De Bello Civili 2.41

BC 2.41.1Quibus ex locīs cum longius esset prōgressus, cōnfectō iam labōre exercitū xvi mīlium spatiō cōnstitit.

When he had gone a long way from that high ground, and his army was already worn out by its exertions, he halted after covering sixteen miles.

Note. Quibus ex locīs: connecting relative. cōnfectō … labōre exercitū: ablative absolute, 'his army being worn out'. XVI mīlium spatiō: 'after a distance of sixteen miles'.

BC 2.41.2dat suīs signum Saburra, aciem cōnstituit et circumīre ōrdinēs atque hortārī incipit.

Saburra gave his men the signal, formed his line, and began to go round the ranks and encourage them.

Note. circumīre ōrdinēs atque hortārī: Saburra goes along the ranks encouraging them.

BC 2.41.2sed peditātū dumtaxat procul ad speciem ūtitur, equitēs in aciem immittit.

But he used his infantry only at a distance, for show, and sent his cavalry into the line.

Note. peditātū … ūtitur: ūtor takes the ablative. dumtaxat: 'only'. ad speciem: 'for show'.

BC 2.41.3nōn dēest negōtiō Cūriō suōsque hortātur, ut spem omnem in virtūte repōnant.

Curio was equal to the task and urged his men to place all their hope in courage.

Note. nōn dēest negōtiō: 'he does not fail the task', i.e. he rises to the occasion. ut … repōnant: indirect command.

BC 2.41.3nē mīlitibus quidem, ut dēfessīs, neque equitibus, ut paucīs et labōre cōnfectīs, studium ad pugnandum virtūsque dēerat;

The soldiers, tired as they were, and the cavalry, few as they were and worn out, did not lack eagerness to fight or courage;

Note. ut dēfessīs … ut paucīs: ut with adjectives, 'tired as they were … few as they were'. studium ad pugnandum: 'eagerness for fighting'.

BC 2.41.3sed hī erant numerō cc, reliquī in itinere substiterant.

but there were only two hundred of the cavalry, the rest had stopped on the march.

Note. numerō CC: 'two hundred in number'.

BC 2.41.4hī quamcumque in partem impetum fēcerant, hostēs locō cēdere cōgēbant, sed neque longius fugientēs prōsequī, nec vehementius equōs incitāre poterant.

Wherever they charged, they forced the enemy to give ground, but they could neither pursue the fugitives far nor drive their horses hard.

Note. quamcumque in partem: 'into whatever part', i.e. wherever. vehementius: comparative adverb, 'too hard'.

BC 2.41.5at equitātus hostium ab utrōque cornū circumīre aciem nostram et āversōs prōterere incipit.

But the enemy cavalry began to go round our line from both wings and to trample our men from behind.

Note. āversōs prōterere: 'to trample them from behind'; āversōs means 'turned away'.

BC 2.41.6cum cohortēs ex aciē prōcucurrissent, Numidae integrī celeritāte impetum nostrōrum effugiēbant, rūrsusque ad ōrdinēs suōs sē recipientēs circumībant et ab aciē exclūdēbant.

Whenever cohorts ran forward from the line, the Numidians, being fresh, escaped our men's charge by their speed, and falling back to their own ranks went round them and cut them off from the line.

Note. integrī: 'fresh, unhurt'. Numidian cavalry fought this way: they fled from a charge, then wheeled round and cut off the attackers.

BC 2.41.6sīc neque in locō manēre ōrdinēsque servāre, neque prōcurrere et cāsum subīre tūtum vidēbātur.

So it seemed safe neither to stay in place and keep ranks, nor to run forward and take the risk.

Note. neque … neque: two infinitive phrases, each the subject of tūtum vidēbātur.

BC 2.41.7hostium cōpiae submissīs ab rēge auxiliīs crēbrō augēbantur;

The enemy forces kept growing as reinforcements were sent by the king;

Note. summissīs … auxiliīs: ablative absolute, 'as reinforcements were sent up'.

BC 2.41.7nostrōs vīrēs lassitūdine dēficiēbant, simul iī quī vulnera accēperant, neque aciē excēdere, neque in locum tūtum referrī poterant, quod tōta aciēs equitātū hostium circumdata tenēbātur.

our men's strength was failing from exhaustion; and at the same time the wounded could neither leave the line nor be carried to a safe place, because the whole line was surrounded and held fast by the enemy cavalry.

Note. nostrōs vīrēs … dēficiēbant: dēficiō with the accusative, 'their strength was failing our men'. referrī: present passive infinitive of referō, 'be carried back'.

BC 2.41.8hī dē suā salūte dēspērantēs, ut extrēmō vītae tempore hominēs facere cōnsuērunt, aut suam mortem miserābantur aut parentēs suōs commendābant, sīquōs ex eō perīculō fortūna servāre potuisset.

Despairing of their lives, as men do at the last moment of life, they either lamented their own death or commended their parents to anyone whom fortune might save from that danger.

Note. dē suā salūte dēspērantēs: 'despairing of their safety'. ut … cōnsuērunt: 'as men usually do'. sīquōs: 'any whom'. potuisset: subjunctive in a clause depending on an implied indirect speech.

BC 2.41.8plēna erant omnia timōris et lūctūs.

Everything was full of fear and grief.

Note. plēna … timōris et lūctūs: plēnus takes the genitive.