Bellum Alexandrinum 69

B. Alex. 69.1Cum in Pontum vēnisset cōpiāsque omnēs in ūnum locum coēgisset, quae numerō atque exercitātiōne bellōrum mediocrēs erant— exceptā enim legiōne sextā, quam sēcum abdūxerat Alexandrīā veterānam multīs labōribus perīculīsque fūnctam multīsque mīlitibus partim difficultāte itinerum ac nāvigātiōnum partim crēbritāte bellōrum adeō dēminūtam, ut minus mīlle hominibus in eā esset, reliquae erant trēs legiōnēs, ūna Dēiotarī, duae, quae in eō proeliō, quod Cn. Domitium fēcisse cum Pharnace scrīpsimus, fuerant— lēgātī ā Pharnace missī Caesarem adeunt atque inprīmīs dēprecantur, nē eius adventus hostīlis esset: factūrum enim omnia Pharnacēn, quae imperāta essent.

When he had come into Pontus and gathered all his forces in one place (they were only moderate in numbers and in experience of war: for apart from the Sixth legion, which he had brought with him from Alexandria, a veteran legion that had come through many toils and dangers and had been so reduced by the loss of many men, partly through the hardships of marches and voyages and partly through the frequency of wars, that there were fewer than a thousand men in it, the remaining forces were three legions, one of Deiotarus' and two which had been in the battle which, as we have written, Gnaeus Domitius fought with Pharnaces), envoys sent by Pharnaces came to Caesar and above all begged that his coming should not be hostile: for Pharnaces would do everything that he was ordered.

Note. The long parenthesis between the dashes lists Caesar's troops: the veteran Sixth legion, now under a thousand men, one legion of Deiotarus, and two that had fought under Domitius Calvinus. minus mīlle hominibus: minus without quam, with the ablative of comparison. nē eius adventus hostīlis esset: the content of their plea. facturum: supply esse.

B. Alex. 69.3Maximēque commemorābant nūlla Pharnacēn auxilia contrā Caesarem Pompēiō dare voluisse, cum Dēiotarus, quī dedisset, tamen eī satisfēcisset.

And they especially pointed out that Pharnaces had refused to give any help to Pompey against Caesar, whereas Deiotarus, who had given it, had nevertheless satisfied him.

Note. volūisse: from volō, velle, 'had been willing'. quī dedisset: subjunctive in a subordinate clause within indirect statement.