[533] Rationes trahere implies slow and careful deliberation, as in chaps. [34] and [93].
[534] Die for diei. See page 115, note 3 [[note 289]].
[535] ‘The night would not he an obstacle to them’ (in their pursuit). Nullo obsolete for nulli. See Zumpt, § 140.
[536] Simul cognovit — et hostes aderant, ‘he at once learned — and the enemy was there;’ that is, between the receiving of the information and the actual attack of the enemy there was no interval. Sarcinas colligere; the baggage was laid down before an engagement, and put together in a heap, as in Caes. Bell. Gall. vii. 18.
[537] Signum here is ‘the watchword,’ which is given out by the general, and is communicated among the soldiers by one man telling another. Sometimes signum is the signal given by a cornu or tuba. To make the former known throughout an army required some time, but not so the latter. Signa afterwards are the standards of the maniples, cohorts, and legions.
[538] Latrocinium, ‘a predatory attack,’ as opposed to a regular battle.
[539] Obtruncare in opposition to caedere (cut down) signifies ‘to mutilate by cutting off a limb or limbs.’ The word multos is chosen here only for variety’s sake, instead of alios.
[540] The words veteres novique express a whole sentence: ‘as old and new soldiers were united in the several divisions (maniples and cohorts) of the army;’ and it is to this meaning that ob ea (for this reason) refers. The scattered Romans, as old and new soldiers were everywhere mixed together, profited by the experience of the old ones, and formed dense circles (we should say squares), which was, in fact, the only safe means of warding off the attack of a superior enemy.
[98.]
[541] Quam tamen — nihil remittere, ‘while the barbarians nevertheless did not leave off.’ For quum with the historical infinitive, see Zumpt, § 582. Pro se, ‘favourable to them.’
[542] Marius occupies two hills close by each other, the one only to have the command of water, but the other to pitch his camp on, as it required only to be slightly fortified. Quaerebat for requirebat, which is more common in this sense.
[543] ‘As the enemy also had fallen into no less confusion;’ so that neque, being properly used for et non, must here be taken for etiam non or ne — quidem.
[544] Pleno gradu, ‘at a quick pace,’ which, however, is not running. This retreat up the hill is, after all, a proof that the Romans had been worsted in the attack.
[545] Fugere, ut pro, is the reading of the manuscripts, ‘as they did not flee, they acted as though they were the victors.’ Ut pro signifies ‘both as victors and as if they were,’ the ut and pro signifying nearly the same thing.
[99.]
[546] ‘Not even the signals were to be sounded, which were usually heard at the different night watches.’ The night was divided by the Romans into four watches (vigiliae), the beginning of which was announced by a horn (buccina). Canere is here used intransitively, ‘to sound,’ as in [Cat. chap. 59] Below, it is used transitively, in the sense of ‘to blow,’ or ‘give a signal.’
[547] The description of the consternation among the barbarians is in some parts very minute. Formido is the highest degree of fear (timor), which almost makes people mad, whence the addition quasi vecordia.
[100.]
[548] The superlative dextimus does not differ in meaning from the positive dexter. See Zumpt, § 114, note 1.
[549] Minime cari; that is, maxime viles, ‘who were most indifferent,’ or ‘valueless to him,’ whose lives he was least inclined to spare.
[550] ‘As if he had not placed (there) any commander.’ Imponere, used absolutely, ‘to appoint;’ namely, in the place spoken of. Nullo for nemine, the ablative as well as the genitive of nemo not being in use.
[551] Cogebat; supply armatos intentosque esse.
[552] Construe neque secus castra munire, atque iter facere; that is, his care in securing the camp was as great as that which he displayed in marching.
[553] The singular in porta is here used because the author is speaking especially of that gate which faced the enemy (the porta praetoria opposite the porta decumana). At this gate a strong body of outposts (excubitores) was stationed, consisting of the most trustworthy soldiers.
[554] Futurum, quae imperavisset, an old-fashioned mode of speaking for futura esse, quae. Besides this passage, there is no other certain instance of such an expression in the classical writers of Rome; but the grammarian Gellius has proved, by many examples, that in the earlier times it was by no means uncommon.
[555] ‘Than that the exertion, if equally shared with them (soldiers) by the commander, should be agreeable to the soldiers.’ Aliquid mihi est volenti. See p. 139, note 1 [[note 441]].
[556] Malum is here the same as ‘punishment,’ or poena.
[557] Nisi tamen introduces a modification or limitation of the doubt expressed before respecting the real motive of Marius’s indulgence. Compare p. 92, note 2 [[note 153]].
[101.]
[558] Hostes adesse intellegitur is a nominative with the infinitive, for intellegunt hostem adesse. See Zumpt, § 607. It is, however, not impossible that hostis may be the accusative plural for hostes.
[559] Aeque, ‘equally;’ for Jugurtha hoped that at any rate one of his detachments would attack the Romans in the rear; but as he did not know to which part the Romans would direct their front, each of his detachments might equally reach a position in the rear of the Romans.
[560] The meaning is — Sulla caused the cavalry which he commanded on the right wing, on the whole, to keep quiet, and only to repel individual enemies that might approach; but he himself and other commanders alternately gallopped forth with single turmae forming close bodies, and attacked the enemy.
[561] Neque — affuerant, without repeating the relative pronoun, which, being the subject, should be in the nominative, for sed — qui non affuerant, or neque ii — affuerant. The omission is singular, but not without other examples. See Zumpt, § 806. The prior pugna is the one described in chaps. [97]-[99].
[562] ‘He rode secretly, with few companions,’ to another place, where the Mauretanian infantry were attacking the rear of the Romans. Convertit for convertit se. See Zumpt, § 145.
[563] Respecting the position of quos adversum, instead of adversum quos, see Zumpt, § 324.
[564] That is, ipsius comitibus.
[565] ‘By making a skilful movement with his body,’ dum corpore evitat tela.
[566] A very graphic description of a field of battle after the fighting is over. Afflicti, ‘thrust down to the ground,’ implying the notion of persons being severely wounded. Niti, ‘to attempt to rise.’ Qua visus erat, ‘as far as one could see.’