Bellum Alexandrinum 38

B. Alex. 38.1Proximā nocte Pharnacēs interceptīs tabellāriīs, quī dē Alexandrīnīs rēbus litterās ad Domitium ferēbant, cognōscit Caesarem magnō in perīculō versārī flāgitārīque ab Domitiō, ut quam prīmum Caesarī subsidia mitteret propiusque ipse Alexandrīam per Syriam accēderet.

The following night Pharnaces intercepted couriers carrying letters to Domitius about events at Alexandria, and learned that Caesar was in great danger and was urgently asking Domitius to send him help as soon as possible and to come nearer to Alexandria himself through Syria.

Note. interceptīs tabellāriīs: ablative absolute; tabellārius is a letter-carrier. Caesarem … versārī flāgitārīque: indirect statement after cognōscit; Caesar was then besieged in Alexandria. quam prīmum: 'as soon as possible'.

B. Alex. 38.2Quā cognitā rē Pharnacēs victōriae locō dūcēbat, sī trahere tempus posset, cum discēdendum Domitiō celeriter putāret.

On learning this Pharnaces thought it as good as a victory if he could drag out the time, since he supposed that Domitius would soon have to leave.

Note. victōriae locō dūcēbat: 'he counted it as a victory'. discēdendum Domitiō: passive periphrastic with dative of agent, 'that Domitius must leave'.

B. Alex. 38.3Itaque ab oppidō, quā facillimum accessum et aequissimum ad dīmicandum locum nostrīs vidēbat, fossās duās dērēctās nōn ita magnō mediō intervallō relictō IV pedum altitūdinis in eum locum dēdūxit, quō longius cōnstituerat suam nōn prōdūcere aciem.

So, on the side of the town where he saw that our men had the easiest approach and the most favourable ground for fighting, he dug two straight trenches four feet deep, leaving no very great space between them, as far as the point beyond which he had decided not to advance his line.

Note. quā: adverb, 'where'. ad dīmicandum: gerund of purpose. fossās duās dērēctās: 'two straight trenches'. nōn ita magnō: 'not very large'. IV pedum altitūdinis: genitive of description. quō longius: 'beyond which'.

B. Alex. 38.4Inter hās fossās aciem semper īnstruēbat, equitātum autem omnem ab lateribus extrā fossam collocābat;

Between these trenches he always drew up his battle line, and placed all his cavalry on the flanks outside the trench;

Note. Inter hās fossās: the trenches protected his flanks while his cavalry waited outside them.

B. Alex. 38.4quī neque aliter ūtilis esse poterat et multum numerō anteībat nostrum equitātum.

they could not be useful in any other way, and they far outnumbered our cavalry.

Note. neque aliter: 'in no other way'. numerō: ablative of respect, 'in number'.