Bellum Alexandrinum 32

B. Alex. 32.1Rē fēlīcissimē celerrimēque gestā Caesar magnā victōriae fīdūciā proximō terrestrī itinere Alexandrīam cum equitibus contendit atque eā parte oppidī victor introiit, quae praesidiō hostium tenēbātur.

The affair had been carried through with great success and speed, and Caesar, confident because of so great a victory, hurried with his cavalry to Alexandria by the nearest road overland, and entered as victor the part of the town that was held by the enemy's garrison.

Note. Rē … gestā: ablative absolute. fēlīcissimē celerrimēque: superlative adverbs. magnā victōriae fīdūciā: ablative of manner, 'with great confidence because of his victory'. proximō terrestrī itinere: 'by the nearest land route'. victor: in apposition to Caesar, 'as victor'.

B. Alex. 32.2Neque eum cōnsilium suum fefellit, quīn hostēs eō proeliō audītō nihil iam dē bellō essent cōgitātūrī.

Nor was he wrong in his judgement that, once they heard of that battle, the enemy would no longer think of war.

Note. Neque eum cōnsilium suum fefellit, quīn …: 'nor did his judgement deceive him, that …'; quīn follows a negated verb of doubting or deceiving. essent cōgitātūrī: future active periphrastic in the subjunctive, 'they would think'.

B. Alex. 32.3Dignum adveniēns frūctum virtūtis et animī magnitūdinis tulit: omnis enim multitūdō oppidānōrum armīs prōiectīs mūnītiōnibusque suīs relictīs, veste eā sūmptā, quā supplicēs dominantēs dēprecārī cōnsuērunt, sacrīsque omnibus prōlātīs, quōrum religiōne precārī offēnsōs īrātōsque animōs rēgum erant solitī, advenientī Caesarī occurrērunt sēque eī dēdidērunt.

On his arrival he reaped the reward his courage and greatness of spirit deserved: the whole population of the town threw down their arms, abandoned their fortifications, put on the dress in which suppliants are accustomed to beg mercy of their rulers, brought out all the sacred objects by whose holy power they used to appease the offended and angry hearts of their kings, and came out to meet Caesar as he approached and surrendered to him.

Note. Dignum … frūctum … tulit: 'he reaped a fitting reward'; dignus here governs the genitives virtūtis and magnitūdinis. A run of ablative absolutes: armīs prōiectīs, mūnītiōnibus relictīs, veste sūmptā, sacrīs prōlātīs. dominantēs: 'their rulers', participle used as a noun. cōnsuērunt: contracted perfect of cōnsuēscō, with present meaning, 'are accustomed'. omnis multitūdō … occurrērunt: a collective noun with a plural verb.

B. Alex. 32.4Caesar in fidem receptōs cōnsōlātus per hostium mūnītiōnēs in suam partem oppidī magnā grātulātiōne vēnit suōrum;

Caesar took them under his protection, comforted them, and went through the enemy's fortifications to his own part of the town, amid great rejoicing from his men,

Note. in fidem receptōs: 'those he had taken under his protection'. cōnsōlātus: perfect participle of the deponent cōnsōlor, active in sense. magnā grātulātiōne … suōrum: the genitive suōrum is held back to the end of the sentence.

B. Alex. 32.4quī nōn tantum bellum ipsum ac dīmicātiōnem, sed etiam tālem adventum eius fēlīcem fuisse laetābantur.

who were glad not only at the war and the fighting themselves, but at his arriving in such a way, so successful had it been.

Note. nōn tantum … sed etiam: 'not only … but also'. tālem adventum eius fēlīcem fuisse: indirect statement after laetābantur, 'that his arrival had been so fortunate'.