Thread by @DocCrom

#LatinForTheDay - 9 August

"Exercitum cum militari more ad pugnam cohortaretur suaque in eum perpetui temporis officia praedicaret in primis commemoravit: testibus se militibus uti posse quanto studio pacem petisset, quae per Vatinium in colloquiis, quae per Aulum Clodium cum...

"...Scipione egisset, quibus modis ad Oricum cum Libone de mittendis legatis contendisset; neque se umquam abuti militum sanguine neque rem publicam alterutro exercitu privare voluisse."

Caesar, Civil War 3.90.1-2

'As he was exhorting the army to battle with his usual militaristic style, and dropping in mentions of his unceasing services to the troops, Caesar stressed these points in particular: that his soldiers could bear witness to the fact that he had always sought peace with the...

'...utmost determination, which he had accomplished through Vatinius in talks and through Aulus Clodius with Scipio, and how he had conducted himself with Libo at Oricum over sending embassies;...

'...also that he had never been wasteful of his soldiers' blood; and that he had never held any desire to deprive the State of either of its armies.'

Ah, Caesar... the king (in all but name) of the Third Person.

The Image at the head of this thread is 'The Battle of Pharsalus and the Death of Pompey' by the Workshop of Apollonio di Giovanni and Marco del Buono Giamberti, ca. 1455-1460 (Art Institute of Chicago: 1974.394. Link - artic.edu/artworks/47601…).

#LatinForTheDay #Caesar