliīs cōntiōnibusque agitābant: Populum Rōmānum paulātim in cōnsuētūdinem eius regnī occupandī venīre.

And their leaders kept urging these arguments in councils and assemblies: the Roman people was gradually coming into the habit of seizing that kingdom.

Note. From here to the end of the chapter the Alexandrian leaders' arguments are given in indirect statement: accusative and infinitive (populum Rōmānum … venīre). in cōnsuētūdinem eius regnī occupandī: gerundive, 'into the habit of seizing that kingdom'.

B. Alex. 3.3Paucīs annīs ante A. Gabīnium cum exercitū fuisse in Aegyptō;

A few years before, Aulus Gabinius had been in Egypt with an army;

Note. A. Gabīnium: Aulus Gabinius restored Ptolemy XII to his throne in 55 BC and left troops (the Gabīniānī) in Egypt. paucīs annīs ante: 'a few years before', ablative of measure of difference.

B. Alex. 3.3Pompēium sē ex fugā eōdem recēpisse;

Pompey had retreated to the same place in his flight;

Note. sē … recēpisse: Pompey fled to Egypt after Pharsalus and was murdered on landing (Civil War III.104). eōdem: adverb, 'to the same place'.

B. Alex. 3.3Caesarem vēnisse cum cōpiīs, neque morte Pompēī quicquam prōfectum, quō minus apud sē Caesar commorārētur.

Caesar had come with his forces, and Pompey's death had done nothing to stop Caesar staying among them.

Note. neque … quicquam prōfectum: 'nothing had been gained' (from prōficiō). quō minus … commorārētur: 'to stop Caesar from staying' — quō minus after a verb of hindering.

B. Alex. 3.4Quem sī nōn expulissent, futūram ex regnō prōvinciam;

If they did not drive him out, the kingdom would become a province;

Note. Quem: connecting relative, 'him' (Caesar). sī nōn expulissent, futūram: a condition inside indirect statement; futūram (esse) agrees with prōvinciam. ex regnō prōvinciam: 'a province out of the kingdom'.

B. Alex. 3.4idque agendum mātūrē: namque eum interclūsum tempestātibus propter annī tempus recipere trānsmarīna auxilia nōn posse.

and this must be done quickly: for he was cut off by storms because of the season of the year and could not receive help from overseas.

Note. id agendum (esse): gerundive of obligation in indirect statement, 'this must be done'. namque … posse: the reason, still reported. propter annī tempus: it was winter, when sailing stopped.