Bellum Alexandrinum 70

B. Alex. 70.1Caesar respondit sē fore aequissimum Pharnacī, sī, quae pollicērētur, repraesentātūrus esset.

Caesar replied that he would be most fair to Pharnaces if he was going to carry out at once what he promised.

Note. sē fore aequissimum: 'that he would be most fair'. repraesentātūrus esset: 'was going to carry out at once'; repraesentō means 'to make present', 'do immediately'.

B. Alex. 70.2Monuit autem, ut solēbat, mītibus verbīs lēgātōs, nē aut Dēiotarum sibi obicerent aut nimis eō glōriārentur beneficiō, quod auxilia Pompēiō nōn mīsissent.

But he warned the envoys, in mild words as was his habit, not to throw Deiotarus in his face, nor to boast too much of the service of not having sent help to Pompey.

Note. ut solēbat: 'as he usually did'. nē … obicerent … nēve gloriārentur: indirect commands after monuit. eō … beneficiō: 'in that service'.

B. Alex. 70.3Nam sē neque libentius facere quicquam quam supplicibus ignōscere neque prōvinciārum pūblicās iniūriās condōnāre iīs posse, quī fuissent in sē officiōsī.

For there was nothing he did more gladly than pardon suppliants, but he could not overlook public wrongs done to the provinces in favour of those who had been obliging to him.

Note. Indirect statement continues after an implied verb of saying. libentius … quam: 'more gladly than'. quī fuissent in sē officiōsī: 'who had been obliging towards him'.

B. Alex. 70.4Quīn id ipsum, quod commemorārent, officium fuisse ūtilius Pharnacī, quī prōvīdisset, nē vincerētur, quam sibi, cui diī immortālēs victōriam tribuissent.

Indeed, that very service which they spoke of had been more useful to Pharnaces, who had taken care not to be defeated, than to himself, to whom the immortal gods had granted victory.

Note. Quīn: here 'indeed, nay more'. prōvīdisset, nē vincerētur: 'had taken care not to be defeated', i.e. had only looked after his own safety.

B. Alex. 70.5Itaque sē magnās et gravēs iniūriās cīvium Rōmānōrum, quī in Pontō negōtiātī essent, quoniam in integrum restituere nōn posset, concēdere Pharnacī.

So he would forgive Pharnaces the great and grievous wrongs done to the Roman citizens who had been in business in Pontus, since he could not restore things to their former state.

Note. in integrum restituere: a legal phrase, 'to restore to their original condition'. negōtiātī essent: 'had done business' (negōtior is deponent).

B. Alex. 70.6Nam neque interfectīs āmissam vītam neque exsectīs virīlitātem restituere posse;

For he could neither give back to the dead the life they had lost nor their manhood to those who had been castrated;

Note. interfectīs, exsectīs: datives of the participles used as nouns, 'to the slain', 'to the castrated'. Pharnaces had had Roman citizens castrated.

B. Alex. 70.6quod quidem supplicium gravius morte cīvēs Rōmānī subīssent.

a punishment which Roman citizens had suffered that was indeed worse than death.

Note. quod … supplicium: the relative adjective agrees with supplicium. gravius morte: ablative of comparison, 'worse than death'.

B. Alex. 70.7Pontō vērō dēcēderet cōnfestim familiāsque pūblicānōrum remitteret cēteraque restitueret sociīs cīvibusque Rōmānīs, quae penes eum essent.

But Pharnaces must leave Pontus at once, send back the households of the tax-farmers, and restore to the allies and Roman citizens everything else of theirs that was in his hands.

Note. Pontō … dēcēderet: an indirect command in the subjunctive, 'he must leave Pontus'. pūblicānōrum: the Roman tax-farming companies, whose staff (familiae) were slaves and freedmen.

B. Alex. 70.8Id sī fēcisset iam, tunc sibi mitteret mūnera ac dōna, quae bene rēbus gestīs imperātōrēs ab amīcīs accipere cōnsuēssent.

If he did this, then he might send him the gifts and presents which commanders were accustomed to receive from their friends after successes.

Note. bene rēbus gestīs: ablative absolute, 'after successes'. cōnsuēssent = cōnsuēvissent.

B. Alex. 70.8Mīserat enim eī Pharnacēs corōnam auream.

For Pharnaces had sent him a golden crown.

Note. corōnam auream: a golden crown was a customary gift from client kings to victorious generals.

B. Alex. 70.8Hīs respōnsīs datīs lēgātōs remīsit.

Having given these replies, he sent the envoys back.

Note. Hīs respōnsīs datīs: ablative absolute.