De Bello Civili 3.88

BC 3.88.1Caesar cum Pompēī castrīs adpropinquāsset, ad hunc modum aciem eius īnstrūctam animum advertit.

When Caesar had approached Pompey's camp, he noticed that his battle line was drawn up in this way.

Note. ad hunc modum: 'in this way'. animum advertit: 'noticed' (= animadvertit).

BC 3.88.2erant in sinistrō cornū legiōnēs duae trāditae ā Caesare initiō dissēnsiōnis ex senātūs cōnsultō;

On the left wing were the two legions handed over by Caesar at the start of the quarrel, by decree of the senate;

Note. legiōnēs duae trāditae: in 50 BC the senate had made Caesar give up two legions, supposedly for a war with Parthia; Pompey kept them.

BC 3.88.2quārum ūna prīma, altera tertia appellābātur.

of these one was called the First, the other the Third.

BC 3.88.2in eō locō ipse erat Pompēius.

In that place was Pompey himself.

Note. in eō locō: on the left wing, where Pompey placed his great cavalry charge.

BC 3.88.3mediam aciem Scīpiō cum legiōnibus Syriacīs tenēbat.

Scipio held the centre of the line with the Syrian legions.

Note. Scīpiō: Metellus Scipio, Pompey's father-in-law, who had brought the legions from Syria.

BC 3.88.3Ciliciēnsis legiō coniūncta cum cohortibus Hispānīs, quās trāductās ab Afrāniō docuimus, in dextrō cornū erant collocātae.

The Cilician legion, joined with the Spanish cohorts which we have said were brought over by Afranius, had been stationed on the right wing.

Note. quās trāductās ab Afrāniō docuimus: 'which we have said were brought over by Afranius', a cross-reference to an earlier book.

BC 3.88.4hās firmissimās sē habēre Pompēius exīstimābat.

Pompey thought that he had these as his strongest troops.

BC 3.88.4reliquās inter aciem mediam cornuaque interiēcerat numerōque cohortēs cx explēverat.

The remaining cohorts he had placed between the centre and the wings, and he had made up the number to 110 cohorts.

Note. numerō … explēverat: 'he had made up the number' to 110 cohorts (cx), eleven legions.

BC 3.88.5haec erant mīlia xlv, ēvocātōrum circiter duo, quae ex beneficiāriīs superiōrum exercituum ad eum convēnerant;

These amounted to 45,000 men, with about 2,000 re-enlisted veterans who had come to him from the privileged soldiers of his former armies;

Note. ēvocātōrum: veterans recalled after their discharge. beneficiāriīs: soldiers excused from heavy duties as a favour.

BC 3.88.5quae tōtā aciē disperserat.

these he had spread through the whole line.

BC 3.88.5reliquās cohortīs vii castrīs propinquīsque castellīs praesidiō disposuerat.

The remaining seven cohorts he had posted to guard the camp and the nearby forts.

BC 3.88.6dextrum cornū eius rīvus quīdam impedītīs rīpīs mūniēbat;

A certain stream with steep banks protected his right wing;

Note. impedītīs rīpīs: 'with steep (difficult) banks', which protected the right wing from cavalry.

BC 3.88.6quam ob causam cūnctum equitātum, sagittāriōs funditōrēsque omnēs sinistrō cornū obiēcerat.

for this reason he had placed all his cavalry, archers and slingers on the left wing.

Note. quam ob causam: 'for which reason'. sinistrō cornū: dative with obiēcerat, 'had set against (on) the left wing'.