De Bello Civili 3.110

BC 3.110.1Erant cum Achillā eae cōpiae, ut neque numerō neque genere hominum neque ūsū reī mīlitāris contemnendae vidērentur.

Achillas had with him forces such that they did not seem contemptible in number, in the kind of men, or in military experience.

Note. eae cōpiae, ut … vidērentur: result clause. neque … neque … neque: 'neither in number nor in quality nor in experience'. contemnendae: gerundive, 'to be despised'.

BC 3.110.2mīlia enim xx in armīs habēbat.

For he had twenty thousand men under arms.

Note. mīlia … xx: twenty thousand.

BC 3.110.2haec cōnstābant ex Gabīniānīs mīlitibus, quī iam in cōnsuētūdinem Alexandrīnae vītae ac licentiae vēnerant et nōmen disciplīnamque populī Rōmānī dēdidicerant uxōrēsque dūxerant, ex quibus plērīque līberōs habēbant.

These consisted of Gabinius' soldiers, who had by now fallen into the habits of Alexandrian life and licence, had unlearned the name and discipline of the Roman people, and had married wives, by whom most of them had children.

Note. Gabīniānīs mīlitibus: see sentence 24. in cōnsuētūdinem … vēnerant: 'had fallen into the habits'. dēdidicerant: pluperfect of dēdiscō, 'had unlearned'. uxōrēs dūxerant: dūcere uxōrem, 'to marry'.

BC 3.110.3hūc accēdēbant collēctī ex praedōnibus latrōnibusque Syriae Ciliciaeque prōvinciae fīnitimārumque regiōnum.

To these were added men gathered from the pirates and brigands of the provinces of Syria and Cilicia and the neighbouring regions.

Note. huc accēdēbant: 'to these were added'. collēctī: 'men gathered'.

BC 3.110.3multī praetereā capitis damnātī exulēsque convēnerant.

Besides, many men condemned on capital charges and exiles had assembled.

Note. capitis damnātī: genitive of the charge, 'condemned on a capital charge'.

BC 3.110.4fugitīvīs omnibus nostrīs certus erat Alexandrīae receptus certaque vītae condiciō, ut datō nōmine mīlitum essent numerō.

All our runaway slaves had a sure refuge at Alexandria and a sure way of life, provided that they gave their names and joined the ranks of the soldiers.

Note. fugitīvīs omnibus nostrīs: dative of possession with erat, 'all our runaway slaves had'. Alexandrīae: locative. datō nōmine: 'having given their names', i.e. enlisting.

BC 3.110.4quōrum sīquis ā dominō prehenderētur, cōnsēnsū mīlitum ēripiēbātur, quī vim suōrum, quod in similī culpā versābantur, ipsī prō suō perīculō dēfendēbant.

If any of them was seized by his master, he was rescued by the united action of the soldiers, who defended the violence of their comrades as if it were their own danger, because they were involved in the same guilt.

Note. quōrum sīquis: 'if any of these'. vim suōrum … prō suō perīculō dēfendēbant: they resisted any attempt to seize one of their comrades as though they were themselves in danger.

BC 3.110.5hī rēgum amīcōs ad mortem dēposcere, hī bona locuplētum dīripere, stīpendiī augendī causā rēgis domum obsidēre, regnō expellere aliōs, aliōs arcessere vetere quōdam Alexandrīnī exercitūs īnstitūtō cōnsuērant.

By an old custom of the Alexandrian army they had been accustomed to demand the king's friends for execution, to plunder the property of the rich, to besiege the king's palace to get their pay raised, to drive some from the throne and summon others to it.

Note. A string of historic infinitives depending on cōnsuērant, 'they had been accustomed to'. hī … hī: 'they … they'. stīpendiī augendī causā: gerundive of purpose. alios … alios: 'some … others'.

BC 3.110.6erant praetereā equitum mīlia duo.

There were also two thousand cavalry.

Note. equitum mīlia duo: 'two thousand cavalry'; mīlia takes a partitive genitive.

BC 3.110.6inveterāverant hī omnēs complūribus Alexandrīae bellīs, Ptolomaeum patrem in regnum redūxerant, Bibulī fīliōs duōs interfēcerant, bella cum Aegyptiīs gesserant.

All these had grown old in Alexandria's many wars; they had restored Ptolemy the father to his kingdom, killed the two sons of Bibulus, and waged wars with the Egyptians.

Note. inveterāverant: 'had grown old', i.e. become seasoned. Bibulī fīliōs duōs: the sons of Marcus Bibulus, governor of Syria, killed in 50 BC when they came to recall the Gabinian troops.

BC 3.110.6hinc ūsum reī mīlitāris habēbant.

From this they had experience of warfare.

Note. hinc: 'from this'.