De Bello Civili 1.78

BC 1.78.1Premēbantur Afrāniānī pābulātiōne, aquābantur aegrē.

Afranius' men were hard pressed for fodder and could get water only with difficulty.

Note. aquābantur: deponent, 'fetched water'.

BC 1.78.1frūmentī cōpiam legiōnāriī nōnnūllam habēbant, quod diērum xxii ab Ilerdā frūmentum iussī erant efferre, caetrātī auxiliārēsque nūllam, quōrum erant et facultātēs ad parandum exiguae et corpora īnsuēta ad onera portanda.

The legionaries had some supply of corn, because they had been ordered to bring out twenty-two days' corn from Ilerda; the light-armed and auxiliary troops had none, for they had little means of getting it and their bodies were unused to carrying loads.

Note. diērum xxii: genitive of measure, 'twenty-two days' corn'. caetrātī auxiliārēsque nūllam (copiam habēbant). ad onera portanda: gerundive of purpose.

BC 1.78.2itaque magnus eōrum cōtīdiē numerus ad Caesarem perfugiēbat.

So a large number of them deserted to Caesar every day.

BC 1.78.2in hīs erat angustiīs rēs.

The situation was in these straits.

Note. in hīs … angustiīs: 'in these straits'.

BC 1.78.2sed ex prōpositīs cōnsiliīs duōbus explicitius vidēbātur Ilerdam revertī, quod ibi paulum frūmentī relīquerant.

But of the two plans put forward, going back to Ilerda seemed the more practicable, because they had left a little corn there.

Note. explicitius: comparative neuter of explicitus, 'more practicable'. Ilerdam revertī: the infinitive is the subject of vidēbātur.

BC 1.78.2ibi sē reliquum cōnsilium explicātūrōs cōnfīdēbant.

There, they were confident, they would work out the rest of their plan.

Note. explicātūrōs: future participle, 'that they would work out'.

BC 1.78.3Tarracō aberat longius;

Tarraco was further away;

BC 1.78.3quō spatiō plūrēs rem posse cāsūs recipere intellegēbant.

in that distance, they realized, more things could happen to the enterprise.

Note. quō spatiō: 'in that distance'. plūrēs … cāsūs: 'more chances, accidents'.

BC 1.78.3hōc probātō cōnsiliō ex castrīs proficīscuntur.

Having approved this plan, they set out from the camp.

Note. hōc probātō cōnsiliō: ablative absolute.

BC 1.78.4Caesar equitātū praemissō, quī novissimum agmen carperet atque impedīret, ipse cum legiōnibus subsequitur.

Caesar sends on the cavalry to harass and hinder the rearguard, and himself follows with the legions.

Note. quī … carperet atque impedīret: relative clause of purpose.

BC 1.78.4nūllum intercēdēbat tempus, quīn extrēmī cum equitibus proeliārentur.

No time passed without their rear being engaged with the cavalry.

Note. nūllum intercēdēbat tempus quīn …: 'no time passed without …'. extrēmī: 'the rearmost men'. proeliārentur: deponent.