De Bello Civili 3.80

BC 3.80.1Coniūnctō exercitū Caesar Gomphōs pervēnit, quod est oppidum prīmum Thessaliae venientibus ab Ēpīrō.

With the armies united Caesar reached Gomphi, which is the first town of Thessaly as you come from Epirus.

Note. Gomphī: a Thessalian town at the edge of the plain, guarding the road from Epirus. venientibus ab Ēpīrō: 'for those coming from Epirus'.

BC 3.80.1quae gēns paucīs ante mēnsibus ultrō ad Caesarem lēgātōs mīserat, ut suīs omnibus facultātibus ūterētur, praesidiumque ab eō mīlitum petierat.

A few months before, this people had of their own accord sent envoys to Caesar, offering him the use of all their resources, and had asked him for a garrison of soldiers.

Note. ut suīs omnibus facultātibus uterētur: 'that he should use all their resources'.

BC 3.80.2sed eō fāma iam praecurrerat, quam suprā docuimus, dē proeliō Dyrrachīnō, quod multīs auxerat partibus.

But the rumour we described above about the battle at Dyrrachium, which it had exaggerated in many respects, had already run ahead of him there.

Note. eō: 'there', adverb. quam suprā docuimus: Caesar refers back to his own narrative, 'which we described above'. multīs … partibus: 'many times over'.

BC 3.80.3itaque Androsthenēs, praetor Thessaliae, cum sē victōriae Pompēī comitem esse māllet quam socium Caesaris in rēbus adversīs, omnem ex agrīs multitūdinem servōrum ac līberōrum in oppidum cōgit portāsque praeclūdit et ad Scīpiōnem Pompēiumque nūntiōs mittit, ut sibi subsidiō veniant: sē cōnfīdere mūnītiōnibus oppidī, sī celeriter succurrātur;

So Androsthenes, the chief magistrate of Thessaly, preferring to share in Pompey's victory rather than be Caesar's ally in misfortune, gathered the whole population from the fields, slaves and free, into the town, shut the gates and sent messengers to Scipio and Pompey asking them to come to his rescue: he trusted in the town's fortifications, he said, if help came quickly;

Note. praetor: the chief magistrate of the Thessalian league. victōriae … comitem: 'a sharer in the victory'. sē cōnfīdere … sī celeriter succurrātur: reported speech; succurrātur is an impersonal passive, 'if help came quickly'.

BC 3.80.3longinquam oppugnātiōnem sustinēre nōn posse.

he could not hold out against a long siege.

Note. longinquam oppugnātiōnem: 'a long siege'; the message continues in indirect speech.

BC 3.80.4Scīpiō discessū exercituum ab Dyrrachiō cognitō Lārīsam legiōnēs addūxerat;

Scipio, on learning that the armies had left Dyrrachium, had brought his legions to Larisa;

Note. Lārīsa: the chief city of Thessaly.

BC 3.80.4Pompēius nōndum Thessaliae adpropinquābat.

Pompey was not yet approaching Thessaly.

Note. Thessaliae: dative with appropinquō, 'approach'.

BC 3.80.5Caesar castrīs mūnītīs scālās mūsculōsque ad repentīnam oppugnātiōnem fierī et crātēs parārī iussit.

Caesar fortified a camp and ordered ladders and sheds to be made, and hurdles got ready, for a sudden assault.

Note. scālās: scaling ladders. mūsculōs: 'little mice', protective sheds pushed up against the wall. crātēs: wicker hurdles for cover.

BC 3.80.6quibus rēbus effectīs cohortātus mīlitēs docuit, quantum ūsum habēret ad sublevandam omnium rērum inopiam potīrī oppidō plēnō atque opulentō, simul reliquīs cīvitātibus huius urbis exemplō īnferre terrōrem et id fierī celeriter, priusquam auxilia concurrerent.

When this was done he encouraged the soldiers and explained how useful it would be, for relieving their shortage of everything, to take a town that was well stocked and wealthy, and at the same time, by this city's example, to strike fear into the other states, and to do it quickly, before help could gather.

Note. quantum ūsum habēret: 'how useful it would be'. potīrī oppidō plēnō: potior + ablative. priusquam … concurrerent: subjunctive of anticipation, 'before help could gather'.

BC 3.80.7itaque ūsus singulārī mīlitum studiō eōdem quō vēnerat diē post hōram nōnam oppidum altissimīs moenibus oppugnāre adgressus ante sōlis occāsum expugnāvit et ad dīripiendum mīlitibus concessit statimque ab oppidō castra mōvit et Mētropolim vēnit, sīc ut nūntiōs expugnātī oppidī fāmamque antecēderet.

So, making use of the soldiers' remarkable eagerness, on the same day on which he had arrived he began to attack the town, with its very high walls, after the ninth hour, took it by storm before sunset, and gave it to the soldiers to plunder; then he immediately moved camp from the town and came to Metropolis, arriving ahead of the messengers and the news that the town had been stormed.

Note. eōdem quō vēnerat diē: 'on the same day on which he had come'. post hōram nōnam: the ninth hour was mid-afternoon. ad dīripiendum … concessit: 'gave it to the soldiers to plunder'. sīc ut … antecēderet: 'so that he arrived ahead of'.