De Bello Civili 1.32

BC 1.32.1Hīs rēbus cōnfectīs Caesar, ut reliquum tempus ā labōre intermitterētur, mīlitēs in proxima mūnicipia dēdūcit;

With these things completed, Caesar, so that the rest of the time might be a break from toil, takes his soldiers to the nearest towns;

Note. ut reliquum tempus ā labōre intermitterētur: 'so that the rest of the time might be a break from toil'.

BC 1.32.1ipse ad urbem proficīscitur.

he himself sets out for the city.

Note. ad urbem: 'to the city', i.e. Rome.

BC 1.32.2coāctō senātū iniūriās inimīcōrum commemorat.

Having called the senate together, he recalls the wrongs done by his enemies.

Note. coāctō senātū: ablative absolute. Caesar met what was left of the senate on 1 April 49 BC.

BC 1.32.2docet sē nūllum extraōrdinārium honōrem adpetīsse, sed exspectātō lēgitimō tempore cōnsulātūs eō fuisse contentum, quod omnibus cīvibus patēret.

He explains that he had not sought any extraordinary office, but, having waited for the legal interval before a consulship, had been content with what was open to all citizens.

Note. Caesar's case in reported speech. exspectātō lēgitimō tempore: 'having waited for the legal interval' (ten years) between consulships.

BC 1.32.3lātum ab x tribūnīs plēbis contrādīcentibus inimīcīs, Catōne vērō ācerrimē repugnante et prīstinā cōnsuētūdine dīcendī morā diēs extrahente, ut suī ratiō absentis habērētur, ipsō cōnsule Pompēiō;

A law had been carried by the ten tribunes of the plebs, against the opposition of his enemies, with Cato indeed resisting most fiercely and dragging out the days with speeches in his old way, that his candidacy should be accepted in his absence, in the very consulship of Pompey;

Note. lātum: understand esse, 'a law had been carried'. The 'law of the ten tribunes' of 52 BC allowed Caesar to stand for the consulship in absence. Catōne … repugnante: ablative absolute; Cato talked out the debate (a filibuster).

BC 1.32.3quī sī inprobāsset, cūr ferrī passus esset?

if Pompey disapproved, why had he allowed it to be carried?

Note. A rhetorical question in reported speech: quī = Pompey.

BC 1.32.3sī probāsset, cūr sē utī populī beneficiō prohibuisset?

If he approved, why had he prevented him from using the people's favour?

Note. The digital text prints 'ur' and 'cpatientiam' across these two sentences; the correct words are cūr and patientiam.

BC 1.32.4Patientiam prōpōnit suam, cum dē exercitibus dīmittendīs ultrō postulāvisset, in quō iactūram dignitātis atque honōris ipse factūrus esset.

He sets out his own patience, since he had of his own accord asked for the armies to be dismissed, in which he himself would have suffered a loss of standing and honour.

Note. dē exercitibus dīmittendīs: gerundive, 'about the dismissal of the armies'.

BC 1.32.5acerbitātem inimīcōrum docet, quī quod ab alterō postulārent, in sē recūsārent, atque omnia permiscērī māllent quam imperium exercitūsque dīmittere.

He shows the bitterness of his enemies, who refused for themselves what they demanded from the other side, and preferred to throw everything into confusion rather than give up their command and their armies.

Note. quod ab alterō postulārent, in sē recūsārent: 'what they demanded from the other side, they refused for themselves'.

BC 1.32.6iniūriam in ēripiendīs legiōnibus praedicat, crūdēlitātem et īnsolentiam in circumscrībendīs tribūnīs plēbis;

He proclaims the wrong done in taking away his legions, the cruelty and insolence in restricting the tribunes of the plebs;

Note. in ēripiendīs legiōnibus: two legions taken from Caesar in 50 BC, supposedly for a war against Parthia.

BC 1.32.6condiciōnēs ā sē lātās, expetīta colloquia et dēnegāta commemorat.

he recalls the terms he had offered, the meetings he had sought and been refused.

Note. lātās … expetīta … dēnegāta: participles, 'offered', 'sought', 'refused'.

BC 1.32.7prō quibus rēbus hortātur ac postulat, ut rem pūblicam suscipiant atque ūnā sēcum administrent.

In view of these things he urges and asks them to take up the government of the state and administer it together with him.

Note. ūnā sēcum: 'together with him'; sēcum = cum sē.

BC 1.32.7sīn timōre dēfugiant, illīs sē onerī nōn futūrum et per sē rem pūblicam administrātūrum.

But if they shrank from it out of fear, he would not be a burden to them and would administer the state by himself.

Note. sīn: 'but if'. oneri: predicative dative, 'a burden'.

BC 1.32.8lēgātōs ad Pompēium dē compositiōne mittī oportēre, neque sē refōrmīdāre, quod in senātū Pompēius paulō ante dīxisset, ad quōs lēgātī mitterentur, hīs auctōritātem attribuī timōremque eōrum quī mitterent significārī.

Envoys ought to be sent to Pompey about a settlement, and he was not afraid of what Pompey had said in the senate a little earlier, that authority was conferred on those to whom envoys were sent, and fear was shown by those who sent them.

Note. Pompey had said that sending envoys gave authority to those who received them and showed fear in those who sent them.

BC 1.32.9tenuis atque īnfirmī haec animī vidērī.

This seemed to him the mark of a feeble and weak spirit.

Note. tenuis atque īnfirmī … animī: genitive of characteristic, 'the mark of a feeble and weak mind'.

BC 1.32.9sē vērō, ut operibus anteīre studuerit, sīc iūstitiā et aequitāte velle superāre.

For his own part, as he had striven to surpass them in deeds, so he wished to surpass them in justice and fairness.

Note. ut … sīc: 'as … so'. Caesar ends with his claim to be the just and fair side.