De Bello Civili 3.8

BC 3.8.1Expositīs mīlitibus nāvēs eādem nocte Brundisium ā Caesare remittuntur, ut reliquae legiōnēs equitātusque trānsportārī possent.

When the soldiers had been landed, the ships are sent back to Brundisium by Caesar the same night, so that the remaining legions and the cavalry could be carried across.

Note. expositīs mīlitibus: ablative absolute. remittuntur: historic present. equitātus here is nominative singular, the second subject of possent.

BC 3.8.2huic officiō praepositus erat Fūfius Calēnus lēgātus, quī celeritātem in trānsportandīs legiōnibus adhibēret.

In charge of this task was the legate Fufius Calenus, who was to use speed in carrying the legions across.

Note. huic officiō praepositus: 'put in charge of this task'. quī … adhibēret: relative clause of purpose, 'to use speed'.

BC 3.8.2sed sērius ā terrā prōvectae nāvēs neque ūsae nocturnā aurā in redeundō offendērunt.

But the ships, having put out from land too late and not having had the benefit of the night breeze, met disaster on the way back.

Note. sērius: comparative adverb of sērō, 'too late'. ūsae nocturnā aurā: ūtor takes the ablative, 'having had the benefit of the night breeze'. in redeundō: gerund, 'on the return journey'. offendērunt: 'met with misfortune'. The digital text splits the word as o / ffenderunt; it is mended here.

BC 3.8.3Bibulus enim Corcȳrae certior factus dē adventū Caesaris, spērāns alicui sē partī onustārum nāvium occurrere posse inānibus occurrit, et nactus circiter xxx in eās indīligentiae suae ac dolōris īrācundiam ērūpit, omnēsque incendit eōdemque igne nautās dominōsque nāvium interfēcit, magnitūdine poenae reliquōs terrērī spērāns.

For Bibulus, informed at Corcyra of Caesar's arrival, hoping to be able to meet some part of the laden ships, met them empty; and having caught about thirty, he vented on them the anger of his own negligence and resentment, and burned them all, and killed the sailors and the owners of the ships in the same fire, hoping that the rest would be frightened by the severity of the punishment.

Note. certior factus: 'having been informed'. spērāns … posse: 'hoping that he could'. inānibus occurrit: 'he met them empty', i.e. the transports already returning without troops. in eās … iracundiam ērūpit: 'vented his anger on them'. indīligentiae suae ac dolōris: genitives with īrācundiam, 'the anger of his own negligence and resentment'. magnitūdine poenae: 'by the severity of the punishment'.

BC 3.8.4hōc cōnfectō negōtiō ā Sasōnis ad Ōricī portum statiōnēs lītoraque omnia longē lātēque classibus occupāvit, custōdiīsque dīligentius dispositīs, ipse gravissimā hieme in nāvibus excubāns neque ūllum labōrem aut mūnus dēspiciēns neque subsidium exspectāns, sī in Caesaris complexum venīre posset.

With this business finished, he occupied all the anchorages and shores far and wide with his fleets, from Saso to the harbour of Oricum, and, posting guards more carefully, he himself, keeping watch on the ships in the depth of winter, shrinking from no toil or duty and not waiting for reinforcement, [tried] if he could come to grips with Caesar.

Note. ā Sasōnis ad Ōricī portum: from the island of Saso to the harbour of Oricum. excubāns, dēspiciēns, exspectāns: present participles describing Bibulus. sī … posset: 'in case he could', 'to see if he could'; a verb like 'trying' is understood. in Caesaris complexum venīre: 'come to grips with Caesar'.