De Bello Civili 3.79

BC 3.79.1Hīs dē causīs uterque eōrum celeritātī studēbat, et suīs ut esset auxiliō, et ad opprimendōs adversāriōs nē occāsiōnī temporis dēesset.

For these reasons each of them was intent on speed, both to help his own men and not to miss the chance of crushing his opponents.

Note. uterque eōrum: 'each of the two'. suīs … auxiliō: double dative, 'a help to their own'. nē occāsiōnī … deesset: 'so as not to miss the opportunity'.

BC 3.79.2sed Caesarem Apollōnia ā dērēctō itinere āverterat;

But Apollonia had turned Caesar aside from the direct route;

Note. dērēctō: 'direct', an old spelling of dīrēctō. The detour to Apollonia cost Caesar time.

BC 3.79.2Pompēius per Candāviam iter in Macedoniam expedītum habēbat.

Pompey had an easy road through Candavia into Macedonia.

Note. Candāvia: the mountainous stretch of the Via Egnatia, the road from Dyrrachium east to Macedonia.

BC 3.79.3accessit etiam ex imprōvīsō aliud incommodum, quod Domitius cum diēs complūrēs castrīs Scīpiōnis castra collāta habuisset, reī frūmentāriae causā ab eō discesserat et Hēraclīam Senticam quae est subiecta Candāviae, iter fēcerat, ut ipsa fortūna illum obicere Pompēiō vidērētur.

Another unforeseen setback was added: Domitius, after keeping his camp close to Scipio's for several days, had left him to find grain and had marched to Heraclea Sintica, which lies below Candavia, so that fortune herself seemed to be throwing him in Pompey's way.

Note. accessit … incommodum, quod: 'another setback was added, namely that'. castrīs Scīpiōnis castra collāta: 'his camp placed close to Scipio's'. ut ipsa fortūna … obicere … vidērētur: result clause, 'so that fortune herself seemed to throw him in Pompey's way'.

BC 3.79.3haec ad id tempus Caesar ignōrābat.

Caesar was unaware of all this up to that time.

BC 3.79.4simul ā Pompēiō litterīs per omnēs prōvinciās cīvitātēsque dīmissīs dē proeliō ad Dyrrachium factō ēlātius īnflātiusque multō, quam rēs erat gesta, fāma percrēbruerat pulsum fugere Caesarem paene omnibus cōpiīs āmissīs.

At the same time, because Pompey had sent letters through all the provinces and states about the battle at Dyrrachium, exaggerated and inflated far beyond what had really happened, a rumour had spread that Caesar had been beaten and was in flight, having lost almost all his forces.

Note. ēlātius īnflātiusque multō quam: 'much more boastfully and pompously than'. fāma percrēbruerat: 'a rumour had spread' + indirect statement pulsum fugere Caesarem.

BC 3.79.4haec itinera īnfesta reddiderat, haec cīvitātēs nōnnūllās ab eius amīcitiā āvertēbat.

This rumour had made the roads dangerous, and this was turning some states away from friendship with him.

Note. haec … haec: the rumour (fāma) is the subject both times, a strong anaphora.

BC 3.79.5quibus accidit rēbus, ut plūribus dīmissī itineribus ā Caesare ad Domitium et ā Domitiō ad Caesarem nūllā ratiōne iter cōnficere possent.

As a result, although several messengers were sent by different routes from Caesar to Domitius and from Domitius to Caesar, none of them could get through by any means.

Note. plūribus … itineribus: 'by several routes'. nūllā ratiōne: 'in no way'.

BC 3.79.6sed Allobrogēs, Roucillī atque Aecī familiārēs, quōs perfūgisse ad Pompēium dēmōnstrāvimus, cōnspicātī in itinere explōrātōrēs Domitī, seu prīstinā suā cōnsuētūdine, quod ūnā in Galliā bella gesserant, seu glōriā ēlātī, cūncta, ut erant ācta, exposuērunt et Caesaris profectiōnem, adventum Pompēī docuērunt.

But some Allobroges, friends of Roucillus and Aecus, who, as we have related, had deserted to Pompey, caught sight of Domitius' scouts on the road; and whether out of their old familiarity, because they had served together in Gaul, or carried away by boastfulness, they told them everything as it had happened and informed them of Caesar's departure and Pompey's approach.

Note. Allobrogēs: men of a Gallic people from the Roman province; Roucillus and Aecus were Allobrogian brothers who had deserted Caesar (III.59–61). sīve … sīve: 'whether … or'. ut erant ācta: 'as they had happened'.

BC 3.79.7ā quibus Domitius certior factus vix iiii hōrārum spatiō antecēdēns hostium beneficiō perīculum vītāvit et ad Aegīnium, quod est obiectum oppositumque Thessaliae, Caesarī venientī occurrit.

Informed by them, Domitius, barely four hours ahead, escaped danger thanks to the enemy, and met Caesar as he came at Aeginium, which lies facing Thessaly and in the way of anyone entering it.

Note. certior factus: 'informed'. vix IIII hōrārum spatiō: 'by a margin of barely four hours'. hostium beneficiō: 'thanks to the enemy' — an ironic touch.