De Bello Civili 1.15

BC 1.15.1Auximō Caesar prōgressus omnem agrum Pīcēnum percurrit.

Advancing from Auximum, Caesar overran the whole Picene territory.

Note. agrum Pīcēnum: Picenum, the region along the Adriatic where Pompey's family was powerful.

BC 1.15.1cūnctae eārum regiōnum praefectūrae libentissimīs animīs eum recipiunt exercitumque eius omnibus rēbus iuvant.

All the prefectures of those districts receive him most gladly and help his army with everything.

Note. praefectūrae: districts of Roman citizens governed by prefects. libentissimīs animīs: 'most gladly'.

BC 1.15.2etiam Cingulō, quod oppidum Labiēnus cōnstituerat suāque pecūniā exaedificāverat, ad eum lēgātī veniunt, quaeque imperāverit, sē cupidissimē factūrōs pollicentur.

Even from Cingulum, a town which Labienus had founded and built at his own expense, envoys come to him and promise to carry out most eagerly whatever he orders.

Note. Labiēnus: Caesar's chief lieutenant in Gaul, who joined Pompey at the outbreak of war; his own town now goes over to Caesar. quaeque = et quae.

BC 1.15.3mīlitēs imperat;

He demands soldiers;

Note. mīlitēs imperat: 'he demands soldiers'; imperāre with an accusative of the thing demanded.

BC 1.15.3mittunt.

they send them.

Note. The two-word reply is a typical Caesarian touch.

BC 1.15.3intereā legiō xii Caesarem cōnsequitur.

Meanwhile the twelfth legion catches up with Caesar.

BC 1.15.3cum hīs duābus Asculum Pīcēnum proficīscitur.

With these two he sets out for Asculum in Picenum.

Note. Asculum Pīcēnum: Asculum in Picenum.

BC 1.15.3id oppidum Lentulus Spinthēr x cohortibus tenēbat;

Lentulus Spinther was holding that town with ten cohorts;

Note. Lentulus Spinther: P. Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, consul in 57, not the consul of 49.

BC 1.15.3quī Caesaris adventū cognitō profūgit ex oppidō cohortēsque sēcum abdūcere cōnātus magnā parte mīlitum dēseritur.

learning of Caesar's approach he fled from the town, and trying to take the cohorts with him he is deserted by a large part of the soldiers.

BC 1.15.4relictus in itinere cum paucīs incidit in Vibullium Rūfum missum ā Pompēiō in agrum Pīcēnum cōnfirmandōrum hominum causā.

Left on the road with a few men, he falls in with Vibullius Rufus, who had been sent by Pompey into Picenum to strengthen men's loyalty.

Note. incidit in: 'fell in with'. Vibullius Rufus was sent by Pompey to hold Picenum.

BC 1.15.4ā quō factus Vibullius certior, quae rēs in Pīcēnō gererentur, mīlitēs ab eō accipit, ipsum dīmittit.

Informed by him of what was happening in Picenum, Vibullius takes over his soldiers and dismisses him.

Note. ā quō factus certior: 'informed by him'. ipsum dīmittit: he lets Lentulus go.

BC 1.15.5item ex fīnitimīs regiōnibus quās potest contrahit cohortēs ex dīlēctibus Pompēiānīs;

He also gathers from the neighbouring districts what cohorts he can from Pompey's levies;

Note. quās potest: 'as many as he can'.

BC 1.15.5in hīs Camerīnō fugientem Lūcīlium Hirrum cum sex cohortibus, quās ibi in praesidiō habuerat, excipit;

among them he takes in Lucilius Hirrus, fleeing from Camerinum with the six cohorts he had had there as a garrison;

Note. Lūcīlius Hirrus: a Pompeian, formerly tribune.

BC 1.15.6quibus coāctīs xiii efficit.

by combining these he makes up thirteen.

Note. XIII: thirteen cohorts.

BC 1.15.6cum hīs ad Domitium Ahēnobarbum Corfīnium magnīs itineribus pervēnit Caesaremque adesse cum legiōnibus duābus nūntiat.

With these he reaches Domitius Ahenobarbus at Corfinium by forced marches and reports that Caesar is near with two legions.

Note. Domitius Ahēnobarbus: L. Domitius, named Caesar's successor in Gaul (sentence 54). His stand at Corfinium is the first real test of the war.

BC 1.15.7Domitius per sē circiter xx cohortēs Albā, ex Marsīs et Paelignīs, fīnitimīs ab regiōnibus coēgerat.

Domitius had on his own account gathered about twenty cohorts from Alba, from the Marsi and the Paeligni, and from the neighbouring districts.

Note. Albā: Alba Fucens, a town of the Marsi. per sē: 'on his own initiative'.