59. Haec ubi dixit, paululum conmorātus signa canere iubet atque instructōs ōrdinēs in locum aequom dēdūcit. Dein remōtis omnium equis, quō militibus exaequātō periculō animus amplior esset, ipse pedes exercitum pro loco atque copiis instruit. 5 Nam, utī plānitiēs erat inter sinistrōs montīs et ab dextrā rūpe aspera, octo cohortis in fronte constituit, reliquārum sīgna in subsidiō artius conlocat. Ab eis centuriōnēs omnīs, lēctōs et ēvocātōs, praeterea ex gregariis militibus optumum quemque armātum in prīmam aciem subducit. C. Manlium in dextrā, 10 Faesulānum quendam in sinistra parte curare iubet. Ipse cum libertis et colōnīs suis propter aquilam adsistit, quam bellō Cimbrico C. Marius in exercitu habuisse dīcēbātur. At ex altera parte C. Antonius, pedibus aeger quod proelio adesse nequibat, M. Petrēiō lēgātō exercitum permittit. Ille cohortis 15 veterānās, quas tumultus causa conscripserat, in fronte, post eās cēterum exercitum in subsidiīs locat. Ipse equo circumiēns ūnum quemque nōmināns appellat hortatur, rogat, ut meminerint sẽ contrā latrōnēs inermis prō patriā, prō līberis, prō ārīs atque focis suis certāre. Homō mīlitāris, quod amplius Both sides prepare for battle. 59. 1. signa: 'the signal for battle.' This may be subject or object of canere'he orders the signal to sound,' or 'he orders (the trumpcter, tubicen) to sound the signal.' 2-4. remotis equis, exaequato periculo: Caesar uses the same abl. absolute phrases in B. G. 1. 25. militibus: possessor. pedes: nom. sing. pro: 'according to.' 6, 7. aspera: same construction as montis-'between the hills on his left and the rough ground extending from the cliff on the right.' signa: 'standards,' probably those of the maniples, as the cohorts as such had no special standard. in subsidio: 'in reserve.' artius: 'more closely massed.' 8. evocatos: old soldiers who had enlisted after having once retired from the army. 11, 12. aquilam: A silver eagle was the standard of the Roman legion. For this particular one Catiline seems to have had a superstitious regard if we take Cicero seriously in I. 9. 24-26. bello Cimbrico: 101. 13. pedibus aeger: perhaps from gout. He was doubly 'indisposed' that day. 14. Petreio: mentioned in Ep. 14. 32. 15. tumultus: a threatened uprising within Italy (cf. II. 2. 13). 16. equo: abl. of means; tr. 'on horseback.' 18. latrones: engaged not in bellum iustum (II. 1. 12) but in brigandage (latrocinium, II. 1. 14). inermis: see 3. 7-9. 20 annōs trīgintā tribūnus aut praefectus aut lēgātus aut praetor cum magnā glōriā in exercitū fuerat, plērōsque ipsōs factaque eōrum fortia nōverat; ea conmemorandō mīlitum animōs accendebat. 60. Sed ubi omnibus rebus explōrātīs Petrēius tubā sīgnum dat, cohortis paulatim incedere iubet, idem facit hostium exercitus. Postquam eo ventum est, unde ferentāriīs proelium conmitti posset, maxumō clāmōre cum infēstīs signis concur5 runt; pila omittunt, gladiis rēs geritur. Veterānī pristinae virtutis memores comminus acriter instare, illī haud timidī resistunt: maxumā vī certatur. Interea Catilīna cum expeditis in prīmā aciē vorsārī, labōrantibus succurrere, integrōs prō sauciis arcessere, omnia prōvidēre, multum ipse pugnāre, 10 saepe hostem ferire: strenui militis et bonī imperātōris official simul exequēbātur. Petrēius ubi videt Catilīnam, contrā ac ratus erat, magnā vī tendere, cohortem praetōriam in mediōs hostis inducit eosque perturbātōs atque aliōs alibi resistentis interficit. Deinde utrimque ex lateribus cēterōs aggreditur. 15 Manlius et Faesulānus in prīmīs pugnantēs cadunt. Catilina postquam fūsās copias sēque cum paucis relictum videt, memor generis atque pristinae suae dignitatis in confertissumōs hostis incurrit, ibique pugnāns confoditur. 8. vorsari: 'was busily engaged.' 11, 12. contra ac ratus erat: 'contrary to his expectations' (see references on III. 8. 26). Petreius had not supposed a man of Catiline's record and habits would make a competent commander. tendere: for contendere. cohortem praetoriam: the commander's bodyguard, composed of picked men. 13. alios alibi: 'some in one place, some,' etc. This was the result of their having been perturbati, 'thrown into disorder,' with ranks broken. 17. generis: see 5.1. 61. Sed confectō proelio tum vērō cernerēs, quanta audacia quantaque animi vis fuisset in exercitu Catilinae. Nam ferē quem quisque vivos pugnando locum ceperat, eum amissā anima corpore tegebat. Pauci autem, quos medios cohors prae⚫ tōria disiēcerat, paulo divorsius, sed omnes tamen advorsīs volneribus conciderant. Catilīna vērō longē ā suis inter hostium cadavera repertus est, paululum etiam spīrāns ferōciamque animi, quam habuerat vivos, in voltū retinēns. Postrēmō ex omni cōpia neque in proeliō neque in fugă quisquam cīvis 0 ingenuus captus est: ita cuncti suae hostiumque vitae iuxta pepercerant. Neque tamen exercitus populi Romānī laetam aut incruentam victoriam adeptus erat. nam strenuissumus quisque aut occiderat in proeliō aut graviter volnerātus discesserat. Multi autem, qui ē castrīs visundi aut spoliandi 5 gratia processerant, volventes hostilia cadavera amicum alii, pars hospitem aut cognatum reperiebant; fuere item qui inimicōs suōs cognoscerent. Ita variē per omnem exercitum laetitia maeror, luctus atque gaudia agitabantur. |