Bellum Alexandrinum 40

B. Alex. 40.1Signō sub idem tempus ab utrōque datō concurritur: ācriter variēque pugnātur.

At about the same moment both sides gave the signal and the armies clashed: the fighting was fierce and changing.

Note. concurritur … pugnātur: impersonal passives, vivid present. variē: 'with changing fortune'.

B. Alex. 40.1Nam XXXVI legiō, cum extrā fossam in equitēs rēgis impetum fēcisset, adeō secundum proelium fēcit, ut moenibus oppidī succēderet fossamque trānsīret āversōsque hostēs adgrederētur.

For the Thirty-sixth legion charged the king's cavalry outside the trench and fought so successfully that it came up to the town walls, crossed the trench, and attacked the enemy in the rear.

Note. secundum proelium fēcit: 'fought successfully'. moenibus … succēderet: succēdō with the dative, 'came up to the walls'. āversōs: 'turned away', i.e. from behind.

B. Alex. 40.2At Pontica ex alterā parte legiō, cum paulum āversa hostibus cessisset, fossam autem circumīre ac trānscendere cōnāta esset, ut ab apertō latere adgrederētur hostem, in ipsō trānsitū fossae cōnfīxa et oppressa est.

But the Pontic legion on the other side gave way a little before the enemy, then tried to go round and cross the trench in order to attack the enemy on his exposed flank, and in the very crossing of the trench it was cut through and overwhelmed.

Note. cum … cessisset … cōnāta esset: cum with the pluperfect subjunctive. āversa: here 'withdrawing'. ab apertō latere: the right side, unprotected by the shield. cōnfīxa et oppressa est: 'was pierced and crushed'.

B. Alex. 40.2Dēiotarī vērō legiōnēs vix impetum sustinuērunt.

Deiotarus' legions could barely withstand the attack.

Note. vērō: 'but, however', marking the contrast with the Thirty-sixth. vix: 'barely'.

B. Alex. 40.3Ita victrīcēs rēgiae cōpiae cornū suō dextrō mediāque aciē convertērunt sē ad XXXVI legiōnem.

So the king's victorious forces, with their right wing and their centre, turned against the Thirty-sixth legion.

Note. victrīcēs: feminine of victor used as an adjective. cornū suō dextrō mediāque aciē: ablatives of means, 'with their right wing and centre'.

B. Alex. 40.3Quae tamen fortiter vincentium impetum sustinuit, magnīs cōpiīs hostium circumdata praesentissimō animō pugnāns in orbem sē recēpit ad rādīcēs montium;

It nevertheless bore the onslaught of the victors bravely and, though surrounded by large enemy forces, fought with the greatest presence of mind, formed a circle, and withdrew to the foot of the mountains;

Note. vincentium: present participle as a noun, 'of the victors'. in orbem: 'into a circle', the Roman formation for defence on all sides.

B. Alex. 40.3quō Pharnacēs īnsequī propter inīquitātem locī nōluit.

Pharnaces was unwilling to pursue it there because of the difficult ground.

Note. quō: adverb, 'to that place'. propter inīquitātem locī: 'because of the unfavourable ground'.

B. Alex. 40.4Ita Ponticā legiōne paene tōtā āmissā, magnā parte Dēiotarī mīlitum interfectā XXXVI legiō in loca sē superiōra contulit nōn amplius CCL dēsīderātīs.

So, with the Pontic legion almost entirely lost and a large part of Deiotarus' soldiers killed, the Thirty-sixth legion withdrew to higher ground with no more than 250 men missing.

Note. nōn amplius CCL dēsīderātīs: ablative absolute; amplius without quam, 'no more than 250 being lost'. dēsīderō: 'miss', the usual word for losses.

B. Alex. 40.4Cecidērunt eō proeliō splendidī atque inlūstrēs virī nōnnūllī, equitēs Rōmānī.

Several distinguished and notable men fell in that battle, Roman knights.

Note. Cecīdērunt: from cadō, 'fell'. equitēs Rōmānī: in apposition to virī, 'Roman knights'.

B. Alex. 40.5Quō tamen incommodō Domitius acceptō reliquiās exercitūs dissipātī collēgit itineribusque tūtīs per Cappadociam sē in Asiam recēpit.

Domitius, however, accepted this setback, collected the remains of his scattered army, and withdrew by safe routes through Cappadocia into Asia.

Note. Quō … incommodō … acceptō: ablative absolute with a connecting relative. itineribus tūtīs: 'by safe routes'.