De Bello Civili 3.31

BC 3.31.1Hīs temporibus Scīpiō dētrīmentīs quibusdam circā montem Amānum acceptīs imperātōrem sē appellāverat.

At this time Scipio, after receiving some setbacks around Mount Amanus, had had himself hailed as imperator.

Note. Scipio here is Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio, Pompey's father-in-law, governor of Syria. Hailing oneself imperator (a title normally given by the troops after a victory) after a defeat is Caesar's irony. dētrīmentīs … acceptīs: 'after suffering some losses'.

BC 3.31.2quō factō cīvitātibus tyrannīsque magnās imperāverat pecūniās, item ā pūblicānīs suae prōvinciae dēbitam bienniī pecūniam exēgerat et ab īsdem īnsequentis annī mūtuam praecēperat equitēsque tōtī prōvinciae imperāverat.

After this he had demanded large sums of money from the cities and the local rulers, had also extracted from the tax-farmers of his province the money owed for two years, had taken from the same men in advance a loan of the following year's money, and had ordered the whole province to supply cavalry.

Note. quō factō: 'after this'. pūblicānī: the companies of tax-farmers who bought the right to collect a province's taxes. dēbitam bienniī pecūniam: 'the money owed for two years'. īnsequentis annī mūtuam: 'the next year's (money) as a loan', i.e. collected in advance.

BC 3.31.3quibus coāctīs, fīnitimīs hostibus Parthīs post sē relictīs, quī paulō ante M. Crassum imperātōrem interfēcerant et M. Bibulum in obsidiōne habuerant, legiōnēs equitēsque ex Syriā dēdūxerat.

When these had been collected, he left behind him the Parthians, enemies on his border, who shortly before had killed the general Marcus Crassus and had held Marcus Bibulus under siege, and he withdrew his legions and cavalry from Syria.

Note. The Parthians had destroyed Crassus' army at Carrhae in 53 BC; Bibulus, governor of Syria in 51-50, had been besieged by them in Antioch. post sē relictīs: Scipio leaves the frontier undefended to bring his army to Pompey.

BC 3.31.4summamque in sollicitūdinem ac timōrem Parthicī bellī prōvincia cum vēnisset, ac nōnnūllae mīlitum vōcēs cum audīrentur sēsē, contrā hostem sī dūcerentur, itūrōs, contrā cīvem et cōnsulem arma nōn lātūrōs, dēductīs Pergamum atque in locuplētissimās urbēs in hīberna legiōnibus maximās largītiōnēs fēcit et cōnfirmandōrum mīlitum causā dīripiendās hīs cīvitātēs dedit.

And when the province had fallen into the greatest anxiety and fear of a Parthian war, and some voices of the soldiers were heard saying that they would go if they were led against an enemy, but would not bear arms against a citizen and a consul, he led the legions into winter quarters at Pergamum and in the richest cities, made them very large gifts, and to secure the soldiers' loyalty gave them the cities to plunder.

Note. cum … vēnisset: 'when the province had come into'. sēsē … itūrōs, … nōn lātūrōs: indirect statement after vōcēs ('voices saying that'). The soldiers' refusal to fight 'a citizen and consul' (Caesar was consul in 48) is a point Caesar wants his readers to notice. dīripiendās … dedit: gerundive, 'gave the cities to be plundered'.