De Bello Civili 3.102

BC 3.102.1Caesar omnibus rēbus relictīs persequendum sibi Pompēium exīstimāvit, quāscumque in partēs sē ex fugā recēpisset, nē rūrsus cōpiās comparāre aliās et bellum renovāre posset, et quantumcumque itineris equitātū efficere poterat, cōtīdiē prōgrediēbātur legiōnemque ūnam minōribus itineribus subsequī iussit.

Caesar, leaving everything else, thought that he must pursue Pompey, to whatever regions he had withdrawn in his flight, so that he could not raise other forces again and renew the war; and he advanced every day as far as he could go with the cavalry, and ordered one legion to follow by shorter marches.

Note. persequendum sibi Pompeium: passive periphrastic in indirect statement with the dative of agent sibi, 'that Pompey must be pursued by him'. quāscumque in partēs: 'into whatever regions'. nē … posset: negative purpose clause. quantumcumque itineris: partitive genitive, 'however much of a march'. minōribus itineribus: 'by shorter (daily) marches'.

BC 3.102.2erat ēdictum Pompēī nōmine Amphipolī prōpositum, utī omnēs eius prōvinciae iūniōrēs, Graecī cīvēsque Rōmānī, iūrandī causā convenīrent.

An edict had been posted at Amphipolis in Pompey's name, that all the younger men of that province, both Greeks and Roman citizens, should assemble to take the oath.

Note. Amphipolī: locative, 'at Amphipolis'. iūniōrēs: the men of military age. iūrandī causā: 'for the purpose of taking the oath', i.e. being enrolled as soldiers.

BC 3.102.3sed utrum āvertendae suspīciōnis causā Pompēius prōposuisset, ut quam diūtissimē longiōris fugae cōnsilium occultāret, an novīs dīlēctibus, sī nēmō premeret, Macedoniam tenēre cōnārētur, exīstimārī nōn poterat.

But whether Pompey had posted it to avert suspicion, so as to hide his plan of a longer flight as long as possible, or whether he was trying to hold Macedonia with new levies if no one pressed him, could not be judged.

Note. utrum … an: 'whether … or', introducing an indirect double question with the subjunctives prōposuisset and cōnārētur. quam diūtissimē: quam with a superlative, 'as long as possible'. existimārī nōn poterat: 'it could not be judged'.

BC 3.102.4ipse ad ancoram ūnā nocte cōnstitit et vocātīs ad sē Amphipolī hospitibus et pecūniā ad necessāriōs sūmptūs conrogāta cognitōque Caesaris adventū ex eō locō discessit et Mytilēnās paucīs diēbus vēnit.

He himself lay at anchor for one night, summoned his friends at Amphipolis, raised money for his necessary expenses, and on learning of Caesar's approach left that place and reached Mytilene in a few days.

Note. ad ancoram ūnā nocte cōnstitit: 'he lay at anchor for one night', i.e. without landing. Three ablative absolutes follow: vocātīs … hospitibus, pecūniā … conrogātā, cognitōque … adventū. Mytilēnās: plural name, Mytilene on Lesbos, where Pompey's wife Cornelia was waiting.

BC 3.102.5bīduum tempestāte retentus nāvibusque aliīs additīs āctuāriīs in Ciliciam atque inde Cyprum pervēnit.

Held back for two days by a storm, and adding other fast light ships, he reached Cilicia and from there Cyprus.

Note. bīduum: accusative of extent of time. actuāriīs: 'fast light ships' (nāvēs actuāriae).

BC 3.102.6ibi cognōscit cōnsēnsū omnium Antiochēnsium cīviumque Rōmānōrum, quī illīc negōtiārentur arcem captam esse exclūdendī suī causā nūntiōsque dīmissōs ad eōs, quī sē ex fugā in fīnitimās cīvitātēs recēpisse dīcerentur, ne Antiochīam adīrent;

There he learned that, by the agreement of all the people of Antioch and of the Roman citizens who did business there, the citadel had been seized to keep him out, and that messengers had been sent to those who were said to have withdrawn in their flight to the neighbouring communities, telling them not to come to Antioch;

Note. cōnsēnsū: ablative, 'by the agreement'. arcem captam esse … nūntiōsque dīmissōs: indirect statement depending on cognōscit. exclūdendī suī causā: gerundive with the reflexive genitive, 'in order to keep him out'; suī refers back to Pompey, the subject of cognōscit. nē Antiochīam adīrent: the message the couriers carried.

BC 3.102.6id sī fēcissent, magnō eōrum capitis perīculō futūrum.

if they did so, it would be at great peril to their lives.

Note. Still indirect speech: id sī fēcissent … futūrum (esse), 'if they did that, it would be at great risk to their lives'. capitis perīculum: 'danger to one's life'.

BC 3.102.7idem hoc L. Lentulō, quī superiōre annō cōnsul fuerat, et P. Lentulō cōnsulārī ac nōnnūllīs aliīs acciderat Rhodī;

The same thing had happened at Rhodes to Lucius Lentulus, who had been consul the year before, and to the ex-consul Publius Lentulus, and to some others;

Note. Two Lentuli: Lucius Lentulus Crus, consul in 49 BC (superiōre annō), and Publius Lentulus Spinther, consul in 57 BC (cōnsulārī, 'the ex-consul'). Rhodī: locative, 'at Rhodes'.

BC 3.102.7quī cum ex fugā Pompēium sequerentur atque in īnsulam vēnissent, oppidō ac portū receptī nōn erant missīsque ad eōs nūntiīs ut ex hīs locīs discēderent, contrā voluntātem suam nāvēs solverant.

when they were following Pompey in his flight and had reached the island, they were not admitted to the town or the harbour, and when messengers were sent to them to leave those parts, they had set sail against their will.

Note. quī: connecting relative, 'they'. missīs … nūntiīs: ablative absolute. ut … discēderent: indirect command expressing the message. contrā voluntātem suam: 'against their will'.

BC 3.102.8iamque dē Caesaris adventū fāma ad cīvitātēs perferēbātur.

And now the report of Caesar's coming was being carried to the communities.

Note. perferēbātur: imperfect, the news 'was spreading'.