De Bello Civili 1.72

BC 1.72.1Caesar in eam spem vēnerat sē sine pugnā et sine volnere suōrum rem cōnficere posse, quod rē frūmentāriā adversāriōs interclūsisset.

Caesar had come to hope that he could finish the business without a battle and without wounds to his men, because he had cut his opponents off from their food supply.

Note. in eam spem vēnerat: 'had come to this hope', explained by the infinitive clause sē … posse. re frūmentāriā … interclūsisset: 'had cut off from supplies'.

BC 1.72.2cūr etiam secundō proeliō aliquōs ex suīs āmitteret?

Why should he lose any of his men even in a successful battle?

Note. cūr … āmitteret: a deliberative question in reported thought: 'why should he lose …?'. secundō proeliō: 'in a successful battle'.

BC 1.72.2cūr volnerārī paterētur optimē meritōs dē sē mīlitēs?

Why should he let soldiers who had served him so well be wounded?

Note. optimē meritōs dē sē: 'who had deserved very well of him'. meritōs is the participle of the deponent mereor.

BC 1.72.2cūr dēnique fortūnam perīclitārētur?

Why, in short, should he put his fortune to the test?

Note. perīclitārētur: deponent, 'put to the test, risk'.

BC 1.72.2praesertim cum nōn minus esset imperātōris cōnsiliō superāre quam gladiō.

Especially since it was as much a general's part to win by strategy as by the sword.

Note. esse imperātōris: genitive of characteristic, 'it was a general's part'. cōnsiliō … quam gladiō: ablatives of means compared.

BC 1.72.3movēbātur etiam misericordiā cīvium, quōs interficiendōs vidēbat;

He was also moved by pity for fellow citizens whom he saw would have to be killed;

Note. interficiendōs: gerundive with sum understood, 'who would have to be killed'.

BC 1.72.3quibus salvīs atque incolumibus rem optinēre mālēbat.

he preferred to gain his object with them safe and unharmed.

Note. quibus salvīs atque incolumibus: ablative absolute, 'with them safe and unharmed'. rem obtinēre: 'gain his object'. The edition spells it optinēre.

BC 1.72.4hoc cōnsilium Caesaris plērīsque nōn probābātur;

Most did not approve of this decision of Caesar's;

Note. plērīsque: dative with probābātur, 'did not win the approval of most'.

BC 1.72.4mīlitēs vērō palam inter sē loquēbantur, quoniam tālis occāsiō victōriae dīmitterētur, etiam cum vellet Caesar, sēsē nōn esse pugnātūrōs.

the soldiers in fact said openly among themselves that, since such a chance of victory was being let slip, they would not fight even when Caesar wanted them to.

Note. sēsē nōn esse pugnātūrōs: future infinitive in indirect statement, 'that they would not fight'. etiam cum vellet: 'even when he wanted'.

BC 1.72.4ille in suā sententiā persevērat et paulum ex eō locō dīgreditur, ut timōrem adversāriīs minuat.

He holds to his decision and withdraws a little from that place, to lessen his opponents' fear.

Note. Caesar switches to the vivid present tense (persevērat, dīgreditur). ut … minuat: purpose clause.

BC 1.72.5Petrēius atque Afrānius oblātā facultāte in castra sēsē referunt.

Petreius and Afranius, given the opportunity, withdraw into their camp.

Note. oblātā facultāte: ablative absolute, 'the chance being offered'. sēsē referunt: 'withdraw'.

BC 1.72.5Caesar praesidiīs in montibus dispositīs omnī ad Hibērum interclūsō itinere, quam proximē potest hostium castrīs, castra commūnit.

Caesar posts guards on the mountains, closes every route to the Hiberus, and fortifies a camp as close as he can to the enemy's camp.

Note. Hibērum: the Ebro. quam proximē potest: quam with a superlative, 'as near as he can'.