De Bello Civili 3.46

BC 3.46.1Caesar receptuī suōrum timēns crātēs ad extrēmum tumulum contrā hostem prōferrī et adversās locārī, intrā hās mediocrī lātitūdine fossam tēctīs mīlitibus obdūcī iussit, locumque in omnīs partēs quam maximē impedīrī.

Fearing for his men's withdrawal, Caesar ordered hurdles to be carried to the edge of the hill and set up facing the enemy, a trench of moderate width to be dug behind them by soldiers under cover, and the ground to be obstructed in every direction as much as possible.

Note. receptuī suōrum timēns: 'fearing for the withdrawal of his men' (dative with timeō). The infinitives prōferrī, locārī, obdūcī and impedīrī all depend on iussit. tēctīs mīlitibus: 'by soldiers under cover'.

BC 3.46.2ipse idōneīs locīs funditōrēs īnstrūxit, ut praesidiō nostrīs sē recipientibus essent.

He himself posted slingers in suitable places to protect our men as they withdrew.

Note. ut praesidiō nostrīs … essent: double dative, 'to be a protection to our men'. sē recipientibus: 'as they withdrew'.

BC 3.46.3hīs rēbus conplētīs legiōnem redūcī iussit.

When this was done, he ordered the legion to be led back.

Note. hīs rēbus conplētīs: ablative absolute; conplētīs is the edition's spelling of complētīs.

BC 3.46.3Pompēiānī hōc īnsolentius atque audācius nostrōs premere et īnstāre coepērunt, crātēsque prō mūnītiōne obiectās prōpulērunt, ut fossās trānscenderent.

The Pompeians began to press and harass our men all the more insolently and boldly, and pushed over the hurdles set up as a defence, in order to cross the trenches.

Note. hōc īnsolentius atque audācius: 'all the more insolently and boldly'. prō mūnītiōne obiectās: 'set up as a defence'. ut fossās trānscenderent: purpose clause.

BC 3.46.4quod cum animadvertisset Caesar, veritus, nē nōn reductī, sed dēiectī vidērentur maiusque dētrīmentum caperētur, ā mediō ferē spatiō suōs per Antōnium, quī eī legiōnī praeerat, cohortātus tubā signum darī atque in hostēs impetum fierī iussit.

When Caesar noticed this, he was afraid that his men would seem not to have withdrawn but to have been thrown back, and that a greater loss would be suffered; so, about halfway down, he encouraged his men through Antony, who commanded that legion, and ordered the signal to be given by trumpet and a charge made against the enemy.

Note. veritus nē: 'fearing that', followed by the subjunctive. nōn reductī, sed dēiectī: 'not led back but thrown back'. per Antōnium: Mark Antony, then one of Caesar's legates. tubā: ablative of means, 'by trumpet'.

BC 3.46.5mīlitēs legiōnes viiii subitō cōnspīrātī pīla coniēcērunt et ex īnferiōre locō adversus clīvum incitātī cursū praecipitēs Pompēiānōs ēgērunt et terga vertere coēgērunt;

The soldiers of the ninth legion suddenly, with one accord, hurled their javelins, rushed up the slope from the lower ground, drove the Pompeians headlong and forced them to turn their backs;

Note. legiōnes viiii: legiōnēs is an old spelling of the genitive singular legiōnis, 'of the ninth legion'. cōnspīrātī: 'all together, with one accord'. adversus clīvum: 'up the slope'.

BC 3.46.5quibus ad recipiendum crātēs dērēctae longuriīque obiectī et īnstitūtae fossae magnō impedīmentō fuērunt.

and in their retreat the upturned hurdles, the poles laid across and the trenches that had been dug were a great hindrance to them.

Note. quibus ad recipiendum: 'to them, as they retreated' (ad + gerund). magnō impedīmentō fuērunt: double dative, 'were a great hindrance'. Their own obstacles now trapped the Pompeians.

BC 3.46.6nostrī vērō, quī satis habēbant sine dētrīmentō discēdere, complūribus interfectīs, v omnīnō suōrum āmissīs quiētissimē recēpērunt, paulōque citrā eum locum aliīs comprehēnsīs collibus mūnītiōnēs perfēcērunt.

Our men, who were content to get away without loss, killed a good many, lost no more than five of their own, withdrew very quietly, and, seizing other hills a little this side of that place, completed their fortifications.

Note. satis habēbant: 'were content'. v omnīnō suōrum āmissīs: ablative absolute, 'only five of their own having been lost'. paulō citrā: 'a little on this side of'.