 116. Arrangements for the Rest of the Winter |
Map: The Scene of Curio’s Campaign in Africa  |
During the civil war which broke out between Caesar and Pompey four or five years after the events above narrated, there was fighting in all parts of the civilized world, and more than once Africa was the battleground.
Interim C. Cūriō duās legiōnēs, D equitēs, ex Siciliā in Āfricam trānsportāvit. Ubi eius adventum L. Caesar cum decem longīs nāvibus exspectābat; quī autem, cum classis Cūriōnis in cōnspectum vēnisset, nāvium multitūdinem veritus, appulsā ad proximum lītus trirēme, pedibus Hadrūmētum fūgit: quō nāvēs quoque eius reliquae, fugā ducis cōgnitā, statim sē recēpērunt.
Curiō Mārcium Rūfum cum classe Uticam praemittit. Ipse eōdem cum exercitū proficīscitur trīduīque iter prōgressus, ad flūmen Bagradam pervēnit. Ibi C. Canīnium Rebilum lēgātum legiōnēsque relinquit; ipse cum equitātū antecēdit ad Castra Cornēlia explōranda, quī locus peridōneus castrīs existimābātur. Hāc explōrātā regiōne, Curiō Uticae quoque mūnitiōnēs speculātus est; cumque animadvertisset plēnissimīs viīs undique portārī agīque multa, quae repentīnī tumultūs timōre ex agrīs in urbem cōnferēbantur, equitātum mīsit, ut praeda īnspērātā potīrētur. Simul ex urbe ēmissī sunt DC equitēs Numidae, quī agricolīs fugientibus auxiliō essent. Concurrunt equitēs inter sē; neque vērō prīmum impetum nostrōrum Numidae ferre poterant, sed interfectīs circiter CXX reliquī sē in urbem contulērunt.