De Bello Civili 1.33

BC 1.33.1Probat rem senātus dē mittendīs lēgātīs;

The senate approves the proposal about sending envoys;

Note. Early 49 BC: Caesar has crossed the Rubicon, Pompey has left Italy, and Caesar is at Rome asking the senate to send envoys to Pompey. senātus is nominative, the subject of probat. dē mittendīs lēgātīs: a gerundive phrase, 'about envoys to be sent', i.e. 'about sending envoys'.

BC 1.33.1sed quī mitterentur nōn reperiēbantur, maximēque timōris causā prō sē quisque id mūnus lēgātiōnis recūsābat.

but men to be sent could not be found, and above all out of fear each man for himself refused that duty of an embassy.

Note. quī mitterentur: a relative clause of characteristic, 'men who could be sent'. prō sē quisque: 'each man for himself'. timōris causā: causā with a genitive means 'for the sake of, because of'.

BC 1.33.2Pompēius enim discēdēns ab urbe in senātū dīxerat eōdem sē habitūrum locō, quī Rōmae remānsissent, et quī in castrīs Caesaris fuissent.

For Pompey, on leaving the city, had said in the senate that he would hold in the same position those who had stayed at Rome and those who had been in Caesar's camp.

Note. eōdem … locō habitūrum: 'that he would hold in the same place', i.e. treat as enemies alike. habitūrum (esse) is a future infinitive in indirect statement after dīxerat; sē is its subject. quī … remānsissent: 'those who had stayed', the antecedent (eōs) is left out.

BC 1.33.3sīc trīduum disputātiōnibus excūsātiōnibusque extrahitur.

So three days are spun out in debates and excuses.

Note. trīduum: 'a space of three days', nominative subject of the passive extrahitur, 'is dragged out'.

BC 1.33.3subicitur etiam L. Metellus tribūnus plēbis ab inimīcīs Caesaris, quī hanc rem distrahat, reliquāsque rēs, quāscumque agere īnstituerit, impediat.

Lucius Metellus, a tribune of the plebs, is also put up by Caesar's enemies to drag this business out and to obstruct whatever else he set out to do.

Note. subicitur: 'is put up', i.e. set on by Caesar's enemies. quī … distrahat … impediat: a relative clause of purpose, 'to drag out … and obstruct'. A tribune could veto any business of the senate.

BC 1.33.4cuius cognitō cōnsiliō Caesar frūstrā diēbus aliquot cōnsūmptīs, nē reliquum tempus āmittat, īnfectīs iīs quae agere dēstināverat, ab urbe proficīscitur atque in ulteriōrem Galliam pervēnit.

When he had learned of his plan, Caesar, after spending several days in vain, left the city and reached Further Gaul, so as not to lose the rest of his time, with those things undone which he had intended to do.

Note. cuius cognitō cōnsiliō: an ablative absolute, 'his plan having been learned'; cuius is a connecting relative, = et eius. īnfectīs iīs: another ablative absolute, 'those things being undone'. nē … āmittat: a negative purpose clause. Ulterior Gallia here is Transalpine Gaul, on the far side of the Alps.