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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[1] duās legiōnēs, D[2] equitēs, ex Siciliā in Āfricam trānsportāvit. Ubi eius adventum L. Caesar[3] cum decem longīs nāvibus exspectābat; quī autem, cum classis Cūriōnis in cōnspectum vēnisset, nāvium multitūdinem veritus,[4] appulsā ad proximum lītus trirēme,[5] pedibus[6] Hadrūmētum[7] fūgit: quō[8] nāvēs quoque eius reliquae, fugā[9] ducis cōgnitā, statim sē recēpērunt.
Curiō Mārcium Rūfum cum classe Uticam[10] praemittit. Ipse eōdem cum exercitū proficīscitur[11] trīduīque iter prōgressus, ad flūmen Bagradam pervēnit. Ibi C. Canīnium Rebilum lēgātum legiōnēsque relinquit; ipse cum equitātū antecēdit[12] ad Castra Cornēlia explōranda, quī locus[13] peridōneus[14] 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.
- ↑ C. Cūriō: one of Caesar's generals.
- ↑ D. the numeral: supply -que or et with this clause.
- ↑ L. Caesar: an officer in Pompey's navy.
- ↑ veritus: appalled at.
- ↑ trirēme: sc. suā (trirēmis, -is, f., galley)
- ↑ pedibus: we would say "on foot"; cf. manibus genibusque, p. 59, 1. 8.
- ↑ Hadrumētum: consult the map on p. 146; for syntax, see the note on p. 79, 1. 21.
- ↑ quo: the adv.
- ↑ fugă: defection.
- ↑ Uticam: the base of operations of Pompey's forces in Africa.
- ↑ proficīscitur: from Anquillaria.
- ↑ antecedit: antecēdō, 3, -cessi, -cessum est, push ahead, lit. go on ahead.
- ↑ quī locus: cf. quae urbs, p. 44, 1. 13.
- ↑ peridōneus (-a, -um): particularly suitable; cf. the note on perpaucos, p. 25, 1. 10.