De Bello Civili 2.29

BC 2.29.1Atque in castrīs Cūriōnis magnus omnium incessit timor animīs;

But in Curio's camp a great fear came over everyone's minds;

Note. omnium … animīs: dative, 'came upon the minds of all'. incessit: from incēdō, 'came over'.

BC 2.29.1is variīs hominum sermōnibus celeriter augētur.

it was quickly increased by the various talk of the men.

Note. is: the fear (timor).

BC 2.29.1ūnusquisque enim opīniōnēs fingēbat, et ad id, quod ab aliō audierat, suī aliquid timōris addēbat.

For each one invented opinions, and to what he had heard from another added something of his own fear.

Note. ūnusquisque: 'each one'. suī aliquid timōris: 'something of his own fear'; suī is genitive of suus agreeing with timōris.

BC 2.29.2hoc ubi ūnō auctōre ad plūrēs permānāverat atque alius aliī trādiderat, plūrēs auctōrēs eius reī vidēbantur.

When this had spread from one source to many and one man had passed it on to another, there seemed to be many sources for it.

Note. ūnō auctōre: 'from one source'. alius aliī: 'one to another'.

BC 2.29.3cīvīle bellum;

It was a civil war;

Note. Sentences 102–106 give the soldiers' anxious talk in note form; the text of this chapter is damaged in the manuscripts, and some phrases do not construe. cīvīle bellum: understand erat, 'it was a civil war'.

BC 2.29.3genus hominum cui id licēret līberē facere et sequī quod vellet;

they were the kind of men who were allowed to act freely and follow what they wished;

Note. genus hominum cui id licēret: understand esse, 'they were the kind of men who were free to'.

BC 2.29.3legiōnēs hae quae paulō ante apud adversāriōs fuerant.

these legions had been with the other side a short time before.

Note. The legions had been Pompeian until their surrender at Corfinium.

BC 2.29.3nam etiam Caesaris beneficia mūtāverat cōnsuētūdō nōn nūllī graviōra sermōnēs mīlitum;

For custom had even changed Caesar's kindnesses; not a few, the soldiers' talk graver;

Note. A corrupt passage. The rough sense is that even Caesar's kindness to them counted for less now, and the soldiers' gossip made things worse.

BC 2.29.4dubia dūrius accipiēbantur, nōnnūlla etiam ab hīs, quī dīligentiōrēs vidērī volēbant fingēbantur.

doubtful things were taken badly, and some were even invented by those who wanted to seem more zealous.

Note. dubia dūrius accipiēbantur: 'doubtful reports were taken in the worst way'. dīligentiōrēs: 'more zealous', i.e. men who wanted to seem especially watchful.