De Bello Civili 1.61

BC 1.61.1Quibus rēbus perterritīs animīs adversāriōrum Caesar, nē semper magnō circuitū per pontem equitātus esset mittendus, nactus idōneum locum, fossās pedum xxx in lātitūdinem complūrēs facere īnstituit, quibus partem aliquam Sicoris āverteret vadumque in eō flūmine efficeret.

Since the enemy's spirits were terrified by these things, Caesar, so that his cavalry would not always have to be sent round by the bridge in a long detour, found a suitable place and began to dig several ditches thirty feet wide, by which to divert part of the Sicoris and make a ford in that river.

Note. nē … esset mittendus: purpose clause with the gerundive, 'so that the cavalry should not have to be sent'. quibus … āverteret: relative purpose clause, 'by which to divert'. Sicoris: genitive of Sicoris.

BC 1.61.2hīs paene effectīs magnum in timōrem Afrānius Petrēiusque perveniunt, nē omnīnō frūmentō pābulōque interclūderentur, quod multum Caesar equitātū valēbat.

When these were nearly finished, Afranius and Petreius became very afraid that they would be cut off altogether from grain and fodder, because Caesar was very strong in cavalry.

Note. magnum in timōrem … perveniunt: 'come into great fear'. nē … interclūderentur: fear clause, 'that they would be cut off'.

BC 1.61.2itaque cōnstituunt ipsī locīs excēdere et in Celtibēriam bellum trānsferre.

So they decided to leave the area themselves and to move the war to Celtiberia.

Note. ipsī: 'themselves', i.e. of their own accord. Celtibēria: the land of the Celtiberians in central Spain.

BC 1.61.3huic cōnsiliō subfrāgābātur etiam illa rēs, quod ex duōbus contrāriīs generibus quae superiōre bellō cum Sertōriō steterant cīvitātēs, victae nōmen atque imperium absentis Pompēī timēbant, quae in amīcitiā mānserant magnīs adfectae beneficiīs eum dīligēbant, Caesaris autem erat in barbarīs nōmen obscūrius.

This plan was also favoured by the fact that of the two opposing groups of states that had stood with Sertorius in the earlier war, those that were conquered feared the name and power of Pompey even in his absence, and those that had stayed in friendship loved him, having been rewarded with great favours, while Caesar's name was not well known among the natives.

Note. huic cōnsiliō suffrāgābātur: 'favoured this plan' (literally 'voted for'). Sertōriō: Q. Sertorius, the Roman rebel who held Spain against Rome in the 70s BC until Pompey defeated him. victae … quae in amīcitiā mānserant: two groups of states, those conquered and those loyal.

BC 1.61.4hīc magnōs equitātūs magnaque auxilia exspectābant et suīs locīs bellum in hiemem dūcere cōgitābant.

There they expected large forces of cavalry and great auxiliary troops, and planned to drag the war out into the winter in country of their own.

Note. hīc: adverb, 'here, there'. suīs locīs: 'in country of their own'. in hiemem dūcere: 'to drag (the war) on into winter'.

BC 1.61.5hōc initō cōnsiliō tōtō flūmine Hibērō nāvīs conquīrī et Otogesam addūcī iubent.

Having made this plan, they ordered ships to be collected along the whole river Ebro and brought to Otogesa.

Note. hōc initō cōnsiliō: ablative absolute. nāvīs conquīrī … addūcī: passive infinitives after iubent.

BC 1.61.5id erat oppidum positum ad Hibērum mīliaque passuum ā castrīs aberat xxx.

That was a town on the Ebro and was thirty miles from the camp.

Note. mīlia passuum … xxx: '30 miles'; the town is Otogesa (Octogesa), on the Ebro.

BC 1.61.6ad eum locum flūminis nāvibus iūnctīs pontem imperant fierī legiōnēsque duās flūmen Sicorim trānsdūcunt castraque mūniunt vallō pedum xii.

At that point of the river they ordered a bridge of boats joined together to be made, and took two legions across the river Sicoris and fortified a camp with a rampart twelve feet high.

Note. nāvibus iūnctīs pontem: a bridge of boats. vallō pedum xii: 'with a rampart of twelve feet'; pedum is a genitive of measure.