De Bello Civili 2.2

BC 2.2.1Sed tantī erant antīquitus in oppidō omnium rērum ad bellum apparātūs tantaque multitūdō tormentōrum, ut eōrum vim nūllae contextae vīminibus vīneae sustinēre possent.

But there had long been in the town such great stores of everything for war, and so great a number of artillery engines, that no mantlets woven of osiers could withstand their force.

Note. tantī … tantaque … ut … possent: a result clause, 'so great … that no mantlets could withstand'. antīquitus: 'from long ago'. contextae vīminibus: 'woven of osiers'.

BC 2.2.2asserēs enim pedum xii cuspidibus praefīxī atque hī maximīs balistīs missī per quattuor ōrdinēs crātium in terram dēfīgēbantur.

For poles twelve feet long, tipped with points, shot from the largest ballistas, would drive through four layers of hurdles into the ground.

Note. asserēs … cuspidibus praefīxī: 'poles tipped with points', heavy bolts shot by the ballistas (stone- and bolt-throwing engines). per quattuor ōrdinēs crātium: 'through four layers of hurdles'. dēfīgēbantur: the imperfect describes what kept happening.

BC 2.2.3itaque pedālibus lignīs coniūnctīs inter sē porticūs integēbantur, atque hāc agger inter manūs prōferēbātur.

So the galleries were roofed with timbers a foot thick joined together, and along this the material for the ramp was passed forward from hand to hand.

Note. pedālibus lignīs: 'with timbers a foot thick'. porticūs: here the covered galleries that ran up to the ramp. hāc: adverb, 'along this way'. inter manūs: 'from hand to hand', the material for the ramp was passed forward under cover.

BC 2.2.4antecēdēbat testūdō pedum lx aequandī locī causā facta item ex fortissimīs lignīs, convolūta omnibus rēbus, quibus ignis iactus et lapidēs dēfendī possent.

In front went a 'tortoise' sixty feet long, made, for levelling the ground, likewise of very strong timbers and covered with everything by which thrown fire and stones could be warded off.

Note. testūdō: here a large movable shed at the head of the ramp, under which the ground was levelled (aequandī locī causā, 'for the sake of levelling the ground'). convolūta: 'wrapped', with hides and other coverings. quibus … dēfendī possent: relative clause of purpose, 'by which … could be warded off'; ignis iactus: 'the throwing of fire'.

BC 2.2.5sed magnitūdō operum, altitūdō mūrī atque turrium, multitūdō tormentōrum omnem administrātiōnem tardābat.

But the size of the works, the height of the wall and towers, and the number of artillery engines slowed down all the work.

Note. Three subjects, magnitūdō, altitūdō and multitūdō, share the singular verb tardābat; the verb agrees with the nearest. administrātiōnem: 'the carrying out' of the work.

BC 2.2.6crēbrae etiam per Albicōs ēruptiōnēs fīēbant ex oppidō, ignēsque aggerī et turribus īnferēbantur.

Frequent sallies were also made from the town by the Albici, and fire was thrown on the ramp and the towers.

Note. per Albicōs: 'through the agency of the Albici', the hill people who fought for Massilia. aggerī et turribus: datives with inferēbantur, 'were thrown on the ramp and towers'.

BC 2.2.6quae facile nostrī mīlitēs repellēbant magnīsque ultrō inlātīs dētrīmentīs eōs, quī ēruptiōnem fēcerant, in oppidum rēiciēbant.

Our soldiers easily drove these back and, inflicting heavy losses besides, pushed back into the town those who had made the sally.

Note. quae: linking relative, 'these (attacks)'. ultrō: 'besides, in addition', i.e. not only repelling but inflicting losses. magnīs … illātīs dētrīmentīs: ablative absolute. eōs quī … fēcerant: 'those who had made'.