De Bello Civili 1.54

BC 1.54.1Cum in hīs angustiīs rēs esset atque omnēs viae ab Afrāniānīs mīlitibus equitibusque obsidērentur nec pontēs perficī possent, imperat mīlitibus Caesar ut nāvēs faciant, cuius generis eum superiōribus annīs ūsus Britanniae docuerat.

When things were in these straits, and all the roads were blocked by Afranius' foot and horse, and the bridges could not be finished, Caesar ordered his soldiers to build boats of a kind that his experience of Britain in earlier years had taught him.

Note. Cum … esset: circumstantial cum with the subjunctive. imperat … ut … faciant: indirect command. cuius generis: 'of which kind', referring back to nāvēs; Caesar had seen such boats in Britain.

BC 1.54.2carīnae ac prīma statūmina ex levī māteriā fīēbant;

The keels and first ribs were made of light timber;

Note. These are coracle-like boats: a light wooden frame (carīnae, statūmina) covered with hides.

BC 1.54.2reliquum corpus nāvium vīminibus contextum coriīs integēbātur.

the rest of the hull, woven of wicker, was covered with hides.

Note. vīminibus contextum: 'woven of osiers'. integēbātur: 'was covered'.

BC 1.54.3hās perfectās carrīs iūnctīs dēvehit noctū mīlia passuum ā castrīs xxii mīlitēsque hīs nāvibus flūmen trānsportat continentemque rīpae collem imprōvīsō occupat.

When these were finished he carried them by night on joined wagons twenty-two miles from the camp, ferried soldiers across the river in these boats, and seized by surprise a hill next to the bank.

Note. carrīs iūnctīs: 'on wagons joined together'. mīlia passuum … xxii: accusative of extent, '22 miles'. continentem rīpae collem: 'a hill next to the bank' (continēns + dative).

BC 1.54.4hunc celeriter, priusquam ab adversāriīs sentiātur, commūnit.

He quickly fortified it before he could be noticed by the enemy.

Note. priusquam … sentiātur: subjunctive with priusquam, 'before he could be noticed'. commūnit: 'fortifies strongly'.

BC 1.54.4hūc legiōnem posteā trānsicit atque ex utrāque parte pontem īnstitūtum bīduō perficit.

Afterwards he brought a legion across to it, and finished a bridge begun from both sides in two days.

Note. trānsicit = trāicit, 'takes across'. ex utrāque parte … īnstitūtum: 'begun from both sides'. bīduō: 'within two days'.

BC 1.54.5ita commeātūs et, quī frūmentī causā prōcesserant, tūtō ad sē recipit et rem frūmentāriam expedīre incipit.

So he brought the convoys, and those who had gone out to get grain, safely back to himself, and began to settle the grain supply.

Note. commeātūs et quī … prōcesserant: two objects of recipit: 'the convoys and those who had gone out'. rem frūmentāriam expedīre: 'to sort out the grain supply'.