De Bello Civili 3.67

BC 3.67.1Eō signa legiōnis lāta speculātōrēs Caesarī renūntiārunt.

The scouts reported to Caesar that the standards of a legion had been carried there.

Note. Eō: adverb, 'to that place'. signa … lāta: supply esse: indirect statement after renūntiārunt (= renūntiāvērunt).

BC 3.67.1hoc idem vīsum ex superiōribus quibusdam castellīs cōnfirmāvērunt.

They confirmed that the same had been seen from certain forts on higher ground.

Note. hōc idem vīsum: 'that the same thing had been seen'.

BC 3.67.1is locus aberat novīs Pompēī castrīs circiter passūs quīngentōs.

This place was about five hundred paces from Pompey's new camp.

Note. Pompeī castrīs: dative with aberat, 'was distant from'. passūs quīngentōs: accusative of extent.

BC 3.67.2hanc legiōnem spērāns Caesar sē opprimere posse et cupiēns eius diēī dētrīmentum sarcīre relīquit in opere cohortēs duās, quae speciem mūnītiōnis praebērent;

Caesar, hoping that he could overwhelm this legion and wishing to make up for the loss of that day, left two cohorts at the works to give the appearance of fortifying;

Note. spērāns … et cupiēns: two present participles. dētrīmentum sarcīre: 'to make good the loss', literally 'to patch up'. quae … praebērent: relative clause of purpose.

BC 3.67.3ipse dīversō itinere, quam potuit occultissimē, reliquās cohortēs, numerō xxxiii, in quibus erat legiō nōna multīs āmissīs centuriōnibus dēminūtōque mīlitum numerō, ad legiōnem Pompēī castraque minōra duplicī aciē ēdūxit.

he himself, by a different route and as secretly as he could, led out the remaining cohorts, thirty-three in number, among which was the ninth legion with many centurions lost and its numbers reduced, against Pompey's legion and the smaller camp in a double line.

Note. quam potuit occultissimē: 'as secretly as he could'. duplicī aciē: 'in a double line'.

BC 3.67.4neque eum prīma opīniō fefellit.

Nor did his first expectation deceive him.

Note. prīma opīniō: 'his first expectation'; fefellit, from fallō, 'deceive'.

BC 3.67.4nam et pervēnit, priusquam Pompēius sentīre posset, et tametsī erant mūnītiōnēs castrōrum magnae, tamen sinistrō cornū, ubi erat ipse, celeriter adgressus Pompēiānōs ex vallō dēturbāvit.

For he both arrived before Pompey could notice, and although the fortifications of the camp were strong, he quickly attacked on the left wing, where he was himself, and drove the Pompeians from the rampart.

Note. et … et: 'both … and'. tametsī … tamen: 'although … yet'. sinistrō cornū: ablative of place, 'on the left wing'.

BC 3.67.5erat obiectus portīs ēricius.

A 'hedgehog' had been set across the gates.

Note. ēricius: 'hedgehog', a beam studded with iron spikes laid across a gateway as a barrier.

BC 3.67.5hīc paulisper est pugnātum, cum inrumpere nostrī cōnārentur, illī castra dēfenderent, fortissimēque Titō Puleiōne, cuius operā prōditum exercitum C. Antonii dēmōnstrāvimus, eō locō prōpugnante.

Here there was fighting for a little while, as our men tried to break in and the others defended the camp, Titus Pullo, through whom, as we have shown, the army of Gaius Antonius was betrayed, fighting most bravely in that place.

Note. est pugnātum: impersonal passive, 'there was fighting'. Titō Pulliōne: Titus Pullo, the brave centurion of Gallic War 5.44, who had changed sides; Caesar notes his part in betraying Gaius Antonius' army in Illyricum the year before. The edition spells his name Puleiō.

BC 3.67.6sed tamen nostrī virtūte vīcērunt excīsōque ēriciō prīmō in maiōra castra, post etiam in castellum, quod erat inclūsum maiōribus castrīs, inrūpērunt, quod eō pulsa legiō sēsē recēperat;

But our men won by their courage, and after cutting down the hedgehog they burst first into the larger camp and then also into the fort which was enclosed in the larger camp, because the beaten legion had retreated there;

Note. excīsō … ēriciō: ablative absolute, 'when the hedgehog had been cut through'. prīmō … post: 'first … then'.

BC 3.67.6nōnnūllōs ibi repugnantēs interfēcērunt.

they killed a number who resisted there.

Note. nōnnūllōs … repugnantēs: 'some who resisted'.