De Bello Civili 3.96

BC 3.96.1In castrīs Pompēī vidēre licuit trichilās strūctās, magnum argentī pondus expositum, recentibus caespitibus tabernācula cōnstrāta, Lūcī etiam Lentulī et nōnnūllōrum tabernācula prōtēcta hederā multaque praetereā, quae nimiam luxuriem et victōriae fīdūciam dēsignārent, ut facile exīstimārī posset nihil eōs dē ēventū eius diēī timuisse, quī nōn necessāriās conquīrerent voluptātēs.

In Pompey's camp one could see arbours built, a great weight of silver set out, tents laid with fresh turf, the tents of Lucius Lentulus and some others even covered with ivy, and many other things besides which showed excessive luxury and confidence of victory, so that one could easily judge that they had feared nothing about the outcome of that day, since they were seeking out pleasures that were not necessary.

Note. Caesar describes the luxury of the Pompeian camp: trichilās, arbours for dining in the shade; hederā, ivy, sacred to Bacchus and fit for a party. quae … dēsignārent: relative clause of characteristic, 'such as showed'. quī … conquīrerent: causal relative, 'since they were seeking out'.

BC 3.96.1at hī miserrimō ac patientissimō exercitū Caesaris luxuriem obiciēbant, cui semper omnia ad necessārium ūsum dēfuissent.

Yet these men taunted Caesar's most wretched and long-suffering army with luxury, though it had always lacked everything for its necessary use.

Note. miserrimō ac patientissimō exercituī: dative with obiciēbant, 'taunted (it) with'. cui … dēfuissent: causal relative, 'since it had always lacked'.

BC 3.96.3Pompēius, iam cum intrā vallum nostrī versārentur, equum nactus dētrāctīs īnsignibus imperātōriīs decumānā portā sē ex castrīs ēiēcit prōtinusque equō citātō Lārīsam contendit.

Pompey, when our men were already moving about inside the rampart, got hold of a horse, stripped off his general's insignia, rushed out of the camp by the rear gate and hurried at full gallop straight to Larisa.

Note. dētractīs īnsignibus: ablative absolute: Pompey took off his general's cloak so as not to be recognized. decumānā portā: the rear gate. equō citātō: 'at full gallop'.

BC 3.96.4neque ibi cōnstitit, sed eādem celeritāte paucōs suōs ex fugā nactus nocturnō itinere nōn intermissō comitātū equitum xxx ad mare pervēnit nāvemque frūmentāriam cōnscendit, saepe, ut dīcēbātur, querēns tantum sē opīniōnem fefellisse, ut ā quō genere hominum victōriam spērāsset, ab eō initiō fugae factō paene prōditus vidērētur.

Nor did he stop there, but with the same speed, having picked up a few of his men from the flight, he went on through the night without a break, with an escort of thirty horsemen, reached the sea and boarded a grain ship, often complaining, it was said, that he had been so badly mistaken that he seemed almost betrayed by the very kind of men from whom he had hoped for victory, since the flight had begun with them.

Note. comitātū equitum xxx: 'with an escort of thirty horsemen'. querēns … sē … fefellisse: 'complaining that his expectation had deceived him'. ā quō genere hominum: the cavalry, from whom he had expected victory. Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was murdered (3.104).