De Bello Civili 2.35

BC 2.35.1Quā in fugā Fabius Paelignus quīdam ex īnfimīs ōrdinibus dē exercitū Cūriōnis prīmum agmen fugientium cōnsecūtus magnā vōce Vārum nōmine appellāns requīrēbat, utī ūnus esse ex eius mīlitibus et monēre aliquid velle ac dīcere vidērētur.

During this flight a certain Fabius, a Paelignian from the lowest ranks of Curio's army, caught up with the head of the fleeing column and kept calling for Varus by name in a loud voice, so that he seemed to be one of his soldiers and to want to warn him and tell him something.

Note. Paelignus: a man from the Paeligni, the people around Corfinium. ex īnfimīs ōrdinibus: from the lowest ranks. utī … vidērētur: result clause, 'so that he seemed'. Varum nōmine appellāns: calling Varus by name, pretending to be one of his own men.

BC 2.35.2ubi ille saepius appellātus aspexit ac restitit et quis esset aut quid vellet quaesīvit, umerum apertum gladiō appetit, paulumque āfuit quīn Vārum interficeret;

When Varus, after being called several times, looked round, stopped, and asked who he was and what he wanted, Fabius struck with his sword at his exposed shoulder, and very nearly killed Varus;

Note. paulumque āfuit quīn … interficeret: 'and it was only a little from his killing him', i.e. he very nearly killed him. restitit: 'halted', from restō.

BC 2.35.2quod ille perīculum sublātō ad eius cōnātum scūtō vītāvit.

Varus avoided that danger by raising his shield against the attack.

Note. quod … perīculum: connecting relative, 'this danger'. sublātō … scūtō: ablative absolute, 'by raising his shield'. ad eius cōnātum: 'against his attempt'.

BC 2.35.2Fabius ā proximīs mīlitibus circumventus interficitur.

Fabius was surrounded by the soldiers nearest him and killed.

Note. Fabius pays with his life; Caesar records the brave act of a common soldier by name.

BC 2.35.3hāc fugientium multitūdine ac turbā portae castrōrum occupantur atque iter impedītur, plūrēsque in eō locō sine vulnere quam in proeliō aut fugā intereunt, neque multum āfuit quīn etiam castrīs expellerentur, ac nōnnūllī prōtinus eōdem cursū in oppidum contendērunt.

With this crowd and confusion of men in flight the gates of the camp were blocked and the way jammed, and more men died in that place without a wound than in the battle or the flight, and they very nearly lost the camp as well, and some ran straight on into the town.

Note. plūrēs … quam: 'more … than'. sine vulnere: crushed in the gateway. neque multum āfuit quīn: 'and it was not far from', i.e. they nearly were. eōdem cursū: 'in the same run', i.e. without stopping.

BC 2.35.4sed cum locī nātūra et mūnītiō castrōrum aditum prohibēbat, tum quod ad proelium ēgressī Cūriōnis mīlitēs iīs rēbus indigēbant quae ad oppugnātiōnem castrōrum erant ūsuī.

But both the nature of the ground and the fortifications of the camp barred the way in, and also Curio's soldiers, who had come out for a battle, lacked the equipment needed for assaulting a camp.

Note. cum … tum: 'both … and', or 'not only … but also'. erant ūsuī: predicative dative, 'were of use'.

BC 2.35.5itaque Cūriō exercitum in castra redūcit suīs omnibus praeter Fabium incolumibus, ex numerō adversāriōrum circiter dc interfectīs ac m vulnerātīs;

So Curio led his army back to camp with all his men safe except Fabius, after some six hundred of the enemy had been killed and a thousand wounded;

Note. suīs omnibus … incolumibus: ablative absolute. DC interfectīs ac M vulnerātīs: Roman numerals, 'six hundred killed and a thousand wounded'.

BC 2.35.5quī omnēs discessū Cūriōnis multīque praetereā per simulātiōnem vulnerum ex castrīs in oppidum propter timōrem sēsē recipiunt.

and all these, and many others besides who pretended to be wounded, took themselves out of the camp into the town for fear when Curio withdrew.

Note. quī omnēs: the wounded. per simulātiōnem vulnerum: 'by pretending to be wounded'. sēsē recipiunt: 'take themselves', i.e. withdraw.

BC 2.35.6quā rē animadversā Vārus et terrōre exercitūs cognitō būcinātōre in castrīs et paucīs ad speciem tabernāculīs relictīs dē tertiā vigiliā silentiō exercitum in oppidum redūcit.

When he noticed this and learned of his army's terror, Varus left a trumpeter in the camp and a few tents for show, and at the third watch led his army back into the town in silence.

Note. būcinātōre … relictīs: the trumpeter was left to sound the watches as usual, so that Curio would think the camp was still occupied. dē tertiā vigiliā: during the third watch, after midnight. silentiō: ablative of manner.