Bellum Alexandrinum 58

B. Alex. 58.1Interim Tōrius ad Cordubam veterēs legiōnēs addūcit ac, nē dissēnsiōnis initium nātum sēditiōsā mīlitum suāque nātūrā vidērētur, simul ut contrā Q. Cassium, quī Caesaris nōmine maiōribus vīribus utī vidēbātur, aequē potentem oppōneret dignitātem, Cn. Pompēiō sē prōvinciam recuperāre velle palam dictitābat.

Meanwhile Torius brought the veteran legions to Corduba, and so that the beginning of the revolt should not seem to have sprung from the mutinous nature of the soldiers and from his own, and at the same time to set an equally powerful prestige against Quintus Cassius, who seemed to be using greater forces in Caesar's name, he kept saying openly that he wanted to recover the province for Gnaeus Pompeius.

Note. nē … vidērētur: purpose clause. sēditiōsā mīlitum suāque nātūrā: 'from the mutinous nature of the soldiers and his own'. simul ut … oppōneret: a second purpose clause. Caesaris nōmine: 'in Caesar's name'. aequē potentem … dignitātem: an equally powerful prestige, Pompey's name. Cn. Pompeiō: dative of advantage, 'for Gnaeus Pompeius'. dictitābat: frequentative of dīcō, 'kept saying'.

B. Alex. 58.2Et forsitan etiam hoc fēcerit odiō Caesaris et amōre Pompēī, cuius nōmen multum poterat apud eās legiōnēs, quās M. Varrō obtinuerat.

And perhaps he did this out of hatred of Caesar and love of Pompey, whose name carried great weight with the legions that Marcus Varro had commanded.

Note. forsitan … fēcerit: forsitan takes the subjunctive, 'perhaps he did'. multum poterat: 'carried great weight'. M. Varrō: Pompey's legate in Further Spain, who had surrendered to Caesar in 49 (BC 2.17–20); his legions were now serving Cassius.

B. Alex. 58.2Sed id quā mente, commūnis erat coniectūra: certē hoc prae sē Tōrius ferēbat.

But with what intention he did it was anyone's guess: at any rate this was what Torius professed.

Note. id quā mente (fēcerit): an indirect question with the verb understood. commūnis … coniectūra: 'a matter of general guesswork'. prae sē ferēbat: 'professed openly'.

B. Alex. 58.3Mīlitēs adeō īnfatuābantur, ut Cn. Pompēī nōmen in scūtīs īnscrīptum habērent.

The soldiers were so infatuated that they had Gnaeus Pompeius' name inscribed on their shields.

Note. infatuābantur: 'were so carried away'. inscrīptum habērent: 'had (it) inscribed', a form close to the English perfect.

B. Alex. 58.4Frequēns legiōnibus conventus obviam prōdit, neque tantum virōrum, sed etiam mātrum familiās ac praetextātōrum, dēprecāturque, nē hostīlī adventū Cordubam dīriperent: nam sē contrā Cassium cōnsentīre cum omnibus, contrā Caesarem nē facere cōgerentur, ōrāre.

The whole assize community came out in crowds to meet the legions, not only men but also mothers of families and boys still in the purple-bordered toga, and begged them not to plunder Corduba as if coming as enemies: for they themselves agreed with everyone against Cassius, they begged only not to be forced to act against Caesar.

Note. Frequēns … conventus: 'the community in full numbers'. obviam prōdit: 'came out to meet', with the dative legiōnibus. mātrum familiās: the old genitive familiās survives in this phrase. praetextātōrum: 'boys still wearing the toga praetexta', the purple-bordered toga of childhood. nē hostīlī adventū … dīriperent: indirect command after dēprecātur. The last clause is in reported speech: sē … cōnsentīre … , nē … cōgerentur ōrāre.