De Bello Civili 3.93

BC 3.93.1Sed nostrī mīlitēs datō signō cum īnfestīs pīlīs prōcucurrissent atque animum advertissent nōn concurrī ā Pompēiānīs, ūsū perītī ac superiōribus pugnīs exercitātī suā sponte cursum repressērunt et ad medium ferē spatium cōnstitērunt, nē cōnsūmptīs vīribus adpropinquārent, parvōque intermissō temporis spatiō ac rūrsus renovātō cursū pīla mīsērunt, celeriterque, ut erat praeceptum ā Caesare, gladiōs strinxērunt.

But our soldiers, when the signal had been given and they had run forward with javelins levelled, and noticed that the Pompeians were not running to meet them, being trained by experience and practised in earlier battles, checked their run of their own accord and halted about halfway, so as not to come up with their strength used up; and after a short interval of time they renewed their run, threw their javelins and quickly, as Caesar had instructed, drew their swords.

Note. One long sentence describes the veterans' discipline: they stop halfway, catch their breath and then charge. ūsū perītī: 'skilled by experience'. suā sponte: 'of their own accord'. nē cōnsūmptīs vīribus adpropinquārent: 'so as not to come up with their strength spent'.

BC 3.93.2neque vērō Pompēiānī huic reī dēfuērunt.

Nor indeed did the Pompeians fail to meet this.

Note. huic reī: dative with dēfuērunt, 'were not lacking to this', i.e. they met the attack.

BC 3.93.2nam et tēla missa excēpērunt et impetum legiōnum tulērunt et ōrdinēs cōnservāvērunt pīlīsque missīs ad gladiōs rediērunt.

For they took the missiles thrown at them, withstood the charge of the legions, kept their ranks, and, having thrown their javelins, turned to their swords.

Note. pīlīs missīs: ablative absolute, 'when they had thrown their javelins'.

BC 3.93.3eōdem tempore equitēs ab sinistrō Pompēī cornū, ut erat imperātum, ūniversī prōcucurrērunt, omnisque multitūdō sagittāriōrum sē profūdit.

At the same moment the cavalry on Pompey's left wing charged forward all together, as they had been ordered, and the whole mass of archers poured out.

Note. eōdem tempore: the cavalry charge Pompey had planned (sentence 4). ut erat imperātum: 'as had been ordered', impersonal passive.

BC 3.93.4quōrum impetum noster equitātus nōn tulit, sed paulum locō mōtus cessit, equitēsque Pompēī hōc ācrius īnstāre et sē turmātim explicāre aciemque nostram ā latere apertō circumīre coepērunt.

Our cavalry did not withstand their charge but, driven a little from its position, gave ground, and Pompey's cavalry began to press on all the more fiercely, to deploy squadron by squadron and to surround our line on its open flank.

Note. paulum locō mōtus: 'driven a little from its position'. hōc ācrius: 'all the more fiercely' (hōc, ablative of degree of difference). turmātim: 'squadron by squadron'.

BC 3.93.5quod ubi Caesar animum advertit, quārtae aciēī, quam īnstituerat sex cohortium numerō, dedit signum.

When Caesar noticed this, he gave the signal to the fourth line, which he had formed from six cohorts.

Note. quārtae aciēī: dative, the fourth line from sentence 38.

BC 3.93.6illae celeriter prōcucurrērunt īnfestīsque signīs tantā vī in Pompēī equitēs impetum fēcērunt, ut eōrum nēmō cōnsisteret, omnēsque conversī nōn sōlum locō excēderent, sed prōtinus incitātī fugā montēs altissimōs peterent.

These quickly ran forward and made an attack on Pompey's cavalry with standards levelled and with such force that none of them held their ground, and all turned and not only left their position but, driven on, at once fled to the highest hills.

Note. īnfestīs signīs: 'with standards advanced', i.e. charging. ut … cōnsisteret: result clause. Caesar's cohorts used their javelins as thrusting spears against the horsemen's faces (Plutarch's account).

BC 3.93.7quibus submōtīs omnēs sagittāriī funditōrēsque dēstitūtī inermēs sine praesidiō interfectī sunt.

When they had been driven off, all the archers and slingers, left defenceless and without protection, were killed.

Note. quibus submōtīs: ablative absolute. inermēs: the light-armed archers had no protection once the cavalry fled.

BC 3.93.8eōdem impetū cohortēs sinistrum cornū pugnantibus etiamtum ac resistentibus in aciē Pompēiānīs circumiērunt eōsque ā tergō sunt adortī.

In the same charge the cohorts went round the left wing, while the Pompeians were still fighting and resisting in the line, and attacked them from the rear.

Note. pugnantibus … resistentibus … Pompeiānīs: ablative absolute, 'while the Pompeians were still fighting'.