De Bello Civili 3.89

BC 3.89.1Caesar superius īnstitūtum servāns x legiōnem in dextrō cornū, nōnam in sinistrō collocāverat, tametsī erat Dyrrachīnīs proeliīs vehementer adtenuāta, et huic sīc adiūnxit octāvam, ut paene ūnam ex duābus efficeret, atque alteram alterī praesidiō esse iusserat.

Caesar, keeping to his former arrangement, had placed the Tenth legion on the right wing and the Ninth on the left, although it had been badly weakened in the battles at Dyrrachium, and he joined the Eighth to it so as almost to make one legion out of the two, and had ordered them to support each other.

Note. superius īnstitūtum servāns: 'keeping to his earlier arrangement'. octāvam: the Eighth legion, also weakened, was combined with the Ninth. alteram alterī praesidiō esse: double dative, 'to be a support to each other'.

BC 3.89.2cohortēs in aciē lxxx cōnstitūtās habēbat, quae summa erat mīlium xxii;

He had eighty cohorts drawn up in the line, a total of 22,000 men;

Note. lxxx: eighty cohorts. quae summa erat mīlium xxii: 'which totalled 22,000', a genitive of measure. Caesar's cohorts were badly under strength.

BC 3.89.2cohortēs vii castrīs praesidiō relīquerat.

he had left seven cohorts to guard the camp.

BC 3.89.3sinistrō cornū Antōnium, dextrō P. Sullam, mediae aciē Cn. Domitium praeposuerat.

He had put Antonius in command of the left wing, Publius Sulla of the right, and Gnaeus Domitius of the centre.

Note. sinistrō cornū … dextrō … mediae aciē: datives with praeposuerat, 'he put in command of'. aciē is an old dative form of aciēs. Antōnium: Mark Antony.

BC 3.89.3ipse contrā Pompēium cōnstitit.

He himself took his stand facing Pompey.

BC 3.89.4simul iīs rēbus animadversīs, quās dēmōnstrāvimus, timēns nē ā multitūdine equitum dextrum cornū circumvenīrētur, celeriter ex tertiā aciē singulās cohortēs dētrāxit atque ex hīs quārtam īnstituit equitātuīque opposuit, et quid fierī vellet ostendit, monuitque eius diēī victōriam in eārum cohortium virtūte cōnstāre.

At the same time, noticing the arrangements we have described, and fearing that the right wing might be surrounded by the mass of cavalry, he quickly withdrew single cohorts from the third line and formed a fourth line out of them and set it against the cavalry; he showed them what he wanted done and warned them that the victory of that day depended on the courage of those cohorts.

Note. quārtam īnstituit: 'he formed a fourth line' from single cohorts taken out of the third. This hidden line won the battle. quid fierī vellet: indirect question.

BC 3.89.5simul tertiae aciēī tōtīque exercituī imperāvit, nē iniussū suō concurrerent;

At the same time he ordered the third line and the whole army not to charge without his command:

Note. iniussū suō: 'without his order'.

BC 3.89.5sē cum id fierī vellet, vēxillō signum datūrum.

he would give the signal with a flag when he wanted it done.

Note. sē … datūrum: indirect statement still depending on imperāvit, 'he would give the signal'. vexillō: with a flag.