De Bello Civili 1.39

BC 1.39.1Erant, ut suprā dēmōnstrātum est, legiōnēs Afrānī iii, Petrēī duae, praetereā scūtātae citeriōris prōvinciae et caetrātae ulteriōris Hispāniae cohortēs circiter lxxx equitumque utrīusque prōvinciae circiter v mīlia.

There were, as has been shown above, three legions of Afranius and two of Petreius, and besides about eighty cohorts, the long-shielded troops of the Nearer province and the light-shielded troops of Further Spain, and about five thousand cavalry from both provinces.

Note. scūtātae … cohortēs: 'cohorts armed with the long shield' (scūtum), i.e. heavy infantry; caetrātae: armed with the small round leather shield (caetra) of Spanish light troops.

BC 1.39.2Caesar legiōnēs in Hispāniam praemīserat VI;

Caesar had sent six legions ahead into Spain;

Note. VI: six.

BC 1.39.2auxilia peditum, equitum iii mīlia, quae omnibus superiōribus bellīs habuerat, et parem ex Galliā numerum, quam ipse pācāverat, nōminātim ex omnibus cīvitātibus nōbilissimō et fortissimō quōque ēvocātō;

auxiliary infantry …, three thousand cavalry, which he had had in all his earlier wars, and an equal number from Gaul, which he himself had pacified, every one of the noblest and bravest men having been called out by name from all the tribes;

Note. After peditum the manuscripts have nulla, 'no (auxiliary infantry)', which the editor marks as corrupt; a number has probably dropped out. nōbilissimō et fortissimō quōque ēvocātō: an ablative absolute with quisque and a superlative, 'all the noblest and bravest being called out'.

BC 1.39.2hūc optimī generis hominum ex Aquītānīs montānīsque, quī Galliam prōvinciam attingunt, adiēcerat.

to these he had added men of the best sort from the Aquitani and the mountain peoples who border on the Gallic province.

Note. optimī generis hominum: 'men of the best sort', a partitive genitive with the verb adiēcerat. montānīs: the mountain tribes of the Pyrenees.

BC 1.39.3audierat Pompēium per Mauretāniam cum legiōnibus iter in Hispāniam facere cōnfestimque esse ventūrum.

He had heard that Pompey was marching through Mauretania into Spain with legions and would arrive at once.

Note. audierat = audīverat. esse ventūrum: future infinitive, 'that he would come'. This rumour proved false.

BC 1.39.3simul ā tribūnīs mīlitum centuriōnibusque mūtuās pecūniās sūmpsit;

At the same time he borrowed money from the military tribunes and centurions;

Note. mūtuās pecūniās sūmpsit: 'took money as a loan'.

BC 1.39.3hās exercituī distribuit.

this he distributed to the army.

Note. hās (pecūniās): 'this money'.

BC 1.39.4quō factō duās rēs cōnsecūtus est, quod pignore animōs centuriōnum dēvīnxit, et largītiōne mīlitum voluntātēs redēmit.

By this he achieved two things: by the pledge he bound the centurions' loyalty to himself, and by the gift he bought the goodwill of the soldiers.

Note. quō factō: 'by doing this'. duās rēs … quod … et …: 'two things: that he … and …'. pignore: 'by the pledge', the loan made the centurions want Caesar to win.