De Bello Civili 3.41

BC 3.41.1Caesar postquam Pompēium ad Asparagium esse cognōvit, eōdem cum exercitū profectus expugnātō in itinere oppidō Parthīnōrum, in quō Pompēius praesidium habēbat, tertiō diē ad Pompēium pervēnit iūxtāque eum castra posuit et postrīdiē ēductīs omnibus cōpiīs aciē īnstrūctā dēcernendī potestātem Pompēiō fēcit.

When Caesar learned that Pompey was at Asparagium, he set out there with his army, stormed on the way a town of the Parthini in which Pompey had a garrison, reached Pompey on the third day and pitched camp beside him, and on the next day led out all his forces, drew up his line and offered Pompey the chance to fight it out.

Note. Parthīnōrum: the Parthini, an Illyrian people. dēcernendī potestātem … fēcit: 'gave the chance of a decisive battle'.

BC 3.41.2ubi illum suīs locīs sē tenēre animum advertit, reductō in castra exercitū aliud sibi cōnsilium capiendum exīstimāvit.

When he saw that Pompey was keeping to his own positions, he led his army back into camp and decided he must adopt another plan.

Note. animum advertit: 'noticed' (= animadvertit). aliud sibi cōnsilium capiendum: passive periphrastic, 'that another plan must be adopted by him'.

BC 3.41.3itaque posterō diē omnibus cōpiīs magnō circuitū difficilī angustōque itinere Dyrrachium profectus est spērāns Pompēium aut Dyrrachium compellī aut ab eō interclūdī posse, quod omnem commeātum tōtīusque bellī adparātum eō contulisset: ut accidit.

And so on the next day he set out with all his forces for Dyrrachium by a long detour along a difficult and narrow road, hoping that Pompey could either be driven into Dyrrachium or cut off from it, since he had collected all his supplies and the stores for the whole war there: and so it happened.

Note. sperāns Pompeium aut … compellī aut … interclūdī posse: Caesar hopes either to drive Pompey into Dyrrachium or to cut him off from it. quod … contulisset: subjunctive because it gives Caesar's reasoning. ut accidit: 'as (in fact) happened'.

BC 3.41.4Pompēius enim prīmō ignōrāns eius cōnsilium, quod dīversō ab eā regiōne itinere profectum vidēbat, angustiīs reī frūmentāriae compulsum discessisse exīstimābat;

For Pompey, at first not knowing his plan, because he saw him setting out on a road leading away from that region, thought that he had left under the pressure of a shortage of grain;

Note. prīmō: adverb, 'at first'. dīversō ab eā regiōne itinere: 'on a route leading away from that region'.

BC 3.41.4posteā per explōrātōrēs certior factus posterō diē castra mōvit breviōre itinere sē occurrere eī posse spērāns.

later, informed by scouts, he moved camp the next day, hoping that he could meet him by a shorter road.

Note. certior factus: 'informed' (literally 'made more certain'). breviōre itinere: 'by a shorter road'.

BC 3.41.5quod fore suspicātus Caesar mīlitēsque adhortātus, ut aequō animō labōrem ferrent, parvā parte noctis itinere intermissō māne Dyrrachium vēnit, cum prīmum agmen Pompēī procul cernerētur, atque ibi castra posuit.

Caesar suspected this would happen and urged his soldiers to bear the hardship patiently; he broke off the march for only a small part of the night, reached Dyrrachium in the morning, when the head of Pompey's column was being seen in the distance, and pitched camp there.

Note. quod fore suspicātus: 'suspecting that this would happen'. cum prīmum agmen Pompēī … cernerētur: 'just when the head of Pompey's column was being seen'.