Julius Caesar, Civil War, ed. William Duncan, 3.78

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Caesar was under a necessity of going to Apollonia , to leave his wounded there, to pay his army, confirm his friends in their duty, and garrison the towns that had submitted. But he took no longer time to these affairs, than the importance of his other engagements would allow. For fearing that Pompey might surprise Domitius Calvinus, he put himself in full march to join him. The scheme he proceeded on was this: that if Pompey took the same route, he must leave the sea, the forces he had at Dyrrhachium , with all his ammunition and provision; which would bring them upon equal terms: if he passed into Italy , Caesar purposed to join Domitius, and march to its defence by the coast of Illyricum : in fine, should he fall upon Apollonia and Oricum, and endeavour to exclude him from the sea coast; in that case he reckoned to oblige him, by attacking Metellus Scipio, to leave every thing to succour him. Caesar therefore despatched couriers to Domitius, to acquaint him with his design; and leaving four cohorts at Apollonia , one at Lissus , and three at Oricum, with the sick and wounded, began his march through Epirus and Acarnania . Pompey, on his side, guessing Caesar’s design, made what haste he could to join Scipio, that if Caesar should march that way, he might prevent his being overpowered; but should he still keep near Corcyra , and the sea, because of the legions and cavalry he expected from Italy ; in that case, he purposed to fall upon Domitius with all his forces.

Civil War. Julius Caesar. ed. William Duncan. St. Louis. 1856.

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Current edition Perseus

Commentaries on the Civil War (English) (Julius Caesar. The Commentaries of Caesar. Duncan, William, translator. St. Louis: Edwards and Bushnell, 1856.)

Editions (2)

De Bello Civili Perseus (Julius Caesar. C. Iuli Caesaris Commentariorum Pars Posterior Qua Continentur Libri III De Bello Civili. Du Pontet, Renatus, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1901.) — 3.78.1 focus

[1] Caesari ad saucios deponendos, stipendium exercitui dandum, socios confirmandos, praesidium urbibus relinquendum necesse erat adire Apolloniam.

[2] sed his rebus tantum temporis tribuit, quantum erat properanti necesse. timens Domitio, ne adventu Pompei praeoccuparetur, ad eum omni celeritate et studio incitatus ferebatur.

[3] totius autem rei consilium his rationibus explicabat, ut si Pompeius eodem contenderet, abductum illum a mari atque ab iis copiis quas Dyrrachii comparaverat, frumento ac commeatu abstractum pari condicione belli secum decertare cogeret; si in Italiam transiret, coniuncto exercitu cum Domitio per Illyricum Italiae subsidio proficisceretur; si Apolloniam Oricumque obpugnare et se omni maritima ora excludere conaretur, obsesso Scipione necessario illum suis auxilium ferre cogeret.

[4] itaque praemissis nuntiis ad Cn. Domitium Caesar scripsit et quid fieri vellet ostendit praesidioque Apolloniae cohortibus iiii, Lissi una, iii Orici relictis quique erant ex vulneribus aegri depositis per Epirum atque Athamaniam iter facere coepit.

[5] Pompeius quoque de Caesaris consilio coniectura iudicans ad Scipionem properandum sibi existimabat, si Caesar iter illo haberet, ut subsidium Scipioni ferret, si ab ora maritima Oricoque discedere nollet, quod legiones equitatumque ex Italia expectaret, ipse ut omnibus copiis Domitium adgrederetur.

The Civil Wars Perseus (Julius Caesar. The Civil Wars. Peskett, Arthur George, editor. London, UK: William Heinemann; New York, NY, 1914.) — 3.78 focus

Caesari ad saucios deponendos, stipendium exercitui dandum, socios confirmandos, praesidium urbibus relinquendum necesse erat adire Apolloniam. Sed his rebus tantum temporis tribuit, quantum erat properanti necesse; timens Domitio, ne adventu Pompei praeoccuparetur, ad eum omni celeritate et studio incitatus ferebatur. Totius autem rei consilium his rationibus explicabat, ut, si Pompeius eodem contenderet, abductum illum a mari atque ab eis copiis, quas Dyrrachii comparaverat, abstractum pari condicione belli secum decertare cogeret; si in Italiam transiret, coniuncto exercitu cum Domitio per Illyricum Italiae subsidio proficisceretur; si Apolloniam Oricumque oppugnare et se omni maritima ora excludere conaretur, obsesso Scipione necessario illum suis auxilium ferre cogeret. Itaque praemissis nuntiis ad Cn. Domitium Caesar ei scripsit et, quid fieri vellet, ostendit, praesidioque Apolloniae cohortibus IIII, Lissi i, III Orici relictis, quique erant ex vulneribus aegri depositis, per Epirum atque Athamaniam iter facere coepit. Pompeius quoque de Caesaris consilio coniectura iudicans ad Scipionem properandum sibi existimabat: si Caesar iter illo haberet, ut subsidium Scipioni ferret; si ab ora maritima Oricoque discedere nollet, quod legiones equitatumque ex Italia exspectaret, ipse ut omnibus copiis Domitium aggrederetur.

Translations (1)

The Civil Wars Perseus (Julius Caesar. The Civil Wars. Peskett, Arthur George, translator. London, UK: William Heinemann; New York, NY, 1914.) — 3.78 focus

It was necessary for Caesar to go to Apollonia for the purpose of depositing his wounded, paying his army, encouraging his allies, and leaving garrisons for the towns. But to these measures he assigned only so much time as the hurry of his movements allowed. Fearing for Domitius, lest he should be taken unawares by the arrival of Pompeius, Caesar hastened to him with all speed and urgent endeavour. Now he was evolving his general plan of campaign with various contingencies in view: if Pompeius should hurry to the same place he would compel him, when drawn away from the sea and separated from the stores that he had gathered at Dyrrachium, to fight with him under equal conditions of warfare; if he should cross into Italy he would join his army with that of Domitius and set out through Illyricum to succour Italy; if Pompeius should attempt to besiege Apollonia and Oricum and to exclude him from the whole coast, he would blockade Scipio, and so compel Pompeius of necessity to take aid to his own people. And so Caesar sent on messengers and wrote to Gn. Domitius explaining what he wanted done; and leaving a garrison of four cohorts at Apollonia, one at Lissus, and three at Oricum, and depositing at various places those who were suffering from wounds, he began his march through Epirus and Athamania. Pompeius also, forming a conjecture as to Caesar’s plans, thought it his duty to hasten to Scipio, so that if Caesar was marching thither he should go to the aid of Scipio, but if Caesar did not choose to leave the coast and the district of Oricum, waiting for his legions and cavalry from Italy, he should himself attack Domitius in full force.

Julius Caesar Civil War 3.78

ed. William Duncan

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