De Bello Civili 1.14

BC 1.14.1Quibus rēbus Rōmam nūntiātīs tantus repente terror invāsit, ut cum Lentulus cōnsul ad aperiendum aerārium vēnisset ad pecūniamque Pompēiō ex senātūs cōnsultō prōferendam, prōtinus apertō sānctiōre aerāriō ex urbe profugeret.

When this was reported at Rome, so great a terror suddenly seized the city that, when the consul Lentulus had come to open the treasury to bring out money for Pompey under the senate's decree, he immediately opened the inner treasury and fled from the city.

Note. sānctiōre aerāriō: the 'more sacred' inner treasury, a reserve kept for emergencies (in Caesar's telling, a war with the Gauls). Lentulus opened it and fled in panic, leaving it open.

BC 1.14.1Caesar enim adventāre iam iamque et adesse eius equitēs falsō nūntiābantur.

For it was falsely reported that Caesar was approaching at any moment and that his cavalry were already there.

Note. iam iamque: 'any moment now'. falsō: 'falsely'.

BC 1.14.2hunc Mārcellus collēga et plērīque magistrātūs cōnsecūtī sunt.

His colleague Marcellus and most of the magistrates followed him.

Note. Mārcellus collēga: C. Marcellus, the other consul.

BC 1.14.3Cn. Pompēius prīdiē eius diēī ex urbe profectus iter ad legiōnēs habēbat, quās ā Caesare acceptās in Āpūliā hībernōrum causā disposuerat.

Gnaeus Pompeius had left the city the day before and was on his way to the legions which he had received from Caesar and stationed in Apulia for the winter.

Note. prīdiē eius diēī: 'on the day before that day'.

BC 1.14.4dīlēctūs circā urbem intermittuntur;

The levies around the city are broken off;

Note. dīlēctūs: nominative plural, 'the levies'.

BC 1.14.4nihil citrā Capuam tūtum esse omnibus vidētur.

nothing this side of Capua seems safe to anyone.

Note. citrā Capuam: 'this side of Capua', i.e. north of it.

BC 1.14.4Capuae prīmum sēsē cōnfirmant et colligunt dīlēctumque colōnōrum, quī lēge Iūliā Capuam dēductī erant, habēre īnstituunt;

At Capua they first take heart and rally, and begin to hold a levy of the colonists who had been settled at Capua under the Julian law;

Note. lēge Iūliā: Caesar's own agrarian law of 59 BC had settled colonists at Capua, an awkward recruiting ground for his enemies.

BC 1.14.4gladiātōrēsque quōs ibi Caesar in lūdō habēbat, ad forum prōductōs Lentulus lībertātis spē cōnfirmat atque iīs equōs attribuit et sē sequī iussit;

and Lentulus brings out to the forum the gladiators whom Caesar kept there in a school, encourages them with the hope of freedom, gives them horses and ordered them to follow him;

Note. gladiātōrēs: Caesar owned a gladiatorial school at Capua. iussit: note the switch from historic present to perfect.

BC 1.14.5quōs posteā monitus ab suīs, quod ea rēs omnium iūdiciō reprehendēbātur, circum familiās conventūs Campāniae custōdiae causā distribuit.

later, warned by his friends because the move was condemned by everyone's judgement, he distributed them among the households of the Campanian district for safe keeping.

Note. circum familiās conventūs Campāniae: 'among the households of the Campanian district'; arming slaves and gladiators was widely condemned.