De Bello Civili 3.84

BC 3.84.1Rē frūmentāriā praeparātā cōnfirmātīsque mīlitibus et satis longō spatiō temporis ā Dyrrachīnīs proeliīs intermissō, quō satis perspectum habēre mīlitum animum vidērētur, temptandum exīstimāvit, quidnam Pompēius prōpositī aut voluntātis ad dīmicandum habēret.

Having secured his grain supply and encouraged his soldiers, and when a long enough time had passed since the battles at Dyrrachium for him to feel he knew his men's spirit well, Caesar decided to test what intentions or wish Pompey had about fighting.

Note. satis perspectum habēre: 'to have well understood'. temptandum (esse): 'that he should test'. quidnam … propositī: 'what intention', partitive genitive.

BC 3.84.2itaque exercitum ex castrīs ēdūxit aciemque īnstrūxit, prīmum suīs locīs paulōque ā castrīs Pompēī longius, continentibus vērō diēbus, ut prōgrederētur ā castrīs suīs collibusque Pompēiānīs aciem subiceret.

So he led his army out of camp and drew it up for battle, at first on his own ground and some way from Pompey's camp, but on the following days advancing from his own camp so as to set his line up close under the hills held by Pompey.

Note. prīmum suīs locīs: 'at first on his own ground'. continentibus … diēbus: 'on the following days'. collibus … Pompeiānīs aciem subiceret: 'brought his line up close under the hills held by Pompey'.

BC 3.84.2quae rēs in diēs cōnfirmātiōrem eius exercitum efficiēbat.

This made his army more confident day by day.

Note. in diēs: 'day by day'. cōnfirmātiōrem: comparative of the participle-adjective, 'more confident'.

BC 3.84.3superius tamen īnstitūtum in equitibus, quod dēmōnstrāvimus, servābat, ut quoniam numerō multīs partibus esset īnferior, adulēscentēs atque expedītōs ex antesignānīs armīs inter equitēs proeliārī iubēret, quī cōtīdiānā cōnsuētūdine ūsum quoque eius generis proeliōrum perciperent.

But he kept the practice we described earlier for the cavalry: since he was many times weaker in numbers, he ordered young men from among the front-line infantry, lightly armed and picked for speed, to fight among the cavalry, and by daily practice they would gain experience in this kind of fighting as well.

Note. superius īnstitūtum: 'the earlier practice'. numerō multīs partibus … īnferior: 'many times weaker in numbers'. Caesar had about 1,000 cavalry against Pompey's 7,000.

BC 3.84.4hīs erat rēbus effectum, ut equitum mīlle etiam apertiōribus locīs vii mīlium Pompēiānōrum inpetum, cum adesset ūsus, sustinēre audērent, neque magnopere eōrum multitūdine terrērentur.

These measures had brought it about that a thousand cavalry, even on fairly open ground, dared to stand up to the charge of seven thousand Pompeian horse when need arose, and were not greatly alarmed by their numbers.

Note. hīs … rēbus effectum (erat) ut: 'by these means it had been brought about that'. cum adesset ūsus: 'when need arose'.

BC 3.84.5namque etiam per eōs diēs proelium secundum equestre fēcit atque ūnum Allobrogem ex duōbus, quōs perfūgisse ad Pompēium suprā docuimus, cum quibusdam interfēcit.

For in those days he fought a successful cavalry battle and killed one of the two Allobroges who, as we said above, had deserted to Pompey, together with some others.

Note. per eōs diēs: 'during those days'. ūnum Allobrogem ex duōbus: one of the two brothers Roucillus and Aecus.