De Bello Civili 3.51

BC 3.51.1Interim certior factus P. Sulla, quem discēdēns castrīs praefēcerat Caesar, auxiliō cohortī vēnit cum legiōnibus duābus;

Meanwhile Publius Sulla, whom Caesar had left in command of the camp when he went away, was informed and came to the help of the cohort with two legions;

Note. Publius Cornelius Sulla was the nephew of the dictator Sulla. certior factus: 'having been informed'. auxiliō cohortī: double dative, 'to the help of the cohort'.

BC 3.51.1cuius adventū facile sunt repulsī Pompēiānī.

at his arrival the Pompeians were easily driven back.

Note. cuius adventū: ablative of time and cause, 'at his arrival'.

BC 3.51.2neque vērō cōnspectum aut impetum nostrōrum tulērunt, prīmīsque dēiectīs reliquī sē vertērunt et locō cessērunt.

They did not withstand the sight or the charge of our men; when the front ranks had been thrown down, the rest turned and gave ground.

Note. neque … tulērunt: 'did not withstand'. prīmīs dēiectīs: ablative absolute, 'the front ranks having been thrown down'.

BC 3.51.3sed īnsequentīs nostrōs, nē longius prōsequerentur, Sulla revocāvit.

But Sulla called our men back as they pursued, so that they should not follow too far.

Note. īnsequentīs: accusative plural (-īs = -ēs), 'as they pursued'. nē longius prōsequerentur: purpose clause.

BC 3.51.3at plērīque exīstimant, sī ācrius īnsequī voluisset, bellum eō diē potuisse fīnīrī.

Yet many think that if he had been willing to pursue more vigorously, the war could have been ended that day.

Note. plērīque: 'very many, most people'. potuisse fīnīrī: 'could have been ended'. Caesar here defends his officer's caution.

BC 3.51.3cuius cōnsilium reprehendendum nōn vidētur.

His decision does not seem to deserve blame.

Note. reprehendendum nōn vidētur: 'does not seem to be blamed'.

BC 3.51.4aliae enim sunt lēgātī partēs atque imperātōris;

For the role of a legate is one thing and that of a commander another;

Note. aliae … partēs: 'the role (literally 'parts') of a legate is one thing, that of a commander another'.

BC 3.51.4alter omnia agere ad praescrīptum, alter līberē ad summam rērum cōnsulere dēbet.

the one must do everything according to his orders, the other must decide freely about the whole situation.

Note. alter … alter: 'the one … the other'. ad praescrīptum: 'according to instructions'. ad summam rērum: 'about the overall situation'.

BC 3.51.5Sulla ā Caesare castrīs relictus līberātīs suīs hōc fuit contentus neque proeliō dēcertāre voluit, quae rēs tamen fortasse aliquem reciperet cāsum, ne imperātōriās sibi partēs sūmpsisse vidērētur.

Sulla, left in the camp by Caesar, was content with having freed his men and did not want to fight a battle, which might perhaps have met with some reverse, so as not to seem to have taken upon himself the role of the commander.

Note. hōc fuit contentus: 'was content with this' (contentus with the ablative). quae rēs … reciperet cāsum: 'a thing which might have met with some reverse' (potential subjunctive). nē imperātōriās sibi partēs sūmpsisse vidērētur: 'so as not to seem to have taken on the general's role'.

BC 3.51.6Pompēiānīs magnam rēs ad receptum difficultātem adferēbat.

The situation made retreat very difficult for the Pompeians.

Note. magnam … difficultātem: the subject is rēs, 'the situation'.

BC 3.51.6nam ex inīquō prōgressī locō in summō cōnstiterant;

For they had advanced from unfavourable ground and had halted on the summit;

Note. ex inīquō … locō: 'from unfavourable ground'. in summō: 'on the summit'.

BC 3.51.6sī per dēclīve sēsē reciperent, nostrōs ex superiōre īnsequentēs locō verēbantur;

if they withdrew down the slope, they were afraid of our men pursuing them from higher ground;

Note. nostrōs … īnsequentēs … verēbantur: 'they feared our men pursuing them'. ex superiōre … locō: 'from higher ground'.

BC 3.51.6neque multum ad sōlis occāsum temporis supererat;

and there was not much time left before sunset;

Note. multum … temporis: partitive genitive, 'much time'.

BC 3.51.6spē enim cōnficiendī negōtiī prope in noctem rem dēdūxerant.

for in the hope of finishing the business they had dragged the affair on almost into the night.

Note. spē cōnficiendī negōtiī: 'in the hope of finishing the business'.

BC 3.51.7ita necessāriō atque ex tempore captō cōnsiliō Pompēius tumulum quendam occupāvit, quī tantum aberat ā nostrō castellō, ut tēlum tormentō missum adigī nōn posset.

So, forming a plan out of necessity and on the spur of the moment, Pompey occupied a certain mound which was so far from our fort that a missile shot by artillery could not reach it.

Note. ex tempore: 'on the spur of the moment'. tantum aberat … ut … nōn posset: result clause, 'was so far away that it could not be reached'.

BC 3.51.7hōc cōnsēdit locō atque eum commūnīvit omnēsque ibi cōpiās continuit.

He settled in this place, fortified it, and kept all his forces there.

Note. hōc … locō: ablative of place without in.