De Bello Civili 3.83

BC 3.83.1Iam dē sacerdōtiō Caesaris Domitius, Scīpiō Spinthērque Lentulus cōtīdiānīs contentiōnibus ad gravissimās verbōrum contumēliās palam dēscendērunt, cum Lentulus aetātis honōrem ostentāret, Domitius urbānam grātiam dignitātemque iactāret, Scīpiō adfīnitāte Pompēī cōnfīderet.

Domitius, Scipio and Lentulus Spinther had already descended in their daily disputes over Caesar's priesthood to the most serious insults in public: Lentulus paraded the respect due to his age, Domitius boasted of his popularity and standing in the city, and Scipio relied on his kinship with Pompey.

Note. dē sacerdōtiō Caesaris: Caesar had been pontifex maximus since 63 BC; his rivals are already dividing up the office. cum Lentulus … ostentāret: cum with the subjunctive explaining each man's claim. adfīnitāte Pompēī: Scipio's daughter Cornelia was Pompey's wife.

BC 3.83.2postulāvit etiam L. Afrānium prōditiōnis exercitūs Acūtius Rūfus apud Pompēium, quod gestum in Hispāniā dīceret.

Acutius Rufus also accused Lucius Afranius before Pompey of betraying his army, which he said had happened in Spain.

Note. postulāvit … prōditiōnis: 'accused of treason'; the genitive gives the charge. Afranius had surrendered his army to Caesar in Spain (Book I).

BC 3.83.3et L. Domitius in cōnsiliō dīxit placēre sibi bellō cōnfectō ternās tabellās darī ad iūdicandum iīs quī ōrdinis essent senātōriī bellōque ūnā cum ipsīs interfuissent, sententiāsque dē singulīs ferrent, quī Rōmae remānsissent quīque intrā praesidia Pompēī fuissent neque operam in rē mīlitārī praestitissent: ūnam fore tabellam, quī līberandōs omnī perīculō cēnsērent, alteram, quī capitis damnārent, tertiam, quī pecūniā multārent.

And Lucius Domitius said in the council that he proposed that, when the war was over, three voting tablets each should be given to those of senatorial rank who had taken part in the war with them, to judge everyone who had stayed in Rome or who had been inside Pompey's lines without giving help in the fighting, and that they should vote on each case: one tablet for those who thought a man should be acquitted of all danger, a second for those who condemned him to death, a third for those who would punish him with a fine.

Note. placēre sibi: 'that he proposed'. ternās tabellās: 'three tablets each'. The three tablets mark three verdicts: acquittal, death, or a fine. capitis damnārent: 'would condemn to death' (genitive of the penalty).

BC 3.83.4postrēmō omnēs aut dē honōribus suīs aut dē praemiīs pecūniae aut dē persequendīs inimīcitiīs agēbant, neque, quibus ratiōnibus superāre possent, sed quemadmodum utī victōriā dēbērent, cōgitābant.

In short, they were all concerned with their own offices, or with money as their reward, or with pursuing their private feuds, and they thought not about how they could win, but about how they ought to use their victory.

Note. postrēmō: 'in short'. quibus ratiōnibus superāre possent: an indirect question, 'by what means they could win'. Caesar's picture of a quarrelsome, overconfident enemy prepares for the defeat that follows.