De Bello Civili 1.35

BC 1.35.1Ēvocat ad sē Caesar Massiliā xv prīmōs.

Caesar summons to him the fifteen leading men from Massilia.

Note. xv prīmōs: 'the fifteen first men', Massilia's ruling council of fifteen.

BC 1.35.1cum hīs agit, nē initium īnferendī bellī ā Massiliēnsibus oriātur;

He urges them not to let the beginning of war come from the Massilians;

Note. cum hīs agit: 'he treats with them, urges them'. nē … orīātur: an indirect command, 'that the beginning … should not arise'. īnferendī bellī: gerundive, 'of making war'.

BC 1.35.1dēbēre eōs Ītaliae tōtīus auctōritātem sequī potius quam ūnīus hominis voluntātī obtemperāre.

they ought to follow the authority of all Italy rather than obey the will of one man.

Note. Still Caesar's argument in indirect speech: (eōs) dēbēre, 'they ought'. ūnius hominis: Pompey.

BC 1.35.2reliqua, quae ad eōrum sānandās mentēs pertinēre arbitrābātur, commemorat.

He mentions the other things which he thought would bring them to their senses.

Note. ad eōrum sānandās mentēs: gerundive of purpose with ad, 'to bring their minds to sanity'. quae … pertinēre arbitrābātur: 'which he thought would tend', quae being the subject of the infinitive.

BC 1.35.3cuius ōrātiōnem lēgātī domum referunt atque ex senātūs auctōritāte haec Caesarī renūntiant: intellegere sē dīvīsum esse populum Rōmānum in partēs duās.

The envoys carry his speech home and, on the authority of their senate, report this answer to Caesar: they understand that the Roman people is divided into two parties.

Note. ex senātūs auctōritāte: 'by authority of their senate'. intellegere sē …: the Massilians' answer in indirect statement; dīvīsum esse is a perfect passive infinitive.

BC 1.35.3neque suī iūdiciī neque suārum esse vīrium discernere, utra pars iūstiōrem habeat causam.

It is not for their judgement or their strength to decide which party has the juster cause.

Note. neque suī iūdiciī neque suārum … vīrium: genitives of characteristic with esse, 'it is not a matter for their judgement or their strength'. utra pars … habeat: an indirect question, 'which of the two parties has'.

BC 1.35.4prīncipēs vērō esse eārum partium, patrōnōs cīvitātis, quōrum alter agrōs Volcārum Arecomicōrum et Helviōrum pūblicē iīs concesserit, alter bellō victōs Sallyas adtribuerit vectīgāliaque auxerit.

But the leaders of those parties [Pompey and Caesar] are patrons of the city, of whom one has officially granted them the lands of the Volcae Arecomici and the Helvii, and the other has assigned to them the Sallyes, defeated in war, and increased their revenues.

Note. The edition brackets the words Cn. Pompeium et C. Caesarem after partium as a later addition, so they are left out here; the sense is the same. alter … alter: 'the one … the other'. Pompey had given them the lands of the Volcae Arecomici and Helvii in 77 BC; Caesar had added the defeated Sallyes.

BC 1.35.5quārē paribus eōrum beneficiīs parem sē quoque voluntātem tribuere dēbēre, et neutrum eōrum contrā alterum iuvāre aut urbe ac portibus recipere.

Therefore, since their benefits are equal, they ought to show equal goodwill, and neither help one against the other nor admit him to their city and harbours.

Note. paribus eōrum beneficiīs: an ablative absolute, 'their services being equal'. neutrum … contrā alterum: 'neither against the other'. urbe ac portibus recipere: 'to admit to their city and harbours', ablatives of place.