De Bello Civili 3.19

BC 3.19.1Inter bīna castra Pompēī atque Caesaris ūnum flūmen tantum intererat Apsus, crēbraque inter sē colloquia mīlitēs habēbant, neque ūllum interim tēlum per pactiōnēs loquentium trāiciēbātur.

Between the two camps of Pompey and Caesar there was only the river Apsus, and the soldiers held frequent conversations with each other, and in the meantime, by agreement of those talking, no weapon was thrown across.

Note. The armies faced each other across the river Apsus near Apollonia. bīna castra: distributive numeral used with a plural-only noun, 'the two camps'. per pactiōnēs loquentium: 'by agreement of those who were talking'.

BC 3.19.2mittit P. Vatīnium lēgātum ad rīpam ipsam flūminis, quī ea quae maximē ad pācem pertinēre vidērentur ageret, et crēbrō magnā vōce prōnūntiāret, licēretne cīvibus ad cīvēs dē pāce lēgātōs mittere, quod etiam fugitīvīs ab saltū Pȳrēnaeō praedōnibusque licuīsset, praesertim cum id agerent, nē cīvēs cum cīvibus armīs dēcertārent.

Caesar sends Publius Vatinius, a legate, to the very bank of the river, to deal with what seemed most relevant to peace and to call out repeatedly in a loud voice: were citizens not allowed to send envoys to citizens about peace, when this had been allowed even to the runaway slaves from the Pyrenean pass and to pirates, especially when their purpose was that citizens should not fight it out in arms with citizens?

Note. quī … ageret … prōnūntiāret: relative clauses of purpose, 'to deal with … and to call out'. līcēretne: the enclitic -ne introduces an indirect question. fugitīvīs ab saltū Pyrēnaeō: escaped slaves of the Spartacus era had been allowed to negotiate in the Pyrenees. praesertim cum: 'especially since'.

BC 3.19.3multa suppliciter locūtus, ut dē suā atque omnium salūte dēbēbat, silentiōque ab utrīsque mīlitibus audītus.

He spoke at length and in a suppliant manner, as was right when speaking of his own safety and everyone's, and was heard in silence by the soldiers of both sides.

Note. ut … dēbēbat: 'as he ought (to speak) about …'. utrīsque mīlitibus: 'by the soldiers of both sides'.

BC 3.19.4respōnsum est ab alterā parte Aulum Varrōnem profitērī sē alterā diē ad colloquium ventūrum atque ūnā vīsūrum, quemadmodum tūtō lēgātī venīre et quae vellent expōnere possent;

The answer came from the other side that Aulus Varro promised he would come to a conference the next day and would see with him how envoys could come in safety and set out what they wanted;

Note. respōnsum est: impersonal, 'answer was made'. Aulum Varrōnem profitērī: indirect statement, 'that Aulus Varro promised'. ventūrum and vīsūrum: future infinitives with esse understood. quemadmodum tūtō: indirect question, 'how in safety'.

BC 3.19.4certumque eī reī tempus cōnstituitur.

and a fixed time is arranged for this.

Note. certum … tempus: 'a fixed time'. eī reī: dative, 'for this purpose'.

BC 3.19.5quō cum esset posterō diē ventum, magna utrimque multitūdō convēnit, magnaque erat expectātiō eius reī atque omnium animī intentī esse ad pācem vidēbantur.

When they had come there on the next day, a great crowd gathered from both sides, there was great expectation of the outcome, and everyone's minds seemed set on peace.

Note. quō … ventum: 'when they had come there'; ventum esset is an impersonal passive, literally 'when it had been come there'. ad pācem intentī: 'set on peace'.

BC 3.19.6quā ex frequentiā T. Labiēnus prōdit, summissā ōrātiōne loquī dē pāce atque altercārī cum Vatīniō incipit.

From this crowd Titus Labienus comes forward, and in a lowered voice begins to speak about peace and to argue with Vatinius.

Note. Titus Labienus had been Caesar's chief officer in Gaul but went over to Pompey at the start of the civil war. summissā ōrātiōne: 'in a lowered voice', i.e. quietly and mildly.

BC 3.19.7quōrum mediam ōrātiōnem interrumpunt subitō undique tēla immissa;

In the middle of their talk weapons suddenly thrown from every side break it off;

Note. quōrum mediam ōrātiōnem: 'their talk in the middle', i.e. in the middle of their talk. tēla immissa: the subject of interrumpunt.

BC 3.19.7quae ille obtēctus armīs mīlitum vītāvit;

he avoided them, covered by the shields of his soldiers;

Note. ille: Vatinius. obtēctus armīs mīlitum: 'covered by the shields of his soldiers'.

BC 3.19.7vulnerantur tamen complūrēs, in hīs Cornēlius Balbus, M. Plōtius L. Tīburtius centuriōnēs mīlitēsque nōn nūllī.

yet several are wounded, among them Cornelius Balbus, Marcus Plotius and Lucius Tiburtius, centurions, and a number of soldiers.

Note. in hīs: 'among them'. nōn nūllī: 'not none', i.e. several.

BC 3.19.8tum Labiēnus: "dēsinite ergō dē conpositiōne loquī;

Then Labienus said: 'Stop talking about a settlement, then;

Note. Labienus speaks in direct speech. dēsinite … loquī: imperative with complementary infinitive, 'stop talking'. conpositiōne: the edition's spelling of compositiōne.

BC 3.19.8nam nōbīs nisi Caesaris capite relātō pāx esse nūlla potest."

for there can be no peace for us unless Caesar's head is brought back.'

Note. nisi Caesaris capite relātō: ablative absolute, 'unless Caesar's head has been brought back'. With this brutal line the peace talks end.