De Bello Civili 1.6

BC 1.6.1Proximīs diēbus habētur extrā urbem senātus.

In the following days the senate meets outside the city.

Note. extrā urbem: the senate met outside the city boundary so that Pompey, holding military command, could attend.

BC 1.6.1Pompēius eadem illa, quae per Scīpiōnem ostenderat, agit, senātūs virtūtem cōnstantiamque collaudat, cōpiās suās expōnit: legiōnēs habēre sēsē parātās x;

Pompey does the same things that he had indicated through Scipio; he praises the senate's courage and firmness and sets out his forces: he has ten legions ready;

Note. legiōnēs … X: Pompey claimed ten legions, most of them in Spain or not yet raised.

BC 1.6.2praetereā cognitum compertumque sibi aliēnō esse animō in Caesarem mīlitēs, neque iīs posse persuādērī, utī eum dēfendant aut sequantur.

besides, he says, he has learned for certain that the soldiers are disaffected towards Caesar and cannot be persuaded to defend or follow him.

Note. cognitum compertumque sibi: 'that it had been learned and established by him'. aliēnō esse animō in Caesarem: 'to be ill-disposed towards Caesar', ablative of description.

BC 1.6.3dē reliquīs rēbus ad senātum refertur: tōtā Ītaliā dīlēctus habeātur;

Motions are put to the senate on the other matters: that a levy be held throughout Italy;

Note. From here the motions are in indirect command: habeātur, mittātur, dētur.

BC 1.6.3Faustus Sulla prō praetōre in Mauretāniam mittātur;

that Faustus Sulla be sent to Mauretania as propraetor;

Note. Faustus Sulla: son of the dictator and Pompey's son-in-law. prō praetōre: 'as propraetor'.

BC 1.6.3pecūnia utī ex aerāriō Pompēiō dētur.

that money from the treasury be given to Pompey.

Note. pecūnia utī ex aerāriō Pompeiō dētur: utī = ut. The treasury was to fund Pompey's war.

BC 1.6.3refertur etiam dē rēge Iubā, ut socius sit atque amīcus.

A motion is also put about King Juba, that he be an ally and friend.

Note. rēx Iuba: King Juba I of Numidia, who later destroyed Curio's army in Africa (Book II). To be named 'ally and friend of the Roman people' was a formal title.

BC 1.6.4Mārcellus nōn passūrum in praesentiā negat;

Marcellus says that for the present he will not allow it;

Note. Mārcellus: here C. Claudius Marcellus, consul in 49 with Lentulus. in praesentiā: 'for the present'.

BC 1.6.4dē Faustō impedit Philippus tribūnus plēbis.

about Faustus, Philippus, tribune of the plebs, blocks the motion.

Note. Philippus: L. Marcius Philippus, tribune, blocked the motion about Faustus.

BC 1.6.5dē reliquīs rēbus senātūs cōnsulta perscrībuntur.

On the other matters decrees of the senate are recorded.

Note. senātūs cōnsulta perscrībuntur: decrees were written down formally after being passed.

BC 1.6.5prōvinciae prīvātīs dēcernuntur, duae cōnsulārēs, reliquae praetōriae.

Provinces are assigned to private citizens, two of consular rank, the rest of praetorian rank.

Note. prīvātīs: provinces were given to private men (not current magistrates), which was irregular. cōnsulārēs … praetōriae: provinces for ex-consuls and ex-praetors.

BC 1.6.5Scīpiōnī obvenit Syria, L. Domitiō Gallia.

Syria falls to Scipio, Gaul to Lucius Domitius.

Note. L. Domitius: L. Domitius Ahenobarbus, appointed to succeed Caesar in Gaul.

BC 1.6.5Philippus et Cotta prīvātō cōnsiliō praetereuntur, neque eōrum sortēs dēiciuntur.

Philippus and Cotta are passed over by private arrangement, and their lots are not cast.

Note. Philippus et Cotta: senior consulars who were left out by private arrangement: their names were not even put into the lot.

BC 1.6.6in reliquās prōvinciās praetōrēs mittuntur.

Praetors are sent into the other provinces.

Note. Normally the new governors would be appointed by lot and formally voted their command.

BC 1.6.6neque exspectant, ut dē eōrum imperiō ad populum ferātur palūdātīque vōtīs nūncupātīs exeant.

They do not wait for their command to be ratified by the people, nor for the vows to be pronounced before they leave in their generals' cloaks.

Note. nec exspectant ut … ferātur: they did not wait for the law (lēx cūriāta) conferring command. palūdātī: dressed in the general's cloak; votīs nūncupātīs: after vows on the Capitol, the usual ceremony before a governor left.

BC 1.6.7cōnsulēs,.

The consuls … (a gap in the text).

Note. The manuscripts have a gap here; something about the consuls has been lost.

BC 1.6.8tōtā Ītaliā dīlēctūs habentur, arma imperantur, pecūniae ā mūnicipiīs exiguntur, ē fānīs tolluntur, omnia dīvīna hūmānaque iūra permiscentur.

Levies are held throughout Italy, arms are demanded, money is exacted from the towns and taken from the temples, and all laws of gods and men are thrown into confusion.

Note. Caesar heaps up short clauses in the historic present to give the sense of a state in chaos. ē fānīs: from temples, a sacrilege.