De Bello Civili 3.30

BC 3.30.1Haec eōdem ferē tempore Caesar atque Pompēius cognōscunt.

Caesar and Pompey learned this at about the same time.

Note. Haec … cognōscunt: neuter plural object, 'these things'. The present tense, here and below, is the historic present, which Caesar uses for vivid narrative.

BC 3.30.1nam praetervectās Apollōniam Dyrrachiumque nāvēs vīderant, ipsī iter secundum eās terrās dīrēxerant, sed quō essent eae dēlātae, prīmīs diēbus ignōrābant.

For they had seen the ships sail past Apollonia and Dyrrachium, and had themselves directed their march along that coast, but where the ships had been carried to they did not know in the first days.

Note. praetervectās: perfect participle of praetervehor, 'sail past'; with nāvēs, 'had seen the ships sail past'. quō essent eae dēlātae: indirect question, 'where they had been carried'.

BC 3.30.2cognitāque rē dīversa sibi ambō cōnsilia capiunt: Caesar, ut quam prīmum sē cum Antōniō coniungeret, Pompēius, ut venientibus in itinere sē oppōneret, sī imprūdentēs ex īnsidiīs adorīrī posset;

And when they learned the facts, the two of them adopted opposite plans: Caesar, to join Antony as soon as possible; Pompey, to put himself in the way of the newcomers on their march, in case he could attack them unawares from an ambush.

Note. dīversa … cōnsilia: 'opposite plans'. ambō: nominative, 'both of them'. quam prīmum: 'as soon as possible'. venientibus … sē oppōneret: 'put himself in the way of the men coming'. sī … posset: 'in case he could', expressing Pompey's hope.

BC 3.30.3eōdemque diē uterque eōrum ex castrīs statīvīs ā flūmine Apsō exercitum ēdūcunt, Pompēius clam et noctū, Caesar palam atque interdiū.

And on the same day each of them led his army out of the standing camp by the river Apsus, Pompey secretly and by night, Caesar openly and by day.

Note. castra statīva: a standing (semi-permanent) camp. The two armies had faced each other across the river Apsus all winter. clam et noctū … palam atque interdiū: neat contrast between the two generals.

BC 3.30.4sed Caesarī circuitū maiōre iter erat longius, adversō flūmine, ut vadō trānsīre posset.

But Caesar's route was longer, by a wider detour upstream, so that he could cross by a ford.

Note. circuitū maiōre: ablative of manner, 'by a longer detour'. adversō flūmine: 'upstream'. vadō: 'by a ford' (ablative of way).

BC 3.30.4Pompēius, quia expedītō itinere flūmen eī trānseundum nōn erat, magnīs itineribus ad Antōnium contendit atque, ubi eum adpropinquāre cognōvit, idōneum locum nactus ibi cōpiās collocāvit, suōsque omnēs castrīs continuit, ignēsque fierī prohibuit, quō occultior esset eius adventus.

Pompey, because he had an easy road and did not have to cross the river, marched with long stages towards Antony, and when he learned that Antony was approaching he found a suitable place, posted his forces there, kept all his men in camp and forbade fires to be lit, so that his arrival might be the more hidden.

Note. expedītō itinere: 'since his road was easy'. flūmen eī trānseundum nōn erat: passive periphrastic with dative of agent, 'he did not have to cross the river'. magnīs itineribus: 'by forced marches'. quō occultior esset: quō + comparative introduces a purpose clause, 'so that his arrival might be more hidden'.

BC 3.30.6haec ad Antōnium statim per Graecōs dēferuntur.

This was at once reported to Antony by the Greeks.

Note. per Graecōs: through local Greeks, who knew the country.

BC 3.30.6ille missīs ad Caesarem nūntiīs ūnum diem sēsē castrīs tenuit, alterō diē ad eum pervēnit Caesar.

Antony sent messengers to Caesar and kept himself in camp for one day; on the next day Caesar reached him.

Note. ille: Antony. sēsē castrīs tenuit: 'kept himself in camp'. Caesar reaches him the next day, so Pompey's ambush comes to nothing.

BC 3.30.7cuius adventū cognitō Pompēius, nē duōbus circumclūderētur exercitibus, ex eō locō discēdit omnibusque cōpiīs ad Asparagium Dyrrachīnōrum pervēnit atque ibi idōneō locō castra pōnit.

When he learned of Caesar's arrival, Pompey, so as not to be shut in between two armies, left that place, came with all his forces to Asparagium, a town of the people of Dyrrachium, and pitched his camp there in a suitable place.

Note. nē … circumclūderētur: negative purpose clause. Asparagium: a town of the Dyrrachini on the river Genusus.