De Bello Civili 1.40

BC 1.40.1Fabius fīnitimārum cīvitātum animōs litterīs nūntiīsque temptābat.

Fabius was sounding out the feelings of the neighbouring tribes by letters and messengers.

Note. temptābat: imperfect, 'kept sounding out'.

BC 1.40.1in Sicorī flūmine pontēs effēcerat duōs distantēs inter sē mīlia passuum iiii.

On the river Sicoris he had built two bridges four miles apart from each other.

Note. distantēs inter sē: 'standing apart from one another'. milia passuum iiii: accusative of extent, 'four miles'.

BC 1.40.1hīs pontibus pābulātum mittēbat, quod ea quae citrā flūmen fuerant superiōribus diēbus cōnsūmpserat.

Over these bridges he sent men to forage, because he had used up in the preceding days what there had been on his side of the river.

Note. pābulātum: a supine of purpose after a verb of motion, 'to forage'. ea quae citrā flūmen fuerant: 'what there had been on this side of the river'.

BC 1.40.2hoc idem ferē atque eādem dē causā Pompēiānī exercitūs ducēs faciēbant, crēbrōque inter sē equestribus proeliīs contendēbant.

The generals of the Pompeian army were doing much the same, and for the same reason, and they often fought with each other in cavalry battles.

Note. hoc idem … atque eādem dē causā: 'the same thing and for the same reason'. inter sē: 'with each other'.

BC 1.40.3hūc cum cōtīdiānā cōnsuētūdine ēgressae pābulātōribus praesidiō propiōre ponte legiōnēs Fabiānae duae flūmen trānsīssent, impedīmentaque et omnis equitātus sequerētur, subitō vī ventōrum et aquae magnitūdine pōns est interruptus et reliqua multitūdō equitum interclūsa.

Here, when two of Fabius' legions had gone out as usual to guard the foragers and had crossed the river by the nearer bridge, and the baggage and all the cavalry were following, suddenly, by the force of the winds and the height of the water, the bridge was broken and the rest of the cavalry was cut off.

Note. cum … trānsīssent … sequerētur: cum with the pluperfect and imperfect subjunctive, 'when … had crossed and … was following'. pābulātōribus praesidiō: a double dative, 'as a guard for the foragers'. interclūsa (est): the verb is left out.

BC 1.40.4quō cognitō ā Petrēiō et Afrāniō ex aggere atque crātibus, quae flūmine ferēbantur, celeriter suō ponte Afrānius, quem oppidō castrīsque coniūnctum habēbat, legiōnēs iiii equitātumque omnem trāiēcit duābusque Fabiānīs occurrit legiōnibus.

When Petreius and Afranius learned of this from the earth and wattle being carried down the river, Afranius quickly took four legions and all the cavalry across by his own bridge, which he had joined to the town and the camp, and went to meet Fabius' two legions.

Note. quō cognitō … ex aggere atque crātibus: 'this being learned from the earth and wattle (of the broken bridge) carried down the river'. suō ponte: 'by his own bridge', the stone bridge at Ilerda.

BC 1.40.5cuius adventū nūntiātō L. Plancus, quī legiōnibus praeerat, necessāriā rē coāctus locum capit superiōrem dīversamque aciem in duās partēs cōnstituit, nē ab equitātū circumvenīrī posset.

When his approach was reported, Lucius Plancus, who commanded the legions, forced by necessity takes up a position on higher ground and forms his line facing two ways, so that he could not be surrounded by the cavalry.

Note. necessāriā rē coāctus: 'forced by necessity'. dīversam aciem in duās partēs: 'a line facing two ways', back to back.

BC 1.40.5ita congressus imparī numerō magnōs impetūs legiōnum equitātūsque sustinet.

So, engaging with unequal numbers, he holds off heavy attacks by the legions and cavalry.

Note. congressus: perfect participle of the deponent congredior, 'having engaged'. imparī numerō: ablative of manner, 'with unequal numbers'.

BC 1.40.7commissō ab equitibus proeliō signa legiōnum duārum procul ab utrīsque cōnspiciuntur, quās C. Fabius ulteriōre ponte subsidiō nostrīs mīserat, suspicātus fore, id quod accidit, ut ducēs adversāriōrum occāsiōne et beneficiō fortūnae ad nostrōs opprimendōs ūterentur.

When the cavalry battle had begun, the standards of two legions are seen far off by both sides; Gaius Fabius had sent them by the further bridge to support our men, suspecting what actually happened, that the enemy commanders would use the opportunity and the kindness of fortune to crush our men.

Note. commissō … proeliō: ablative absolute. suspicātus fore … ut … ūterentur: 'suspecting that it would happen that …'; fore ut is a way of expressing a future infinitive. id quod accidit: 'as in fact happened'.

BC 1.40.7quārum adventū proelium dirimitur ac suās uterque legiōnēs redūcit in castra.

Their arrival breaks off the battle, and each side leads its legions back to camp.

Note. quārum adventū: 'by their arrival'; quārum refers to the legions. uterque: each of the two commanders.