De Bello Civili 1.34

BC 1.34.1Quō cum vēnisset, cognōscit missum in Hispāniam ā Pompēiō Vibullium Rūfum, quem paucīs ante diēbus Corfīniō captum ipse dīmīserat;

When he had come there, he learns that Vibullius Rufus had been sent into Spain by Pompey, the man whom he himself had captured at Corfinium a few days before and let go;

Note. From here to the end of the chapter, everything Caesar 'learns' (cognōscit) is in indirect statement: missum (esse), profectum (esse), praemissōs (esse), with accusative subjects. Corfīniō: ablative of place, 'at Corfinium', where Caesar had captured Domitius' army and released its officers.

BC 1.34.2profectum item Domitium ad occupandam Massiliam nāvibus āctuāriīs vii, quās Igiliī et in Cosānō ā prīvātīs coāctās servīs lībertīs colōnīs suīs complēverat;

that Domitius too had set out to seize Massilia with seven fast ships, which he had requisitioned from private owners at Igilium and in the district of Cosa and had manned with his own slaves, freedmen and tenants;

Note. nāvibus āctuāriīs: light fast ships with oars. vii: seven. Igiliī: locative, 'on Igilium'. servīs lībertīs colōnīs: three nouns without a conjunction (asyndeton), 'with slaves, freedmen, tenants', in the ablative with complēverat, 'had filled'.

BC 1.34.3praemissōs etiam lēgātōs Massiliēnsēs domum, nōbilēs adulēscentēs, quōs ab urbe discēdēns Pompēius erat adhortātus, nē nova Caesaris officia veterum suōrum beneficiōrum in eōs memoriam expellerent.

that envoys of the Massilians, young men of noble family, had also been sent home ahead, whom Pompey on leaving the city had urged not to let Caesar's new services drive out the memory of his own old benefits to them.

Note. nē … expellerent: an indirect command after adhortātus erat, 'urged them not to let … drive out'. nova Caesaris officia is the subject; memoriam is the object. in eōs: 'towards them'.

BC 1.34.4quibus mandātīs acceptīs Massiliēnsēs portās Caesarī clauserant;

Having received these instructions, the Massilians had closed their gates to Caesar;

Note. quibus mandātīs acceptīs: an ablative absolute with a connecting relative, 'having received these instructions'.

BC 1.34.4Albicōs, barbarōs hominēs, quī in eōrum fidē antīquitus erant montēsque suprā Massiliam incolēbant, ad sē vocāverant;

they had called to their side the Albici, a barbarian people who had long been under their protection and lived in the hills above Massilia;

Note. in eōrum fidē: 'under their protection'. ad sē vocāverant: 'had summoned to their side'.

BC 1.34.5frūmentum ex fīnitimīs regiōnibus atque ex omnibus castellīs in urbem convēxerant, armōrum officīnās in urbe īnstituerant, mūrōs portās classem reficiēbant.

they had carried grain into the city from the neighbouring districts and from all the forts, set up workshops for arms in the city, and were repairing walls, gates and fleet.

Note. Three main verbs (convexerant, īnstituerant, reficiēbant) describe the Massilians' preparations; mūrōs portās classem is another list without conjunctions.