De Bello Civili 3.73

BC 3.73.1Caesar ab superiōribus cōnsiliīs dēpulsus omnem sibi commūtandam bellī ratiōnem exīstimāvit.

Caesar, driven from his earlier plans, decided that he must change his whole method of waging the war.

Note. Caesar has just been beaten at Dyrrachium (Durrës, in modern Albania), where he had tried to wall Pompey in. dēpulsus: 'driven from' his earlier plans. omnem … commūtandam … rationem: indirect statement with the gerundive, 'that the whole plan must be changed'; esse is understood.

BC 3.73.2itaque ūnō tempore praesidiīs omnibus dēductīs et oppugnātiōne dīmissā coāctōque in ūnum locum exercitū cōntiōnem apud mīlitēs habuit hortātusque est, nē ea quae accidissent graviter ferrent, nēve hīs rēbus terrērentur, multīsque secundīs proeliīs ūnum adversum et id mediocre oppōnerent.

So he withdrew all the garrisons at once, gave up the siege, gathered the army into one place and addressed the soldiers; he urged them not to take what had happened to heart and not to be frightened by these events, but to set the one setback, and a moderate one at that, against their many successful battles.

Note. Three ablative absolutes stand side by side: praesidiīs … dēductīs, oppugnātiōne dīmissā, coāctō … exercitū. contiōnem habuit: 'held an assembly', i.e. made a speech. The nē … nēve … clauses report what he urged; multīs … proeliīs … opponerent: 'that they should set against their many successful battles one defeat'.

BC 3.73.3habendam fortūnae grātiam, quod Ītaliam sine aliquō vulnere cēpissent, quod duās Hispāniās bellicōsissimōrum hominum perītissimīs atque exercitātissimīs ducibus pācāvissent, quod fīnitimās frūmentāriāsque prōvinciās in potestātem redēgissent.

They should thank fortune, he said, for they had taken Italy without any loss, had pacified the two Spains, peoples of the most warlike men under the most skilled and experienced commanders, and had brought the neighbouring grain-producing provinces under their control.

Note. From here to sentence 8 Caesar's speech is reported in indirect speech: infinitives for main statements, subjunctives in the subordinate clauses. habendam (esse) … grātiam: 'thanks must be given' (grātiam habēre + dative). duās Hispāniās: Nearer and Further Spain, won in Book I.

BC 3.73.3dēnique recordārī dēbēre, quā fēlīcitāte inter mediās hostium classēs opplētīs nōn sōlum portibus, sed etiam lītoribus omnēs incolumēs essent trānsportātī.

Finally they ought to remember with what good luck they had all been carried across unharmed through the midst of the enemy's fleets, when not only the harbours but even the shores were full of them.

Note. recordārī dēbēre: '(they) ought to remember'. quā fēlīcitāte: an indirect question, 'with what good luck'. The crossing of the Adriatic from Brundisium had been made past Pompey's fleets (Book III.6–8).

BC 3.73.4sī nōn omnia caderent secunda, fortūnam esse industriā sublevandam.

If not everything turned out favourably, fortune must be helped along by effort.

Note. fortūnam esse industriā sublevandam: 'fortune must be helped along by effort', a favourite thought of Caesar's.

BC 3.73.4quod esset acceptum dētrīmentī, cuiusvīs potius quam suae culpae dēbēre tribuī.

The loss they had suffered ought to be put down to anyone's fault rather than his own.

Note. quod esset acceptum dētrīmentī: 'whatever loss had been suffered', partitive genitive with quod. cuiusvīs potius quam suae culpae: 'to the fault of anyone rather than his own'.

BC 3.73.5locum sē aecum ad dīmicandum dedisse, potītum sē esse hostium castrīs, expulisse ac superāsse pugnantēs.

He had given them fair ground on which to fight, he had taken the enemy's camp, he had driven out and overcome those who fought there.

Note. locum … aequum: 'fair ground'. potītum sē esse … castrīs: potior takes the ablative, 'that he had got possession of the camp'.

BC 3.73.5sed sīve ipsōrum perturbātiō sīve error aliquis sīve etiam fortūna partam iam praesentemque victōriam interpellāvisset, dandam omnibus operam, ut acceptum incommodum virtūte sarcīrētur.

But whether it was their own confusion, or some mistake, or even fortune that had snatched away a victory already won and in their hands, everyone must now work to repair the defeat by courage.

Note. sīve … sīve … sīve: 'whether … or … or'. partam iam praesentemque victōriam: 'a victory already won and in their grasp' (partam from pariō). dandam (esse) … operam ut: 'effort must be made so that'.

BC 3.73.6quod sī esset factum, futūrum ut dētrīmentum in bonum verteret, utī ad Gergoviam accidisset, atque eī, quī ante dīmicāre timuissent, ultrō sē proeliō offerrent.

If they did so, the harm would turn to good, as had happened at Gergovia, and those who had been afraid to fight before would offer themselves for battle of their own accord.

Note. quod sī esset factum: 'and if this were done'; quod links back to the previous sentence. futūrum (esse) ut …: 'it would come about that'. ad Gergoviam: Caesar's one defeat in Gaul (Book VII), soon followed by his victory at Alesia.