De Bello Civili 3.2

BC 3.2.1Hīs rēbus et fēriīs Latīnīs comitiīsque omnibus perficiendīs xi diēs tribuit dictātūrāque sē abdicat et ab urbe proficīscitur Brundisiumque pervēnit.

For these matters and for the Latin Festival and for completing all the elections he allowed eleven days; then he resigns the dictatorship, sets out from the city and reaches Brundisium.

Note. fēriae Latīnae: the Latin Festival on the Alban Mount, which the consuls had to celebrate before leaving Rome. xi diēs: ūndecim diēs, 'eleven days'. sē abdicat: 'resigns' (abdicāre sē with the ablative of the office, dictātūrā). Notice the run of historic presents.

BC 3.2.2eō legiōnēs xii, equitātum omnem venīre iusserat.

He had ordered twelve legions and all the cavalry to come there.

Note. eō: adverb, 'to that place' (Brundisium). legiōnēs xii: duodecim legiōnēs.

BC 3.2.2sed tantum nāvium repperit ut angustē legiōnāriōrum mīlitum, d equitēs trānsportārī possent.

But he found only enough ships to carry across, packed tightly, [fifteen thousand] legionary soldiers and five hundred cavalry.

Note. tantum nāvium: partitive genitive, 'so much of ships', i.e. only so many ships. The manuscripts have a gap before legiōnāriōrum: editors supply XV mīlia, 'fifteen thousand', from 3.6, where seven legions sail. d equitēs: quīngentī equitēs.

BC 3.2.2hoc ūnum Caesarī ad celeritātem cōnficiendī bellī dēfuit.

This one thing kept Caesar from finishing the war quickly.

Note. conficiendī bellī: gerundive phrase, 'of finishing the war'. dēfuit: 'was lacking to' (dēsum with the dative Caesarī).

BC 3.2.3atque eae ipsae cōpiae hōc īnfrequentiōrēs inpōnuntur, quod multī Galliā tot bellīs dēfēcerant longumque iter ex Hispāniā magnum numerum dēminuerat, et gravis autumnus in Āpūliā circumque Brundisium ex salūberrimīs Galliae et Hispāniae regiōnibus omnem exercitum valētūdine temptāverat.

And even these forces are embarked under strength for this reason: many had been lost in so many wars in Gaul, the long march from Spain had reduced their number greatly, and an unhealthy autumn in Apulia and around Brundisium, after the very healthy regions of Gaul and Spain, had affected the health of the whole army.

Note. hōc īnfrequentiōrēs: 'the more under strength for this reason', hōc being ablative of the measure of difference, explained by the quod-clause. multī Galliā tot bellīs dēfēcerant: 'many had been lost in Gaul in so many wars' (dēficiō, 'fail, be missing'). valētūdine temptāverat: 'had attacked their health'.