De Bello Civili 1.51

BC 1.51.1Nūntiātur Afrāniō magnōs commeātūs, quī iter habēbant ad Caesarem, ad flūmen cōnstitisse.

Word was brought to Afranius that large supply convoys, which were on their way to Caesar, had halted at the river.

Note. Nūntiātur Afrāniō: impersonal passive, 'it is reported to Afranius', followed by indirect statement (commeātūs … cōnstitisse). The present tense is the vivid historic present, common in Caesar.

BC 1.51.1vēnerant eō sagittāriī ex Rutēnīs, equitēs ex Galliā cum multīs carrīs magnīsque impedīmentīs, ut fert Gallica cōnsuētūdō.

Archers had come there from the Ruteni, and cavalry from Gaul with many wagons and much baggage, as Gallic custom is;

Note. Rutēnīs: a Gallic people; Caesar's reinforcements are coming from Gaul. ut fert Gallica cōnsuētūdō: 'as Gallic custom has it'.

BC 1.51.2erant praetereā cuiusque generis hominum mīlia circiter vi cum servīs līberīsque;

besides, there were about six thousand people of every kind, with slaves and children;

Note. cuiusque generis: 'of every kind'. mīlia circiter vi: vi here is the numeral 6, 'about six thousand'. līberīs: 'children' (līberī), not 'free'.

BC 1.51.2sed nūllus ōrdō, nūllum imperium certum, cum suō quisque cōnsiliō ūterētur atque omnēs sine timōre iter facerent ūsī superiōrum temporum atque itinerum licentiā.

but there was no order, no fixed command, since each followed his own plan and all travelled without fear, taking the freedom of earlier times and journeys.

Note. nūllus ōrdō, nūllum imperium: supply erat. cum … ūterētur: causal cum, 'since each used his own plan'. ūsī … licentiā: ūtor takes the ablative.

BC 1.51.3erant complūrēs honestī adulēscentēs, senātōrum fīliī et ōrdinis equestris;

There were several young men of good family, sons of senators and of the equestrian order;

Note. honestī adulēscentēs: 'young men of good standing'. ōrdinis equestris: 'of the equestrian order', the knights.

BC 1.51.3erant lēgātiōnēs cīvitātum, erant lēgātī Caesaris.

there were delegations from the states, there were Caesar's legates.

Note. The repeated erant … erant builds a list (anaphora): the convoy is valuable and vulnerable.

BC 1.51.4hōs omnīs flūmina continēbant.

The rivers held all these back.

Note. hōs omnīs: 'all these men' (omnīs = omnēs, accusative plural). The flooded rivers trap the convoy.

BC 1.51.4ad hōs opprimendōs cum omnī equitātū tribusque legiōnibus Afrānius dē nocte proficīscitur inprūdentīsque ante missīs equitibus adgreditur.

To overwhelm them Afranius set out by night with all his cavalry and three legions, sent the cavalry ahead and attacked them off their guard.

Note. ad hōs opprimendōs: gerundive of purpose, 'to crush them'. inprūdentīs: accusative plural, 'unawares' (prūdēns from prōvidēns). ante missīs equitibus: ablative absolute, 'the cavalry having been sent ahead'.

BC 1.51.4celeriter sēsē tamen Gallī equitēs expediunt proeliumque committunt.

Nevertheless the Gallic horsemen quickly got themselves ready and joined battle.

Note. sēsē … expediunt: 'get themselves clear, get ready'. Gallī equitēs: 'the Gallic horsemen'.

BC 1.51.5iī dum parī certāmine rēs gerī potuit, magnum hostium numerum paucī sustinuēre;

As long as the fight could be carried on on equal terms, the few held off a great number of the enemy;

Note. dum … potuit: 'as long as it could'. pārī certāmine: 'in an equal contest'. sustinuēre = sustinuērunt (the short perfect ending -ēre).

BC 1.51.5sed ubi signa legiōnum adpropinquāre coepērunt, paucīs āmissīs sēsē in proximōs montēs cōnferunt.

but when the standards of the legions began to approach, they lost a few men and withdrew into the nearest hills.

Note. ubi … coepērunt: 'when they began'. paucīs āmissīs: ablative absolute. sēsē … cōnferunt: 'betake themselves, withdraw'.

BC 1.51.6hoc pugnae tempus magnum attulit nostrīs ad salūtem mōmentum;

The time this fight took gave our people a great advantage for their safety;

Note. The time spent fighting gave the convoy its chance. mōmentum: 'weight, decisive influence'; magnum … mōmentum frames the sentence.

BC 1.51.6nactī enim spatium sē in loca superiōra recēpērunt.

for having gained time, they retreated to higher ground.

Note. nactī: from the deponent nancīscor, 'having gained'. loca superiōra: 'higher ground'.

BC 1.51.6dēsīderātī sunt eō diē sagittāriī circiter cc, equitēs paucī, cālōnum atque impedīmentōrum nōn magnus numerus.

That day about two hundred archers were lost, a few horsemen, and no great number of servants and baggage.

Note. dēsīderātī sunt: 'were missed', Caesar's usual word for casualties. cc: 200. cālōnum: 'camp servants'.