De Bello Civili 2.9

BC 2.9.1Ubi turris altitūdō perducta est ad contabulātiōnem, eam in parietēs īnstrūxērunt, ita ut capita tignōrum extrēmā parietum strūctūrā tegerentur, nēquid ēminēret, ubi ignis hostium adhaerēsceret.

When the tower had been carried up to the height of a floor, they built the floor into the walls in such a way that the ends of the beams were covered by the outer brickwork of the walls, so that nothing stuck out on which the enemy's fire could catch.

Note. ad contabulātiōnem: 'to (the height of) a floor', the first storey. capita tignōrum: 'the ends of the beams', set into the brickwork so that no wooden ends projected for burning arrows to catch. nēquid ēmineret: 'so that nothing should stick out'.

BC 2.9.2hanc īnsuper contignātiōnem, quantum tēctum pluteī ac vīneārum passum est, laterīculō adstrūxērunt suprāque eum locum duo tigna trānsversa iniēcērunt nōn longē ab extrēmīs parietibus, quibus suspenderent eam contignātiōnem quae turrī tegimentō esset futūra, suprāque ea tigna dērēctō trānsversās trabēs iniēcērunt eāsque axibus religāvērunt.

Above this floor they built up the brickwork as far as the cover of the screens and mantlets allowed; and above that they laid two crossbeams not far from the outer walls, to hang from them the floor that was to be the tower's roof, and over those beams they laid planks at right angles and fastened them with boards.

Note. A long sentence describing the roof. quantum … passum est: 'as far as … allowed' (passum from patior). duo tigna trānsversa: 'two crossbeams'. quibus suspenderent: relative of purpose, 'to hang from them'. turrī tegimentō esset futūra: 'was to be a covering for the tower' (double dative). dērēctō: 'at right angles'. axibus: 'with boards, planks'.

BC 2.9.3hās trabēs paulō longiōrēs atque ēminentiōrēs quam extrēmī parietēs erant, effēcērunt ut esset ubi tegimenta praependēre possent ad dēfendendōs ictūs ac repellendōs, cum īnfrā eam contignātiōnem parietēs extruerentur;

They made these beams a little longer and projecting a little further than the outer walls, so that there would be something from which coverings could hang down to ward off and repel blows while the walls were being built up underneath that floor;

Note. paulō longiōrēs atque ēminentiōrēs: the beams stuck out beyond the walls so that the protective mats could hang from them. esset ubi: 'there would be (something) on which'. cum … exstruerentur: 'while the walls were being built up'.

BC 2.9.4eamque contabulātiōnem summam lateribus lutōque cōnstrāvērunt, nēquid ignis hostium nocēre posset, centōnēsque īnsuper iniēcērunt, nē aut tēla tormentīs missa tabulātiōnem perfringerent, aut saxa ex catapultīs laterīcium discuterent.

and they covered the top of that floor with bricks and clay so that the enemy's fire could do no harm, and threw quilts over it besides, so that missiles shot from artillery would not break through the boarding and stones from catapults would not shatter the brickwork.

Note. lateribus lutōque: 'with bricks and clay', fireproofing for the roof. nēquid: here 'so that in no way'. centōnēs: patchwork quilts or mats of rags, laid on to soak up the shock of missiles. latericium: 'the brickwork'.

BC 2.9.5storiās autem ex fūnibus ancorāriīs trēs in longitūdinem parietum turris lātās iiii pedēs fēcērunt eāsque ex tribus partibus quae ad hostēs vergēbant, ēminentibus trabibus circum turrim praependentēs religāvērunt;

They also made three mats of anchor cables, as long as the walls of the tower and four feet wide, and hung them down from the projecting beams around the tower on the three sides that faced the enemy;

Note. storiās ex fūnibus ancorāriīs: mats woven from anchor cables, a heavy rope curtain. iiii pedēs: 'four feet' wide. quae ad hostēs vergēbant: 'which faced the enemy'.

BC 2.9.5quod ūnum genus tegimentī aliīs locīs erant expertī nūllō tēlō neque tormentō trāicī posse.

they had found in other places that this was the one kind of covering that could not be pierced by any missile or artillery.

Note. quod ūnum genus tegimentī: 'which one kind of covering'; the relative here refers to the mats. nūllō tēlō … trāicī posse: the infinitive clause depends on expertī erant, 'they had found that it could not be pierced'.

BC 2.9.6ubi vērō ea pars turris, quae erat perfecta, tēcta atque mūnīta est ab omnī ictū hostium, pluteōs ad alia opera abdūxērunt;

When the part of the tower that was finished had been covered and protected from every enemy blow, they took the screens away to other works.

Note. pluteōs: movable wicker screens; once the tower protected itself they were no longer needed here.

BC 2.9.6turris tēctum per sē ipsum pressiōnibus ex contignātiōne prīmā suspendere ac tollere coepērunt.

They began to lift the roof of the tower, a separate unit in itself, from the first floor, using levers, and to raise it.

Note. per sē ipsum: 'as a unit by itself', the whole roof was lifted in one piece. pressiōnibus: levers or jacks working from the first floor.

BC 2.9.7ubi quantum storiārum dēmissiō patiēbātur, tantum ēlevārant, intrā haec tegimenta abditī atque mūnītī parietēs lateribus exstruēbant, rūrsusque aliā pressiōne ad aedificandum sibi locum expediēbant.

When they had raised it as far as the hanging of the mats allowed, hidden and protected inside these coverings they built up the walls with bricks, and again by another lift cleared space for themselves to build.

Note. quantum … tantum: 'as far as … so far'. ēlevārant: a contracted form of ēlevāverant. intrā haec tegimenta abditī: the workmen stood inside the hanging mats, under the roof. rūrsus aliā pressiōne: 'again with another lift'.

BC 2.9.8ubi tempus alterīus contabulātiōnis vidēbātur, tigna item ut prīmō tēcta extrēmīs lateribus īnstruēbant exque eā contignātiōne rūrsus summam contabulātiōnem storiāsque ēlevābant.

When it seemed time for another floor, they set beams in, as before covered by the outer brickwork, and from that floor raised the top floor and the mats again.

Note. tigna … tēcta extrēmīs lateribus: the floor beams were again hidden in the outer brickwork, as in the first storey.

BC 2.9.9ita tūtō ac sine ūllō vulnere ac perīculō vi tabulāta exstrūxērunt fenestrāsque, quibus in locīs vīsum est, ad tormenta mittenda in struendō relīquērunt.

So, safely and without any wound or danger, they built six storeys, and as they built they left openings in suitable places for firing artillery.

Note. tūtō: adverb, 'safely'. vi tabulāta: the Roman numeral VI, 'six storeys' (read sex tabulāta). fenestrās: 'openings', loopholes for artillery. in struendō: 'while building'.