De Bello Civili 2.12

BC 2.12.1Quā novā rē oblātā omnis administrātiō bellī cōnsistit, mīlitēsque āversī ā proeliō ad studium audiendī et cognōscendī feruntur.

At this new turn of events all the business of war stops, and the soldiers, turned away from the fighting, are carried along by their eagerness to hear and learn.

Note. Quā novā rē oblātā: ablative absolute with a linking relative. āversī ā proeliō: 'turned away from the fighting'. ad studium audiendī et cognōscendī: gerunds in the genitive, 'to the desire of hearing and learning'.

BC 2.12.2ubi hostēs ad lēgātōs exercitumque pervēnērunt, ūniversī sē ad pedēs prōiciunt;

When the enemy reached the legates and the army, they all throw themselves at their feet;

Note. sē ad pedēs prōiciunt: 'throw themselves at their feet', the gesture of suppliants.

BC 2.12.2ōrant, ut adventus Caesaris expectētur.

they beg that Caesar's arrival be awaited.

Note. Chapter 12 reports the Massiliots' plea in indirect speech: the infinitives (vidēre, dēsistere, posse) depend on an implied 'they said'. ut adventus Caesaris exspectētur: 'that Caesar's arrival be waited for'.

BC 2.12.3captam suam urbem vidēre, opera perfecta, turrim subrutam;

They see that their city is taken, the works finished, their tower undermined;

Note. captam suam urbem vidēre: 'they saw that their city was taken'; the subject accusative sē is understood.

BC 2.12.3itaque ab dēfēnsiōne dēsistere.

so they are giving up the defence.

Note. ab dēfēnsiōne dēsistere: 'they were giving up the defence'.

BC 2.12.3nūllam exorīrī moram posse, quōminus cum vēnisset, sī imperāta nōn facerent ad nūtum, ē vestīgiō dīriperentur.

No delay could arise to stop them being sacked on the spot, at a nod, when he came, if they did not do as they were ordered.

Note. nūllam … moram posse exorīrī quōminus: 'no delay could arise to prevent (their being sacked)'. ad nūtum: 'at a nod'. ē vēstīgiō: 'on the spot, at once'.

BC 2.12.4docent, sī omnīnō turris concidisset, nōn posse mīlitēs continērī, quīn spē praedae in urbem inrumperent urbemque dēlērent.

They point out that if the tower had collapsed completely, the soldiers could not have been restrained from bursting into the city in the hope of plunder and destroying it.

Note. sī … concidisset: pluperfect subjunctive in indirect speech. quīn … inrumperent: after a negative of preventing (nōn posse continērī), quīn means 'from bursting in'.

BC 2.12.4haec atque eiusdem generis complūra ut ab hominibus doctīs magnā cum misericordiā flētūque prōnūntiantur.

These and many other things of the same kind are spoken, as by educated men, with great pity and tears.

Note. ut ab hominibus doctīs: 'as (you would expect) from learned men'. The Massiliots were Greeks, famous for their education and eloquence, and Caesar's remark is a little ironic.