De Bello Civili 1.58

BC 1.58.1Ipsī Massiliēnsēs et celeritāte nāvium et scientiā gubernātōrum cōnfīsī nostrōs ēlūdēbant impetūsque eōrum excipiēbant et, quoad licēbat lātiōre utī spatiō, prōductā longius aciē circumvenīre nostrōs aut plūribus nāvibus adorīrī singulās aut rēmōs trānscurrentēs dētergēre, sī possent, contendēbant.

The Massilians themselves, trusting both in the speed of their ships and in the skill of their helmsmen, kept evading our men and avoiding their attacks, and as long as they could use a wider space, they extended their line and tried to surround our men, or to attack single ships with several, or, running past, to sweep off their oars if they could.

Note. The Massilians fight like sailors: they use speed and skill. quoad licēbat: 'as long as it was possible'. lātiōre: comparative of lātus, 'wide'. trānscurrentēs: 'running past' a ship to shear off its oars.

BC 1.58.2cum propius erat necessāriō ventum, ab scientiā gubernātōrum atque artificiīs ad virtūtem montānōrum cōnfugiēbant.

When it came of necessity to closer quarters, they turned from the helmsmen's skill and tricks to the courage of the mountaineers.

Note. cum … erat … ventum: 'whenever it had come' (impersonal passive of veniō). ab … ad: they shift from seamanship to the courage of their mountain soldiers.

BC 1.58.3nostrī cum minus exercitātīs rēmigibus minusque perītīs gubernātōribus ūtēbantur, quī repente ex onerāriīs nāvibus erant prōductī nequedum etiam vocābulīs armāmentōrum cognitīs, tum etiam tarditāte et gravitāte nāvium impediēbantur;

Our men were working with less practised rowers and less skilful helmsmen, who had suddenly been taken from cargo ships and did not yet even know the names of the tackle, and they were also hampered by the slowness and heaviness of their ships;

Note. cum … tum: 'both … and'. nequedum = necdum, 'and not yet'. vocābulīs armāmentōrum: 'the names of the tackle'.

BC 1.58.3factae enim subitō ex ūmidā māteriā nōn eundem ūsum celeritātis habuerant.

for they had been built in a hurry from green timber and did not have the same advantage of speed.

Note. factae: 'having been made', the ships. ex ūmidā māteriā: 'from wet, unseasoned timber'.

BC 1.58.4itaque dum locus comminus pugnandī darētur, aequō animō singulās bīnīs nāvibus obiciēbant atque iniectā manū ferreā et retentā utrāque nāvī dīversī pugnābant atque in hostium nāvēs trānscendēbant et magnō numerō Albicōrum et pāstōrum interfectō partem nāvium dēprimunt, nōnnūllās cum hominibus capiunt, reliquās in portum compellunt.

So whenever a chance of fighting at close quarters was given, they calmly set single ships against two at a time, threw on the iron hand and held each ship fast, fought on both sides, and boarded the enemy ships; and after killing a great number of the Albici and the herdsmen, they sank part of the ships, captured some with their crews, and drove the rest into the harbour.

Note. dum … darētur: 'as long as a chance was given'. singulās bīnīs nāvibus obiciēbant: 'set single ships against two at a time' (bīnī, distributive). iniectā manū ferreā: the grappling iron. The tenses change to the historic present at deprimunt.

BC 1.58.5eō diē nāvēs Massiliēnsium cum hīs, quae sunt captae, intereunt viiii.

That day nine of the Massilians' ships were lost, counting those that were captured.

Note. intereunt viiii: 'nine are lost'; cum hīs quae sunt captae: 'counting those that were captured'.