A First Latin Reader/119

by Herbertus Chester Nutting

Herbert Chester Nutting

A First Latin Reader

Lesson 119
Curio gains an Initial Advantage

1912

fons: librum vide

118. Operations about Utica	120. He maintains his Army’s Loyalty to Caesar

LESSON 119

Curio gains an Initial Advantage

Interim equitēs cum hostibus proelium commīsērunt et, priusquam legiōnēs^[1] plānē explicārī possent, tōta auxilia rēgis, quae nūllō ordine et sine metū^[2] iter faciēbant, in fugam coniecta sunt. Equitēs hostium per lītus in oppidum properāvērunt, peditum autem magnus numerus interfectus est.

Proximā nocte centuriōnēs duo^[3] ex castrīs Cūriōnis cum manipulāribus suīs duōbus et vīgintī ad Attium Vārum^[4] perfugiunt; cuī cōnfīrmant tōtīus exercitūs animōs alienōs^[5] esse ā Cūriōne, multōsque facultāte datā^[6] libenter esse trānsitūrōs^[7]. Quā ōrātiōne adductus Vārus posterō diē māne legiōnēs ex castrīs ēdūcit^[8]. Facit idem Cūriō, atque ūnā valle^[9] nōn magnā interpositā suās uterque^[10] cōpiās īnstruit.

Erat in exercitū Vārī lēgātus quīdam, cuī nōtī erant multī Cūriōnis mīlitēs. Hanc ille nactus appellātiōnis^[11] causam, circumīre aciem Cūriōnis atque omnēs hortārī coepit, ut Vārum sequerentur^[12]; quīn etiam praemium pollicitus est, sī quī^[13] ad eum trānsīre voluissent^[14]. Hīs verbīs audītīs, nūllam in partem^[15] ab exercitū Cūriōnis fit sīgnificātiō^[16], atque ita^[17] suās uterque cōpiās redūcit.

————————

1. legiōnēs: f, sc. Cūriōnis.
2. sine metū: m, evidently they had not heard of Curio's arrival in Africa.
3. duo:.
4. Attium Vārum: commander of the Pompeian forces at Utica.
5. alienōs . . . ā: freely, disaffected toward.
6. facultāte datā: translate as a conditional clause.
7. esse trānsitūrōs: will desert (to Varus).
8. ēdūcit: ēdūcō, 3, -dūxī, -ductus: lead out, idem: note the gender.
9. ūnā valle: f, note the gender.
10. uterque: as noun.
11. appellātiōnis: appellātiō, -ōnis: f, accosting, translate here accosting (them).
12. Vārum sequerentur: join the army of Varus.
13. sī quī: cf. the note on quid, p. 56, l. 1, if any.
14. voluissent: freely, were willing, cf. esset perruptus, p. 107, l. 3.
15. nūllam in partem: see the Vocab. under pars.
16. sīgnificātiō (-ōnis, F.): f, sign.
17. ita: i.e. with the loyalty of Curio's troops still a matter of doubt.