Bellum Alexandrinum 56

B. Alex. 56.1Aliquot post diēbus litterās ā Caesare missās accipit, quibus cognōscit Pompēium in aciē victum āmissīs cōpiīs fūgisse.

Some days later he received a letter sent by Caesar, from which he learned that Pompey had been beaten in battle, lost his forces and fled.

Note. Aliquot post diēbus: 'some days later'; post is an adverb here. Pompeium … victum … fūgisse: the news of Pharsalus (August 48).

B. Alex. 56.2Quā rē cognitā mīxtam dolōre voluptātem capiēbat: victōriae nūntius laetitiam exprimēbat, cōnfectum bellum licentiam superiōrum temporum interclūdēbat.

When he learned this, he felt a pleasure mixed with pain: the news of victory drew out his joy, but the end of the war shut off the licence of the times before.

Note. mixtam dolōre voluptātem: 'a pleasure mixed with pain'. victōriae nūntius laetitiam exprimēbat: 'the news of victory drew out his joy'. cōnfectum bellum: 'the end of the war'; Latin often uses a participle where English uses an abstract noun. superiōrum is Kübler's supplement (printed in italics).

B. Alex. 56.2Sīc erat dubius animī, utrum nihil timēret an omnia licēre māllet.

So he was uncertain in his mind whether he would rather have nothing to fear or be free to do anything.

Note. dubius animī: 'uncertain in mind'; animī is a locatival genitive. utrum … an: a double indirect question. nihil timēret … omnia licēre: he could not decide whether he would rather be safe or be free to do anything.

B. Alex. 56.3Sānātīs vulneribus arcessit omnēs, quī sibi pecūniās expēnsās tulerant, acceptāsque eās iubet referrī;

When his wounds had healed, he summoned all those who had entered sums of money as paid out to him, and ordered these to be entered as received;

Note. Sānātīs vulneribus: ablative absolute. pecūniās expēnsās tulerant: they had entered the levies as loans to him; now he made them enter the same sums as received (acceptās referrī), cancelling the debts.

B. Alex. 56.3quibus parum vidēbātur imposuisse oneris, ampliōrem pecūniam imperat.

on those he thought he had not burdened enough, he levied a larger sum.

Note. quibus = eīs quibus. parum … onerīs: partitive genitive, 'too little of a burden'. vidēbātur: 'he seemed (to himself)'.

B. Alex. 56.4Equitum autem Rōmānōrum dīlēctum īnstituit;

He also held a levy of Roman knights;

Note. Equitum … Rōmānōrum: wealthy Roman citizens living in the province, the class of 'knights'.

B. Alex. 56.4quōs ex omnibus conventibus colōniīsque cōnscrīptōs trānsmarīnā mīlitiā perterritōs ad sacrāmentī redēmptiōnem vocābat.

these men, enrolled from all the assize districts and colonies and terrified of service overseas, he invited to buy their release from the military oath.

Note. conventibus: the assize districts into which the province was divided. trānsmarīnā mīlitiā perterritōs: frightened of service overseas in Africa. ad sacrāmentī redemptiōnem: 'to buy release from the military oath'.

B. Alex. 56.4Magnum hoc fuit vectīgal, maius tamen creābat odium.

This was a great source of revenue, but it created greater hatred.

Note. maius: supply vectīgal; the sentence turns on the contrast magnum … maius.

B. Alex. 56.5Hīs rēbus cōnfectīs tōtum exercitum lūstrat;

When this business was finished, he reviewed his whole army;

Note. lūstrat: a formal review of the army with a purifying sacrifice (lūstrātiō).

B. Alex. 56.5legiōnēs, quās in Āfricam ductūrus erat, et auxilia mittit ad trāiectum.

the legions he was going to lead into Africa, and the auxiliaries, he sent to the crossing-point.

Note. quās … ductūrus erat: the 'active periphrastic', 'which he was going to lead'. ad trāiectum: 'to the crossing-point', on the Straits of Gibraltar.

B. Alex. 56.6Ipse classem, quam parābat, ut īnspiceret, Hispalim accēdit ibique morātur, proptereā quod ēdictum tōtā prōvinciā prōposuerat, ut quibus pecūniās imperāsset neque contulissent, sē adīrent.

He himself went to Hispalis to inspect the fleet he was preparing, and stayed there, because he had published an edict throughout the province that those on whom he had levied money and who had not paid it should come to him.

Note. ut īnspiceret: purpose clause placed after its object. Hispalim: accusative of motion towards a town. edictum … ut … sē adīrent: indirect command; quibus = eī quibus, 'those on whom'. imperāsset = imperāvisset.

B. Alex. 56.6Quae ēvocātiō vehementer omnēs turbāvit.

This summons threw everyone into great alarm.

Note. Quae ēvocātiō: connecting relative, 'this summons'.