Bellum Alexandrinum 45

B. Alex. 45.1Octāvius cum Vatīnium classem magnā ex parte cōnfectam ex nāviculīs āctuāriīs habēre cognōsset, cōnfīsus suā classe substitit ad īnsulam Tauridem;

Octavius, when he learned that Vatinius had a fleet made up for the most part of small light vessels, trusted in his own fleet and halted at the island of Tauris;

Note. The anonymous author returns to the Adriatic: P. Vatinius, holding Brundisium for Caesar, has crossed to Illyricum to rescue Q. Cornificius from Pompey's admiral M. Octavius (ch. 42–44). cognōsset = cognōvisset, a syncopated pluperfect subjunctive after cum. classem … cōnfectam ex nāviculīs āctuāriīs: 'a fleet made up of light craft'; āctuāriae nāvēs were fast boats built for rowing. cōnfīsus: perfect participle of the semi-deponent cōnfīdō, with the ablative suā classe.

B. Alex. 45.1quā regiōne Vatīnius īnsequēns nāvigābat, nōn quō Octāvium ibi restitisse scīret, sed quod eum longius prōgressum īnsequī dēcrēverat.

Vatinius was sailing in pursuit through that region, not because he knew that Octavius had stopped there, but because he had decided to follow him as he went further on.

Note. quā regiōne = in eā regiōne quā, 'in which region'. nōn quō … scīret, sed quod … dēcrēverat: the standard pair for a rejected and a real reason; the rejected reason takes the subjunctive, the real one the indicative. longius prōgressum: 'as he went further on'; the participle describes Octavius.

B. Alex. 45.2Cum propius Tauridem accessisset dispersīs suīs nāvibus, quod et tempestās erat turbulenta et nūlla suspīciō hostis, repente adversam ad sē venientem nāvem antemnīs ad medium mālum dēmissīs īnstrūctam prōpugnātōribus animum advertit.

When he had come nearer to Tauris, with his ships scattered because the weather was stormy and there was no suspicion of the enemy, he suddenly noticed a ship coming straight towards him, with its yards lowered to half-mast and manned with marines.

Note. Cum … accessisset: cum with the pluperfect subjunctive, 'when he had come nearer'. propius is used like a preposition with the accusative Taurīdem. dispersīs suīs nāvibus: ablative absolute. nūlla suspīciō hostis: supply erat. antemnīs ad medium mālum dēmissīs: the yards were lowered to half-mast, the usual preparation for fighting under oars. animum advertit = animadvertit, 'noticed', with the accusative nāvem.

B. Alex. 45.3Quod ubi cōnspexit, celeriter vēla subdūcī dēmittīque antemnās iussit et mīlitēs armārī et vēxillō sublātō, quae prīmae nāvēs subsequēbantur, idem ut facerent, significābat.

As soon as he saw this, he quickly ordered the sails to be furled and the yards lowered and the soldiers to arm, and, raising a flag, he signalled to the leading ships that were following him to do the same.

Note. Quod ubi conspexit: a connecting relative, 'as soon as he saw this'. vēla subdūcī dēmittīque antemnās: infinitives depending on iussit. vexillō sublātō: raising a flag was the signal for action. quae prīmae nāvēs subsequēbantur = (eīs nāvibus) quae prīmae subsequēbantur, the antecedent drawn into the relative clause. The ut-clause idem ut facerent is placed after its object for emphasis.

B. Alex. 45.4Parābant sē Vatīniānī repente oppressī;

Vatinius' men, caught by surprise, got themselves ready;

Note. Vatīniānī, Octāviānī: adjectives used as nouns, 'the men of Vatinius, of Octavius'. repente oppressī: 'caught by surprise'.

B. Alex. 45.4parātī deinceps Octāviānī ex portū prōcēdēbant.

Octavius' men, ready already, came out of the harbour one after another.

Note. parātī (already ready) is set against oppressī in the sentence before: the asyndeton sharpens the contrast. deinceps: 'one after another', in column out of the harbour.

B. Alex. 45.4Īnstruitur utrimque aciēs, ōrdine disposita magis Octāviāna, parātior mīlitum animīs Vatīniāna.

A battle line was drawn up on both sides: Octavius' was better arranged in order, Vatinius' readier in the soldiers' spirit.

Note. Instruitur utrimque aciēs: an acies can be a fleet's line of battle as well as an army's. ōrdine dispositā magis Octāviāna, parātior … Vatīniāna: a neat chiasmus; Octavius had the better order, Vatinius the better spirit.