De Bello Civili 3.86

BC 3.86.1Pompēius quoque, ut posteā cognitum est, suōrum omnium hortātū statuerat proeliō dēcertāre.

Pompey too, as was learned afterwards, had decided at the urging of all his men to fight it out in battle.

Note. The battle of Pharsalus in Thessaly, August 48 BC. hortātū: ablative of the noun hortātus, 'at the urging (of)'. statuerat … dēcertāre: 'had decided to fight it out'; the prefix dē- means 'to the finish'.

BC 3.86.1namque etiam in cōnsiliō superiōribus diēbus dīxerat, priusquam concurrerent aciēs, fore utī exercitus Caesaris pellerētur.

For he had even said in the council on the previous days that Caesar's army would be routed before the battle lines met.

Note. fore utī … pellerētur: 'that it would come about that Caesar's army was routed', a roundabout future passive (fore ut + subjunctive). priusquam concurrerent aciēs: 'before the lines met'.

BC 3.86.2id cum essent plērīque admīrātī, "sciō mē," inquit "paene incrēdibilem rem pollicērī;

When most of them had been amazed at this, he said, 'I know that I am promising something almost unbelievable;

Note. plērīque: 'most of them'. sciō mē … pollicērī: indirect statement after sciō, 'I know that I am promising'.

BC 3.86.2sed ratiōnem cōnsiliī meī accipite, quō firmiōre animō in proelium prōdeātis."

but hear the reasoning behind my plan, so that you may go into battle with firmer spirit.'

Note. quō firmiōre animō: quō introduces a purpose clause that contains a comparative, 'so that with firmer spirit'.

BC 3.86.3"persuāsī equitibus nostrīs, idque mihi factūrōs cōnfirmāvērunt, ut cum propius sit accessum, dextrum Caesaris cornū ab latere apertō adgrederentur et circumventā ā tergō aciē prius perturbātum exercitum pellerent, quam ā nōbīs tēlum in hostem iacerētur."

'I have persuaded our cavalry, and they have assured me that they will do it, that when the armies have come closer they will attack Caesar's right wing on its open flank and, surrounding his line from the rear, rout his army in confusion before a weapon is thrown at the enemy by us.'

Note. persuāsī equitibus … ut … adgrederentur: persuādeō takes the dative of the person and ut + subjunctive. facturōs: future participle with esse understood, 'that they would do it'. cum propius sit accessum: impersonal passive, 'when the armies have come closer'. circumventā … aciē: ablative absolute. prius … quam: 'before', split around the main verb.

BC 3.86.4"ita sine perīculō legiōnum et paene sine vulnere bellum cōnficiēmus.

'In this way we shall finish the war without danger to the legions and almost without a wound.

Note. conficiēmus: future, 'we shall finish'.

BC 3.86.4id autem difficile nōn est, cum tantum equitātū valeāmus."

And this is not difficult, since we are so strong in cavalry.'

Note. tantum equitātū valeāmus: 'we are so strong in cavalry'; equitātū is ablative of respect. Pompey had about 7,000 horsemen to Caesar's 1,000.

BC 3.86.5simul dēnūntiāvit, ut essent animō parātī in posterum, et quoniam fieret dīmicandī potestās, ut saepe rogitāvissent, nē suam neu reliquōrum opīniōnem fallerent.

At the same time he told them to be ready in spirit for the next day, and, since the chance of fighting was now being given, as they had often asked, not to disappoint his expectation or that of the rest.

Note. dēnūntiāvit, ut essent … parātī: an indirect command. in posterum: 'for the next day'. dīmicandī potestās: gerund in the genitive, 'the opportunity of fighting'. nē … neu: 'not to … nor to'.