Bellum Hispaniense 19

B. Hisp. 19.1Vigiliā secundā propter multitūdinem tēlōrum turris lignea, quae nostra fuisset, ab īmō vitium fēcit usque ad tabulātum secundum et tertium.

In the second watch, because of the great number of missiles, the wooden tower which was ours was damaged from the bottom up to the second and third storey.

Note. vitium fēcit: 'suffered damage', a technical phrase for a building giving way. ab īmō: 'from the bottom'. tabulātum: a storey of the siege-tower.

B. Hisp. 19.2Eōdem tempore prō mūrō pugnārunt ācerrimē et turrim nostram ut superiōrem incendērunt, idcircō quod ventum oppidānī secundum habuērunt.

At the same time they fought very fiercely in front of the wall and set fire to our tower as if it were the higher one, because the townspeople had the wind in their favour.

Note. pugnārunt = pugnāvērunt. ut superiōrem: 'as being the higher', i.e. our tower which overlooked theirs. idcircō quod: 'for the reason that'. secundum: here the adjective, 'favourable' (of a wind).

B. Hisp. 19.3Īnsequentī lūce māterfamiliās dē mūrō sē dēiēcit et ad nōs trānsiliit dīxitque sē cum familiā cōnstitūtum habuisse, ut ūnā trānsfugerent ad Caesarem;

At dawn the next day the mother of a family threw herself down from the wall and jumped across to us, and said that she had agreed with her household that they would desert together to Caesar;

Note. māterfamiliās: an old genitive in -ās survives in this compound. trānsiliit: 'jumped across' (perfect of trānsiliō). sē … cōnstitūtum habuisse: habēre with a perfect participle stresses the completed state, 'had arranged'. ūnā: adverb, 'together'.

B. Hisp. 19.3illam oppressam et iugulātam.

they had been seized and had their throats cut.

Note. illam (familiam) oppressam et iugulātam (esse): 'that they had been seized and murdered'. The feminine agrees with familia.

B. Hisp. 19.4Hōc praeteritō tempore tabellae dē mūrō sunt dēiectae, in quibus scrīptum est inventum: "L. Munātius Caesarī.

After this time a writing-tablet was thrown down from the wall, on which was found written: "Lucius Munatius to Caesar.

Note. Hōc praeteritō tempore: 'when this time had passed', the author's stock link. tabellae: wax tablets thrown over the wall. L. Munātius Caesarī (salūtem dīcit): the usual letter opening, abbreviated.

B. Hisp. 19.4Sī mihi vītam tribuēs, quoniam ab Cn. Pompēiō sum dēsertus, quālem mē illī praestitī, tālī virtūte et cōnstantiā futūrum mē in tē esse praestābō."

If you grant me my life, since I have been deserted by Gnaeus Pompey, I shall show myself towards you with the same courage and steadfastness as I showed towards him."

Note. tribuēs … praestābō: a future-more-vivid condition. quālem … tālī: 'with the same … as'; quālem mē illī praestitī, 'as I showed myself to him'. futūrum mē … esse: 'that I shall be', the future infinitive.

B. Hisp. 19.5Eōdem tempore oppidānī lēgātī, quī anteā exierant, Caesarem adiērunt: sī sibi vītam concēderet, sēsē īnsequentī lūce oppidum esse dēditūrōs.

At the same time the envoys of the townspeople who had come out before came to Caesar: if he would grant them their lives, they would surrender the town at dawn the next day.

Note. sibi … sēsē: the reflexives refer to the envoys, the subject of the reported condition. dēditūrōs (esse): future infinitive, 'that they would surrender'.

B. Hisp. 19.6Quibus respondit sē Caesarem esse fidemque praestātūrum.

He replied to them that he was Caesar and would keep his word.

Note. sē Caesarem esse fidemque praestātūrum: proudly brief: 'that he was Caesar, and would keep his word' — his name was guarantee enough.

B. Hisp. 19.6Ita ante diem XI Kal. Mārt.

So, on the eleventh day before the Kalends of March,

Note. ante diem xi Kal. Mārt.: 'the eleventh day before the Kalends of March', counting inclusively, i.e. 19 February 45 BC. The date is split from the next sentence because of the abbreviation full stops.

B. Hisp. 19.6oppidō potītus imperātor est appellātus.

having taken possession of the town, he was hailed as imperator.

Note. oppidō potītus: potior with the ablative, 'having taken possession of the town'. imperātor est appellātus: hailed by his troops as victorious general.