56. So Hannibal mustered his forces and continued the descent; and on the third day after passing the precipitous path just described he reached the plains. From the beginning of his march he had lost many men by the hands of the enemy, and in crossing rivers, and many more on the precipices and dangerous passes of the Alps; and not only men in this last way, but horses and beasts of burden in still greater numbers. The whole march from New Carthage had occupied five months, the actual passage of the Alps fifteen days; and he now boldly entered the valley of the Padus, and the territory of the Insubres, with such of his army as survived, consisting of twelve thousand Libyans and eight thousand Iberians, and not more than six thousand cavalry in all, as he himself distinctly states on the column erected on the promontory of Lacinium to record the numbers. At the same time, as I have before stated, Publius having left his legions under the command of his brother Gnaeus, with orders to prosecute the Iberian campaign and offer an energetic resistance to Hasdrubal, landed at Pisae with a small body of men. Thence he marched through Etruria, and taking over the army of the Praetors which was guarding the country against the Boii, he arrived in the valley of the Padus; and, pitching his camp there, waited for the enemy with an eager desire to give him battle.
56. Ἀννίβας δὲ συναθροίσας ὁμοῦ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν κατέβαινε καὶ τριταῖος ἀπὸ τῶν προειρημένων κρημνῶν διανύσας ἥψατο τῶν ἐπιπέδων, πολλοὺς μὲν ἀπολωλεκὼς τῶν στρατιωτῶν ὑπό τε τῶν πολεμίων καὶ τῶν ποταμῶν ἐν τῇ καθόλου πορείᾳ, πολλοὺς δʼ ὑπὸ τῶν κρημνῶν καὶ τῶν δυσχωριῶν κατὰ τὰς Ἄλπεις, οὐ μόνον ἄνδρας, ἔτι δὲ πλείους ἵππους καὶ ὑποζύγια. τέλος δὲ τὴν μὲν πᾶσαν πορείαν ἐκ Καινῆς πόλεως ἐν πέντε μησὶ ποιησάμενος τὴν δὲ τῶν Ἄλπεων ὑπερβολὴν ἡμέραις δεκαπέντε κατῆρε τολμηρῶς εἰς τὰ περὶ τὸν Πάδον πεδία καὶ τὸ τῶν Ἰνσόμβρων ἔθνος, ἔχων τὸ διασῳζόμενον μέρος τῆς μὲν τῶν Λιβύων δυνάμεως πεζοὺς μυρίους καὶ δισχιλίους, τῆς δὲ τῶν Ἰβήρων εἰς ὀκτακισχιλίους, ἱππεῖς δὲ τοὺς πάντας οὐ πλείους ἑξακισχιλίων, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐν τῇ στήλῃ τῇ περὶ τοῦ πλήθους ἐχούσῃ τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν ἐπὶ Λακινίῳ διασαφεῖ. κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς καιρούς, ὡς ἐπάνω προεῖπα, Πόπλιος ἀπολελοιπὼς τὰς δυνάμεις Γναΐῳ τἀδελφῷ καὶ παρακεκληκὼς αὐτὸν ἔχεσθαι τῶν ἐν Ἰβηρίᾳ πραγμάτων καὶ πολεμεῖν ἐρρωμένως Ἀσδρούβᾳ, κατέπλευσε μετʼ ὀλίγων αὐτὸς εἰς Πίσας. ποιησάμενος δὲ τὴν πορείαν διὰ Τυρρηνίας καὶ παραλαβὼν τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἑξαπελέκεων στρατόπεδα τὰ προκαθήμενα καὶ προσπολεμοῦντα τοῖς Βοίοις ἧκε πρὸς τὰ περὶ τὸν Πάδον πεδία καὶ καταστρατοπεδεύσας ἐπεῖχε τοῖς πολεμίοις, σπεύδων συμβαλεῖν εἰς μάχην.
57. Having thus brought the generals of the two nations and the war itself into Italy, before beginning the campaign, I wish to say a few words about what I conceive to be germane or not to my history. I can conceive some readers complaining that, while devoting a great deal of space to Libya and Iberia, I have said little or nothing about the strait of the Pillars of Hercules, the Mare Externum, or the British Isles, and the manufacture of tin in them, or even of the silver and gold mines in Iberia itself, of which historians give long and contradictory accounts. It was not, let me say, because I thought these subjects out of place in history that I passed them over; but because, in the first place, I did not wish to be diffuse, or distract the attention of students from the main current of my narrative; and, in the next place, because I was determined not to treat of them in scattered notices or casual allusions, but to assign them a distinct time and place, and at these, to the best of my ability, to give a trustworthy account of them. On the same principle I must deprecate any feeling of surprise if, in the succeeding portions of my history, I pass over other similar topics, which might seem naturally in place, for the same reasons. Those who ask for dissertations in history on every possible subject, are somewhat like greedy guests at a banquet, who, by tasting every dish on the table, fail to really enjoy any one of them at the time, or to digest and feel any benefit from them afterwards. Such omnivorous readers get no real pleasure in the present, and no adequate instruction for the future.
57. ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν διήγησιν καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας ἀμφοτέρων καὶ τὸν πόλεμον εἰς Ἰταλίαν ἠγάγομεν, πρὸ τοῦ τῶν ἀγώνων ἄρξασθαι βραχέα βουλόμεθα περὶ τῶν ἁρμοζόντων τῇ πραγματείᾳ διελθεῖν. ἴσως γὰρ δή τινες ἐπιζητήσουσι πῶς πεποιημένοι τὸν πλεῖστον λόγον ὑπὲρ τῶν κατὰ Λιβύην καὶ κατʼ Ἰβηρίαν τόπων οὔτε περὶ τοῦ καθʼ Ἡρακλέους στήλας στόματος οὐδὲν ἐπὶ πλεῖον εἰρήκαμεν οὔτε περὶ τῆς ἔξω θαλάττης καὶ τῶν ἐν ταύτῃ συμβαινόντων ἰδιωμάτων, οὐδὲ μὴν περὶ τῶν Βρεττανικῶν νήσων καὶ τῆς τοῦ καττιτέρου κατασκευῆς, ἔτι δὲ τῶν ἀργυρείων καὶ χρυσείων τῶν κατʼ αὐτὴν Ἰβηρίαν, ὑπὲρ ὧν οἱ συγγραφεῖς ἀμφισβητοῦντες πρὸς ἀλλήλους τὸν πλεῖστον διατίθενται λόγον. ἡμεῖς δʼ οὐχὶ νομίζοντες ἀλλότριον εἶναι τοῦτο τὸ μέρος τῆς ἱστορίας, διὰ τοῦτο παρελείπομεν, ἀλλὰ πρῶτον μὲν οὐ βουλόμενοι παρʼ ἕκαστα διασπᾶν τὴν διήγησιν οὐδʼ ἀποπλανᾶν ἀπὸ τῆς πραγματικῆς ὑποθέσεως τοὺς φιληκοοῦντας, δεύτερον δὲ κρίνοντες οὐ διερριμμένην οὐδʼ ἐν παρέργῳ ποιήσασθαι τὴν περὶ αὐτῶν μνήμην, ἀλλὰ κατʼ ἰδίαν καὶ τόπον καὶ καιρὸν ἀπονείμαντες τῷ μέρει τούτῳ, καθʼ ὅσον οἷοί τʼ ἐσμέν, τὴν ἀλήθειαν περὶ αὐτῶν ἐξηγήσασθαι. διόπερ οὐ χρὴ θαυμάζειν οὐδʼ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς, ἐὰν ἐπί τινας τόπους ἐρχόμενοι τοιούτους παραλείπωμεν τοῦτο τὸ μέρος διὰ τὰς προειρημένας αἰτίας. εἰ δέ τινες πάντως ἐπιζητοῦσι κατὰ τόπον καὶ κατὰ μέρος τῶν τοιούτων ἀκούειν, ἴσως ἀγνοοῦσι παραπλήσιόν τι πάσχοντες τοῖς λίχνοις τῶν δειπνητῶν. καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι πάντων ἀπογευόμενοι τῶν παρακειμένων οὔτε κατὰ τὸ παρὸν οὐδενὸς ἀληθινῶς ἀπολαύουσι τῶν βρωμάτων οὔτʼ εἰς τὸ μέλλον ὠφέλιμον ἐξ αὐτῶν τὴν ἀνάδοσιν καὶ τροφὴν κομίζονται, πᾶν δὲ τοὐναντίον· οἵ τε περὶ τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν τὸ παραπλήσιον ποιοῦντες οὔτε τῆς παραυτίκα διαγωγῆς ἀληθινῶς οὔτε τῆς εἰς τὸ μέλλον ὠφελείας στοχάζονται δεόντως.
58. There can be no clearer proof, than is afforded by these particular instances, that this department of historical writing stands above all others in need of study and correction. For as all, or at least the greater number of writers, have endeavoured to describe the peculiar features and positions of the countries on the confines of the known world, and in doing so have, in most cases, made egregious mistakes, it is impossible to pass over their errors without some attempt at refutation; and that not in scattered observations or casual remarks, but deliberately and formally. But such confutation should not take the form of accusation or invective. While correcting their mistakes we should praise the writers, feeling sure that, had they lived to the present age, they would have altered and corrected many of their statements. The fact is that, in past ages, we know of very few Greeks who undertook to investigate these remote regions, owing to the insuperable difficulties of the attempt. The dangers at sea were then more than can easily be calculated, and those on land more numerous still. And even if one did reach these countries on the confines of the world, whether compulsorily or voluntarily, the difficulties in the way of a personal inspection were only begun: for some of the regions were utterly barbarous, others uninhabited; and a still greater obstacle in way of gaining information as to what he saw was his ignorance of the language of the country. And even if he learnt this, a still greater difficulty was to preserve a strict moderation in his account of what he had seen, and despising all attempts to glorify himself by traveller’s tales of wonder, to report for our benefit the truth and nothing but the truth.
58. διότι μὲν οὖν, εἰ καί τι τῶν τῆς ἱστορίας μερῶν ἄλλο, καὶ τοῦτο προσδεῖ λόγου καὶ διορθώσεως ἀληθινωτέρας, προφανὲς ἐκ πολλῶν μάλιστα δʼ ἐκ τούτων. σχεδὸν γὰρ πάντων, εἰ δὲ μή γε, τῶν πλείστων συγγραφέων πεπειραμένων μὲν ἐξηγεῖσθαι τὰς ἰδιότητας καὶ θέσεις τῶν περὶ τὰς ἐσχατιὰς τόπων τῆς καθʼ ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένης, ἐν πολλοῖς δὲ τῶν πλείστων διημαρτηκότων, παραλείπειν μὲν οὐδαμῶς καθήκει, ῥητέον δέ τι πρὸς αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἐκ παρέργου καὶ διερριμμένως ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἐπιστάσεως, καὶ ῥητέον οὐκ ἐπιτιμῶντας οὐδʼ ἐπιπλήττοντας, ἐπαινοῦντας δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ διορθουμένους τὴν ἄγνοιαν αὐτῶν, γινώσκοντας ὅτι κἀκεῖνοι τῶν νῦν καιρῶν ἐπιλαβόμενοι πολλὰ τῶν αὐτοῖς εἰρημένων εἰς διόρθωσιν ἂν καὶ μετάθεσιν ἤγαγον. ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῷ προγεγονότι χρόνῳ σπανίους ἂν εὕροι τις τῶν Ἑλλήνων τοὺς ἐπιβεβλημένους πολυπραγμονεῖν τὰ κατὰ τὰς ἐσχατιὰς διὰ τὸ τῆς ἐπιβολῆς ἀδύνατον. πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ κατὰ θάλατταν τότε κίνδυνοι καὶ δυσεξαρίθμητοι, πολλαπλάσιοι δὲ τούτων οἱ κατὰ γῆν. ἀλλʼ εἰ καί τις ἢ κατʼ ἀνάγκην ἢ κατὰ προαίρεσιν ἐξίκοιτο πρὸς τὰ πέρατα τῆς οἰκουμένης, οὐδʼ οὕτως ἤνυεν τὸ προκείμενον. δυσχερὲς μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ πλέον τινῶν αὐτόπτην γενέσθαι διὰ τὸ τοὺς μὲν ἐκβεβαρβαρῶσθαι τοὺς δʼ ἐρήμους εἶναι τόπους, ἔτι δὲ χαλεπώτερον τὸ περὶ τῶν ὁραθέντων διὰ λόγου τι γνῶναι καὶ μαθεῖν διὰ τὸ τῆς φωνῆς ἐξηλλαγμένον. ἐὰν δὲ καὶ γνῷ τις, ἔτι τῶν πρὸ τοῦ δυσχερέστερον τὸ τῶν ἑωρακότων τινὰ μετρίῳ χρῆσθαι τρόπῳ καὶ καταφρονήσαντα τῆς παραδοξολογίας καὶ τερατείας ἑαυτοῦ χάριν προτιμῆσαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ μηδὲν τῶν πάρεξ ὄντων ἡμῖν ἀναγγεῖλαι.
59. All these impediments made a true account of these regions in past times difficult, if not impossible. Nor ought we to criticise severely the omissions or mistakes of these writers: rather they deserve our praise and admiration for having in such an age gained information as to these places, which distinctly advanced knowledge. In our own age, however, the Asiatic districts have been opened up both by sea and land owing to the empire of Alexander, and the other places owing to the supremacy of Rome. Men too of practical experience in affairs, being released from the cares of martial or political ambition, have thereby had excellent opportunities for research and inquiry into these localities; and therefore it will be but right for us to have a better and truer knowledge of what was formerly unknown. And this I shall endeavour to establish, when I find a fitting opportunity in the course of my history. I shall be especially anxious to give the curious a full knowledge on these points, because it was with that express object that I confronted the dangers and fatigues of my travels in Libya, Iberia, and Gaul, as well as of the sea which washes the western coasts of these countries; that I might correct the imperfect knowledge of former writers, and make the Greeks acquainted with these parts of the known world. After this digression, I must go back to the pitched battles between the Romans and Carthaginians in Italy.
59. διόπερ οὐ δυσχεροῦς ἀλλʼ ἀδυνάτου σχεδὸν ὑπαρχούσης κατά γε τοὺς προγεγονότας καιροὺς τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἱστορίας ὑπὲρ τῶν προειρημένων, οὐκ εἴ τι παρέλιπον οἱ συγγραφεῖς ἢ διήμαρτον, ἐπιτιμᾶν αὐτοῖς ἄξιον, ἀλλʼ ἐφʼ ὅσον ἔγνωσάν τι καὶ προεβίβασαν τὴν ἐμπειρίαν τὴν περὶ τούτων ἐν τοιούτοις καιροῖς, ἐπαινεῖν καὶ θαυμάζειν αὐτοὺς δίκαιον. ἐν δὲ τοῖς καθʼ ἡμᾶς τῶν μὲν κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν διὰ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρου δυναστείαν τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν τόπων διὰ τὴν Ῥωμαίων ὑπεροχὴν σχεδὸν ἁπάντων πλωτῶν καὶ πορευτῶν γεγονότων, ἀπολελυμένων δὲ καὶ τῶν πρακτικῶν ἀνδρῶν τῆς περὶ τὰς πολεμικὰς καὶ πολιτικὰς πράξεις φιλοτιμίας, ἐκ δὲ τούτων πολλὰς καὶ μεγάλας ἀφορμὰς εἰληφότων εἰς τὸ πολυπραγμονεῖν καὶ φιλομαθεῖν περὶ τῶν προειρημένων, δέον ἂν εἴη καὶ βέλτιον γινώσκειν καὶ ἀληθινώτερον ὑπὲρ τῶν πρότερον ἀγνοουμένων. ὅπερ ἡμεῖς αὐτοί τε πειρασόμεθα ποιεῖν, λαβόντες ἁρμόζοντα τόπον ἐν τῇ πραγματείᾳ τῷ μέρει τούτῳ, τούς τε φιλοπευστοῦντας ὁλοσχερέστερον βουλησόμεθα συνεπιστῆσαι περὶ τῶν προειρημένων, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὸ πλεῖον τούτου χάριν ὑπεδεξάμεθα τοὺς κινδύνους [καὶ τὰς κακοπαθείας] τοὺς συμβάντας ἡμῖν ἐν πλάνῃ τῇ κατὰ Λιβύην καὶ κατʼ Ἰβηρίαν, ἔτι δὲ Γαλατίαν καὶ τὴν ἔξωθεν ταύταις ταῖς χώραις συγκυροῦσαν θάλατταν, ἵνα διορθωσάμενοι τὴν τῶν προγεγονότων ἄγνοιαν ἐν τούτοις γνώριμα ποιήσωμεν τοῖς Ἕλλησι καὶ ταῦτα τὰ μέρη τῆς οἰκουμένης. νῦν δʼ ἀναδραμόντες ἐπὶ τὴν παρέκβασιν τῆς διηγήσεως πειρασόμεθα δηλοῦν τοὺς γενομένους ἐκ παρατάξεως ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ Ῥωμαίοις καὶ Καρχηδονίοις ἀγῶνας.
60. After arriving in Italy with the number of troops which I have already stated, Hannibal pitched his camp at the very foot of the Alps, and was occupied, to begin with, in refreshing his men. For not only had his whole army suffered terribly from the difficulties of transit in the ascent, and still more in the descent of the Alps, but it was also in evil case from the shortness of provisions, and the inevitable neglect of all proper attention to physical necessities. Many had quite abandoned all care for their health under the influence of starvation and continuous fatigue; for it had proved impossible to carry a full supply of food for so many thousands over such mountains, and what they did bring was in great part lost along with the beasts that carried it. So that whereas, when Hannibal crossed the Rhone, he had thirty-eight thousand infantry, and more than eight thousand cavalry, he lost nearly half in the pass, as I have shown above; while the survivors had by these long continued sufferings become almost savage in look and general appearance. Hannibal therefore bent his whole energies to the restoration of the spirits and bodies of his men, and of their horses also. When his army had thus sufficiently recovered, finding the Taurini, who live immediately under the Alps, at war with the Insubres and inclined to be suspicious of the Carthaginians, Hannibal first invited them to terms of friendship and alliance; and, on their refusal, invested their chief city and carried it after a three days’ siege. Having put to the sword all who had opposed him, he struck such terror into the minds of the neighbouring tribes, that they all gave in their submission out of hand. The other Celts inhabiting these plains were also eager to join the Carthaginians, according to their original purpose; but the Roman legions had by this time advanced too far, and had intercepted the greater part of them: they were therefore unable to stir, and in some cases were even obliged to serve in the Roman ranks. This determined Hannibal not to delay his advance any longer, but to strike some blow which might encourage those natives who were desirous of sharing his enterprise.
60. τὸ μὲν οὖν πλῆθος τῆς δυνάμεως, ὅπερ ἔχων Ἀννίβας ἐνέβαλεν εἰς Ἰταλίαν, ἤδη δεδηλώκαμεν. μετὰ δὲ τὴν εἰσβολὴν καταστρατοπεδεύσας ὑπʼ αὐτὴν τὴν παρώρειαν τῶν Ἄλπεων τὰς μὲν ἀρχὰς ἀνελάμβανε τὰς δυνάμεις. οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀναβάσεων καὶ καταβάσεων, ἔτι δὲ τραχυτήτων τῶν κατὰ τὰς ὑπερβολάς, δεινῶς τεταλαιπωρήκει τὸ σύμπαν αὐτῷ στρατόπεδον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων σπάνει καὶ ταῖς τῶν σωμάτων ἀθεραπευσίαις κακῶς ἀπήλλαττε. πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ καθυφεῖνθʼ ἑαυτοὺς ὁλοσχερῶς διὰ τὴν ἔνδειαν καὶ συνέχειαν τῶν πόνων. οὔτε γὰρ διακομίζειν εἰς τοσαύτας μυριάδας διὰ τοιούτων τόπων δαψιλῆ τὰ πρὸς τὴν τροφὴν οἷοί τʼ ἦσαν, ἅ τε καὶ παρεκόμιζον, ἅμα τῇ τῶν ὑποζυγίων καταφθορᾷ καὶ τούτων τὰ πλεῖστα συναπώλλυτο. διόπερ ὁρμήσας ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ Ῥοδανοῦ διαβάσεως, πεζοὺς μὲν εἰς ὀκτακισχιλίους καὶ τρισμυρίους ἔχων ἱππεῖς δὲ πλείους ὀκτακισχιλίων, σχεδόν που τὴν ἡμίσειαν τῆς δυνάμεως, καθάπερ ἐπάνω προεῖπον, ἐν ταῖς ὑπερβολαῖς διέφθειρεν. οἵ γε μὴν σωθέντες καὶ ταῖς ἐπιφανείαις καὶ τῇ λοιπῇ διαθέσει διὰ τὴν συνέχειαν τῶν προειρημένων πόνων οἷον ἀποτεθηριωμένοι πάντες ἦσαν. πολλὴν οὖν ποιούμενος πρόνοιαν Ἀννίβας τῆς ἐπιμελείας αὐτῶν ἀνεκτᾶτο καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἅμα καὶ τὰ σώματα τῶν ἀνδρῶν, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τῶν ἵππων. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα, προσανειληφυίας ἤδη τῆς δυνάμεως, τῶν Ταυρίνων, οἳ τυγχάνουσι πρὸς τῇ παρωρείᾳ κατοικοῦντες, στασιαζόντων μὲν πρὸς τοὺς Ἴνσομβρας ἀπιστούντων δὲ τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον αὐτοὺς εἰς φιλίαν προυκαλεῖτο καὶ συμμαχίαν· οὐχ ὑπακουόντων δὲ περιστρατοπεδεύσας τὴν βαρυτάτην πόλιν ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐξεπολιόρκησεν. κατασφάξας δὲ τοὺς ἐναντιωθέντας αὐτῷ τοιοῦτον ἐνειργάσατο φόβον τοῖς σύνεγγυς κατοικοῦσιν τῶν βαρβάρων ὥστε πάντας ἐκ χειρὸς παραγίνεσθαι, διδόντας αὑτοὺς εἰς τὴν πίστιν. τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν πλῆθος τῶν τὰ πεδία κατοικούντων Κελτῶν ἐσπούδαζε μὲν κοινωνεῖν τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις τῶν πραγμάτων κατὰ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπιβολήν· παρηλλαχότων δὲ τῶν Ῥωμαϊκῶν στρατοπέδων ἤδη τοὺς πλείστους αὐτῶν καὶ διακεκλεικότων, ἡσυχίαν ἦγον· τινὲς δὲ καὶ συστρατεύειν ἠναγκάζοντο τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις. εἰς ἃ βλέπων Ἀννίβας ἔκρινε μὴ μέλλειν ἀλλὰ προάγειν εἰς τοὔμπροσθεν καὶ πράττειν τι πρὸς τὸ θαρρῆσαι τοὺς βουλομένους μετέχειν σφίσι τῶν αὐτῶν ἐλπίδων.
61. When he heard, while engaged on this design, that Publius had already crossed the Padus with his army, and was at no great distance, he was at first inclined to disbelieve the fact, reflecting that it was not many days since he had left him near the passage of the Rhone, and that the voyage from Marseilles to Etruria was a long and difficult one. He was told, moreover, that from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Alps through Italian soil was a long march, without good military roads. But when messenger after messenger confirmed the intelligence with increased positiveness, he was filled with amazement and admiration at the Consul’s plan of campaign, and promptness in carrying it out. The feelings of Publius were much the same: for he had not expected that Hannibal would even attempt the passage of the Alps with forces of different races, or, if he did attempt it, that he could escape utter destruction. Entertaining such ideas he was immensely astonished at his courage and adventurous daring, when he heard that he had not only got safe across, but was actually besieging certain towns in Italy. Similar feelings were entertained at Rome when the news arrived there. For scarcely had the last rumour about the taking of Saguntum by the Carthaginians ceased to attract attention, and scarcely had the measures adopted in view of that event been taken,—namely the despatch of one Consul to Libya to besiege Carthage, and of the other to Iberia to meet Hannibal there,— than news came that Hannibal had arrived in Italy with his army, and was already besieging certain towns in it. Thrown into great alarm by this unexpected turn of affairs, the Roman government sent at once to Tiberius at Lilybaeum, telling him of the presence of the enemy in Italy, and ordering him to abandon the original design of his expedition, and to make all haste home to reinforce the defences of the country. Tiberius at once collected the men of the fleet and sent them off, with orders to go home by sea; while he caused the Tribunes to administer an oath to the men of the legions that they would all appear at a fixed day at Ariminum by bedtime. Ariminum is a town on the Adriatic, situated at the southern boundary of the valley of the Padus. In every direction there was stir and excitement: and the news being a complete surprise to everybody, there was everywhere a great and irrepressible anxiety as to the future.
61. προθέμενος δὲ ταῦτα καὶ τὸν Πόπλιον ἀκούων ἤδη διαβεβηκέναι τὸν Πάδον μετὰ τῶν δυνάμεων καὶ σύνεγγυς εἶναι, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἠπίστει τοῖς προσαγγελλομένοις, ἐνθυμούμενος μὲν ὅτι πρότερον ἡμέραις ὀλίγαις αὐτὸν ἀπέλιπε περὶ τὴν τοῦ Ῥοδανοῦ διάβασιν, καὶ συλλογιζόμενος τόν τε πλοῦν τὸν ἀπὸ Μασσαλίας εἰς Τυρρηνίαν ὡς μακρὸς καὶ δυσπαρακόμιστος εἴη, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις τὴν πορείαν ἱστορῶν τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ Τυρρηνικοῦ πελάγους διὰ τῆς Ἰταλίας μέχρι πρὸς τὰς Ἄλπεις ὡς πολλὴ καὶ δυσδίοδος ὑπάρχει στρατοπέδοις. πλειόνων δὲ καὶ σαφεστέρως ἀεὶ προσαγγελλόντων, ἐθαύμαζε καὶ κατεπέπληκτο τὴν ὅλην ἐπιβολὴν καὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν τοῦ στρατηγοῦ. τὸ δὲ παραπλήσιον συνέβαινε πάσχειν καὶ τὸν Πόπλιον· τὰς μὲν γὰρ ἀρχὰς οὐδʼ ἐπιβάλλεσθαι τῇ διὰ τῶν Ἄλπεων ἤλπισε πορείᾳ τὸν Ἀννίβαν δυνάμεσιν ἀλλοφύλοις· εἰ δὲ καὶ τολμήσαι, καταφθαρήσεσθαι προδήλως αὐτὸν ὑπελάμβανεν. διόπερ ἐν τοιούτοις ὢν διαλογισμοῖς, ὡς ἐπυνθάνετο καὶ σεσῶσθαι καὶ πολιορκεῖν αὐτὸν ἤδη τινὰς πόλεις ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ, κατεπέπληκτο τὴν τόλμαν καὶ τὸ παράβολον τἀνδρός. τὸ δʼ αὐτὸ συνέβαινεν καὶ τοῖς ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ πεπονθέναι περὶ τῶν προσπιπτόντων. ἄρτι γὰρ τῆς τελευταίας φήμης καταληγούσης ὑπὲρ τῶν Καρχηδονίων ὅτι Ζάκανθαν εἰλήφασιν, καὶ πρὸς ταύτην βεβουλευμένων τὴν ἔννοιαν, καὶ τὸν μὲν ἕνα τῶν στρατηγῶν ἐξαπεσταλκότων εἰς τὴν Λιβύην, ὡς αὐτὴν τὴν Καρχηδόνα πολιορκήσοντα, τὸν ἕτερον δʼ εἰς Ἰβηρίαν, ὡς πρὸς Ἀννίβαν ἐκεῖ διαπολεμήσοντα, παρῆν ἀγγελία διότι πάρεστιν Ἀννίβας μετὰ δυνάμεως καὶ πολιορκεῖ τινας ἤδη πόλεις ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ. διότι παραδόξου φανέντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ γινομένου, διαταραχθέντες παραχρῆμα πρὸς τὸν Τεβέριον εἰς τὸ Λιλύβαιον ἐξαπέστελλον, δηλοῦντες μὲν τὴν παρουσίαν τῶν πολεμίων, οἰόμενοι δὲ δεῖν ἀφέμενον τῶν προκειμένων κατὰ σπουδὴν βοηθεῖν τοῖς ἰδίοις πράγμασιν. ὁ δὲ Τεβέριος τοὺς μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ στόλου παραυτίκα συναθροίσας ἐξέπεμψε, παραγγείλας ποιεῖσθαι τὸν πλοῦν ὡς ἐπʼ οἴκου· τὰς δὲ πεζικὰς δυνάμεις ἐξώρκισε διὰ τῶν χιλιάρχων, τάξας ἡμέραν ἐν ᾗ δεήσει πάντας ἐν Ἀριμίνῳ γενέσθαι κοιταίους. αὕτη δʼ ἔστι πόλις παρὰ τὸν Ἀδρίαν ἐπὶ τῷ πέρατι κειμένη τῶν περὶ τὸν Πάδον πεδίων ὡς ἀπὸ μεσημβρίας. πανταχόθεν δὲ τοῦ κινήματος ἅμα γινομένου, καὶ τῶν συμβαινόντων πᾶσι παρὰ δόξαν προσπιπτόντων, ἦν παρʼ ἑκάστοις ἐπίστασις ὑπὲρ τοῦ μέλλοντος οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητος.
62. The two armies being now within a short distance of each other, Hannibal and Publius both thought it necessary to address their men in terms suitable to the occasion. The manner in which Hannibal tried to encourage his army was this. He mustered the men, and caused some youthful prisoners whom he had caught when they were attempting to hinder his march on the Alpine passes, to be brought forward. They had been subjected to great severities with this very object, loaded with heavy chains, half-starved, and their bodies a mass of bruises from scourging. Hannibal caused these men to be placed in the middle of the army, and some suits of Gallic armour, such as are worn by their kings when they fight in single combat, to be exhibited; in addition to these he placed there some horses, and brought in some valuable military cloaks. He then asked these young prisoners, which of them were willing to fight with each other on condition of the conqueror taking these prizes, and the vanquished escaping all his present miseries by death. Upon their all answering with a loud shout that they were desirous of fighting in these single combats, he bade them draw lots; and the pair, on whom the first lot fell, to put on the armour and fight with each other. As soon as the young men heard these orders, they lifted up their hands, and each prayed the gods that he might be one of those to draw the lot. And when the lots were drawn, those on whom they fell were overjoyed, and the others in despair. When the fight was finished, too, the surviving captives congratulated the one who had fallen no less than the victor, as having been freed from many terrible sufferings, while they themselves still remained to endure them. And in this feeling the Carthaginian soldiers were much disposed to join, all pitying the survivors and congratulating the fallen champion.
62. κατὰ δὲ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἤδη συνεγγίζοντες ἀλλήλοις Ἀννίβας καὶ Πόπλιος ἐπεβάλοντο παρακαλεῖν τὰς ἑαυτῶν δυνάμεις, ἑκάτερος προθέμενος τὰ πρέποντα τοῖς παροῦσι καιροῖς. Ἀννίβας μὲν οὖν διὰ τοιοῦδέ τινος ἐνεχείρει τρόπου ποιεῖσθαι τὴν παραίνεσιν. συναγαγὼν γὰρ τὰ πλήθη παρήγαγεν νεανίσκους τῶν αἰχμαλώτων, οὓς εἰλήφει κακοποιοῦντας τὴν πορείαν ἐν ταῖς περὶ τὰς Ἄλπεις δυσχωρίαις. τούτους δὲ κακῶς διετίθετο, παρασκευαζόμενος πρὸς τὸ μέλλον· καὶ γὰρ δεσμοὺς εἶχον βαρεῖς καὶ τῷ λιμῷ συνέσχηντο, καὶ ταῖς πληγαῖς αὐτῶν τὰ σώματα διέφθαρτο. καθίσας οὖν τούτους εἰς τὸ μέσον προέθηκε πανοπλίας Γαλατικάς, οἵαις εἰώθασιν οἱ βασιλεῖς αὐτῶν, ὅταν μονομαχεῖν μέλλωσιν, κατακοσμεῖσθαι· πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἵππους παρέστησε καὶ σάγους εἰσήνεγκε πολυτελεῖς. κἄπειτα τῶν νεανίσκων ἤρετο τίνες αὐτῶν βούλονται διαγωνίσασθαι πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐφʼ ᾧ τὸν μὲν νικήσαντα τὰ προκείμενα λαμβάνειν ἆθλα, τὸν δʼ ἡττηθέντα τῶν παρόντων ἀπηλλάχθαι κακῶν, τελευτήσαντα τὸν βίον. πάντων δʼ ἀναβοησάντων ἅμα καὶ δηλούντων ὅτι βούλονται μονομαχεῖν, κληρώσασθαι προσέταξε καὶ δύο τοὺς λαχόντας καθοπλισαμένους ἐκέλευσε μάχεσθαι πρὸς ἀλλήλους. παραυτίκα μὲν οὖν ἀκούσαντες οἱ νεανίσκοι ταῦτα καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἐξαίροντες εὔχοντο τοῖς θεοῖς, σπεύδων ἕκαστος αὐτὸς γενέσθαι τῶν λαχόντων. ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐδηλώθη τὰ κατὰ τὸν κλῆρον, ἦσαν οἱ μὲν εἰληχότες περιχαρεῖς, οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι τοὐναντίον. γενομένης δὲ τῆς μάχης οὐχ ἧττον ἐμακάριζον οἱ περιλειπόμενοι τῶν αἰχμαλώτων τὸν τεθνεῶτα τοῦ νενικηκότος, ὡς πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων κακῶν ἐκείνου μὲν ἀπολελυμένου, σφᾶς δʼ αὐτοὺς ἀκμὴν ὑπομένοντας. ἦν δὲ παραπλησία καὶ περὶ τοὺς πολλοὺς τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἡ διάληψις· ἐκ παραθέσεως γὰρ θεωρουμένης τῆς τῶν ἀγομένων καὶ ζώντων ταλαιπωρίας, τούτους μὲν ἠλέουν, τὸν δὲ τεθνεῶτα πάν τες ἐμακάριζον.
63. Having by this example made the impression he desired upon the minds of his troops, Hannibal then came forward himself and said, “that he had exhibited these captives in order that they might see in the person of others a vivid representation of what they had to expect themselves, and might so lay their plans all the better in view of the actual state of affairs. Fortune had summoned them to a life and death contest very like that of the two captives, and in which the prize of victory was the same. For they must either conquer, or die, or fall alive into the hands of their enemies; and the prize of victory would not be mere horses and military cloaks, but the most enviable position in the world if they became masters of the wealth of Rome: or if they fell in battle their reward would be to end their life fighting to their last breath for the noblest object, in the heat of the struggle, and with no sense of pain; while if they were beaten, or from desire of life were base enough to fly, or tried to prolong that life by any means except victory, every sort of misery and misfortune would be their lot: for it was impossible that any one of them could be so irrational or senseless, when he remembered the length of the journey he had performed from his native land, and the number of enemies that lay between him and it, and the size of the rivers he had crossed, as to cherish the hope of being able to reach his home by flight. They should therefore cast away such vain hopes, and regard their position as being exactly that of the combatants whom they had but now been watching. For, as in their case, all congratulated the dead as much as the victor, and commiserated the survivors; so they should think of the alternatives before themselves, and should, one and all, come upon the field of battle resolved, if possible, to conquer, and, if not, to die. Life with defeat was a hope that must by no means whatever be entertained. If they reasoned and resolved thus, victory and safety would certainly attend them: for it never happened that men who came to such a resolution, whether of deliberate purpose or from being driven to bay, were disappointed in their hope of beating their opponents in the field. And when it chanced, as was the case with the Romans, that the enemy had in most cases a hope of quite an opposite character, from the near neighbourhood of their native country making flight an obvious means of safety, then it was clear that the courage which came of despair would carry the day.” When he saw that the example and the words he had spoken had gone home to the minds of the rank and file, and that the spirit and enthusiasm which he aimed at inspiring were created, he dismissed them for the present with commendations, and gave orders for an advance at daybreak on the next morning.
63. Ἀννίβας δὲ διὰ τῶν προειρημένων τὴν προκειμένην διάθεσιν ἐνεργασάμενος ταῖς τῶν δυνάμεων ψυχαῖς, μετὰ ταῦτα προελθὼν αὐτὸς τούτου χάριν ἔφη παρεισάγειν τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους, ἵνʼ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων συμπτωμάτων ἐναργῶς θεασάμενοι τὸ συμβαῖνον βέλτιον ὑπὲρ τῶν σφίσι παρόντων βουλεύωνται πραγμάτων. εἰς παραπλήσιον γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀγῶνα καὶ καιρὸν τὴν τύχην συγκεκλεικέναι καὶ παραπλήσια τοῖς νῦν ἆθλα προτεθεικέναι. δεῖν γὰρ ἢ νικᾶν ἢ θνήσκειν ἢ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ὑποχειρίους γενέσθαι ζῶντας. εἶναι δʼ ἐκ μὲν τοῦ νικᾶν ἆθλον οὐχ ἵππους καὶ σάγους, ἀλλὰ τὸ πάντων ἀνθρώπων γενέσθαι μακαριωτάτους, κρατήσαντας τῆς Ῥωμαίων εὐδαιμονίας, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ μαχομένους τι παθεῖν, διαγωνιζομένους ἕως τῆς ἐσχάτης ἀναπνοῆς ὑπὲρ τῆς καλλίστης ἐλπίδος μεταλλάξαι τὸν βίον ἐν χειρῶν νόμῳ, μηδενὸς κακοῦ λαβόντας πεῖραν, τοῖς δʼ ἡττωμένοις καὶ διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸ ζῆν ἐπιθυμίαν ὑπομένουσι φεύγειν ἢ κατʼ ἄλλον τινὰ τρόπον ἑλομένοις τὸ ζῆν παντὸς κακοῦ καὶ πάσης ἀτυχίας μετασχεῖν. οὐδένα γὰρ οὕτως ἀλόγιστον οὐδὲ νωθρὸν αὐτῶν ὑπάρχειν, ὃς μνημονεύων μὲν τοῦ μήκους τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς διηνυσμένης ἐκ τῶν πατρίδων, μνημονεύων δὲ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν μεταξὺ πολεμίων, εἰδὼς δὲ τὰ μεγέθη τῶν ποταμῶν ὧν διεπέρασεν, ἐλπίσαι ποτʼ ἂν ὅτι φεύγων εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀφίξεται. διόπερ ᾤετο δεῖν αὐτούς, ἀποκεκομμένης καθόλου τῆς τοιαύτης ἐλπίδος, τὴν αὐτὴν διάληψιν ποιεῖσθαι περὶ τῶν καθʼ αὑτοὺς πραγμάτων ἥνπερ ἀρτίως ἐποιοῦντο περὶ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων συμπτωμάτων. καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπʼ ἐκείνων τὸν μὲν νικήσαντα καὶ τεθνεῶτα πάντες ἐμακάριζον τοὺς δὲ ζῶντας ἠλέουν, οὕτως ᾤετο δεῖν καὶ περὶ τῶν καθʼ αὑτοὺς διαλαμβάνειν καὶ πάντας ἰέναι πρὸς τοὺς ἀγῶνας, μάλιστα μὲν νικήσοντας, ἂν δὲ μὴ τοῦτʼ ᾖ δυνατόν, ἀποθανουμένους. τὴν δὲ τοῦ ζῆν ἡττημένους ἐλπίδα κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον ἠξίου λαμβάνειν ἐν νῷ. τούτῳ γὰρ χρησαμένων αὐτῶν τῷ λογισμῷ καὶ τῇ προθέσει ταύτῃ, καὶ τὸ νικᾶν ἅμα καὶ τὸ σῴζεσθαι προδήλως σφίσι συνεξακολουθήσειν. πάντας γὰρ τοὺς ἢ κατὰ προαίρεσιν ἢ κατʼ ἀνάγκην τοιαύτῃ προθέσει κεχρημένους οὐδέποτε διεψεῦσθαι τοῦ κρατεῖν τῶν ἀντιταξαμένων. ὅταν δὲ δὴ καὶ τοῖς πολεμίοις συμβαίνῃ τὴν ἐναντίαν ἐλπίδα ταύτης ὑπάρχειν, ὃ νῦν ἐστι περὶ Ῥωμαίους, ὥστε φεύγουσι πρόδηλον εἶναι τοῖς πλείστοις τὴν σωτηρίαν, παρακειμένης αὐτοῖς τῆς οἰκείας, δῆλον ὡς ἀνυπόστατος γίνοιτʼ ἂν ἡ τῶν ἀπηλπικότων τόλμα. τῶν δὲ πολλῶν ἀποδεχομένων τό τε παράδειγμα καὶ τοὺς λόγους καὶ λαμβανόντων ὁρμὴν καὶ παράστασιν οἵαν ὁ παρακαλῶν ἐσπούδασε, τότε μὲν ἐπαινέσας αὐτοὺς διαφῆκε, τῇ δʼ ἐπαύριον ἀναζυγὴν ἅμα τῷ φωτὶ παρήγγειλε.
64. About the same day Publius Scipio, having now crossed the Padus, and being resolved to make a farther advance across the Ticinus, ordered those who were skilled in such works to construct a bridge across this latter river; and then summoned a meeting of the remainder of his army and addressed them: dwelling principally on the reputation of their country and of the ancestors’ achievements. But he referred particularly to their present position, saying, “that they ought to entertain no doubt of victory, though they had never as yet had any experience of the enemy; and should regard it as a piece of extravagant presumption of the Carthaginians to venture to face Romans, by whom they had been so often beaten, and to whom they had for so many years paid tribute and been all but slaves. And when in addition to this they at present knew thus much of their mettle,—that they dared not face them, what was the fair inference to be drawn for the future? Their cavalry, in a chance encounter on the Rhone with those of Rome, had, so far from coming off well, lost a large number of men, and had fled with disgrace to their own camp; and the general and his army, as soon as they knew of the approach of his legions, had beat a retreat, which was exceedingly like a flight, and, contrary to their original purpose, had in their terror taken the road over the Alps. And it was evident that Hannibal had destroyed the greater part of his army; and that what he had left was feeble and unfit for service, from the hardships they had undergone: in the same way he had lost the majority of his horses, and made the rest useless from the length and difficult nature of the journey. They had, therefore, only to show themselves to the enemy.” But, above all, he pointed out that “his own presence at their head ought to be special encouragement to them: for that he would not have left his fleet and Spanish campaign, on which he had been sent, and have come to them in such haste, if he had not seen on consideration that his doing so was necessary for his country’s safety, and that a certain victory was secured to him by it.” The weight and influence of the speaker, as well as their belief in his words, roused great enthusiasm among the men; which Scipio acknowledged, and then dismissed them with the additional injunction that they should hold themselves in readiness to obey any order sent round to them.
64. Πόπλιος δὲ περὶ τὰς αὐτὰς ἡμέρας τὸν Πάδον ποταμὸν ἤδη πεπεραιωμένος, τὸν δὲ Τίκινον κρίνων εἰς τοὔμπροσθεν διαβαίνειν, τοῖς μὲν ἐπιτηδείοις γεφυροποιεῖν παρήγγειλε, τὰς δὲ λοιπὰς δυνάμεις συναγαγὼν παρεκάλει. τὰ μὲν οὖν πολλὰ τῶν λεγομένων ἦν περί τε τοῦ τῆς πατρίδος ἀξιώματος καὶ τῶν προγονικῶν πράξεων, τὰ δὲ τοῦ παρεστῶτος καιροῦ τοιάδε. ἔφη γὰρ δεῖν καὶ μηδεμίαν μὲν εἰληφότας πεῖραν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος τῶν ὑπεναντίων, αὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο γινώσκοντας ὅτι μέλλουσι πρὸς Καρχηδονίους κινδυνεύειν, ἀναμφισβήτητον ἔχειν τὴν τοῦ νικᾶν ἐλπίδα, καὶ καθόλου δεινὸν ἡγεῖσθαι καὶ παράλογον, εἰ τολμῶσι Καρχηδόνιοι Ῥωμαίοις ἀντοφθαλμεῖν, πολλάκις μὲν ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ἡττημένοι, πολλοὺς δʼ ἐξενηνοχότες φόρους, μόνον δʼ οὐχὶ δουλεύοντες αὐτοῖς ἤδη τοσούτους χρόνους. ὅταν δέ, χωρὶς τῶν προειρημένων, καὶ τῶν νῦν παρόντων ἀνδρῶν ἔχωμεν ἐπὶ ποσὸν πεῖραν ὅτι μόνον οὐ τολμῶσι κατὰ πρόσωπον ἰδεῖν ἡμᾶς, τίνα χρὴ διάληψιν ποιεῖσθαι περὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος τοὺς ὀρθῶς λογιζομένους; καὶ μὴν οὔτε τοὺς ἱππεῖς συμπεσόντας τοῖς παρʼ αὑτῶν ἱππεῦσι περὶ τὸν Ῥοδανὸν ποταμὸν ἀπαλλάξαι καλῶς, ἀλλὰ πολλοὺς ἀποβαλόντας αὑτῶν φυγεῖν αἰσχρῶς μέχρι τῆς ἰδίας παρεμβολῆς, τόν τε στρατηγὸν αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν σύμπασαν δύναμιν ἐπιγνόντας τὴν παρουσίαν τῶν ἡμετέρων στρατιωτῶν φυγῇ παραπλησίαν ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἀποχώρησιν καὶ παρὰ τὴν αὑτῶν προαίρεσιν διὰ τὸν φόβον κεχρῆσθαι τῇ διὰ τῶν Ἄλπεων πορείᾳ. παρεῖναι δὲ καὶ νῦν ἔφη τὸν Ἀννίβαν, κατεφθαρκότα μὲν τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος τῆς δυνάμεως, τὸ δὲ περιλειπόμενον ἀδύνατον καὶ δύσχρηστον ἔχοντα διὰ τὴν κακουχίαν, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τῶν ἵππων τοὺς μὲν πλείστους ἀπολωλεκότα, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ἠχρειωκότα διὰ τὸ μῆκος καὶ τὴν δυσχέρειαν τῆς ὁδοῦ. διʼ ὧν ἐπιδεικνύειν ἐπειρᾶτο διότι μόνον ἐπιφανῆναι δεῖ τοῖς πολεμίοις. μάλιστα δʼ ἠξίου θαρρεῖν αὐτοὺς βλέποντας εἰς τὴν αὑτοῦ παρουσίαν· οὐδέποτε γὰρ ἂν ἀπολιπὼν τὸν στόλον καὶ τὰς ἐν Ἰβηρίᾳ πράξεις, ἐφʼ ἃς ἀπεστάλη, δεῦρο μετὰ τοιαύτης ἐλθεῖν σπουδῆς, εἰ μὴ καὶ λίαν ἐκ τῶν κατὰ λόγον ἑώρα τὴν πρᾶξιν ταύτην ἀναγκαίαν μὲν οὖσαν τῇ πατρίδι, πρόδηλον δʼ ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν νίκην ὑπάρχουσαν. πάντων δὲ καὶ διὰ τὴν τοῦ λέγοντος πίστιν καὶ διὰ τὴν τῶν λεγομένων ἀλήθειαν ἐκθύμως ἐχόντων πρὸς τὸ κινδυνεύειν, ἀποδεξάμενος αὐτῶν τὴν ὁρμὴν διαφῆκε, προσπαρακαλέσας ἑτοίμους εἶναι πρὸς τὸ παραγγελλόμενον.
65. Next day both generals led their troops along the river Padus, on the bank nearest the Alps, the Romans having the stream on their left, the Carthaginians on their right; and having ascertained on the second day, by means of scouts, that they were near each other, they both halted and remained encamped for that day: but on the next, both taking their cavalry, and Publius his sharp-shooters also, they hurried across the plain to reconnoitre each other’s forces. As soon as they came within distance, and saw the dust rising from the side of their opponents, they drew up their lines for battle at once. Publius put his sharp-shooters and Gallic horsemen in front, and bringing the others into line, advanced at a slow pace. Hannibal placed his cavalry that rode with bridles, and was most to be depended on, in his front, and led them straight against the enemy; having put the Numidian cavalry on either wing to take the enemy on the flanks. The two generals and the cavalry were in such hot haste to engage, that they closed with each other before the sharp-shooters had an opportunity of discharging their javelins at all. Before they could do so, they left their ground, and retreated to the rear of their own cavalry, making their way between the squadrons, terrified at the approaching charge, and afraid of being trampled to death by the horses which were galloping down upon them. The cavalry charged each other front to front, and for a long time maintained an equal contest; and a great many men dismounting on the actual field, there was a mixed fight of horse and foot. The Numidian horse, however, having outflanked the Romans, charged them on the rear: and so the sharp-shooters, who had fled from the cavalry charge at the beginning, were now trampled to death by the numbers and furious onslaught of the Numidians; while the front ranks originally engaged with the Carthaginians, after losing many of their men and inflicting a still greater loss on the enemy, finding themselves charged on the rear by the Numidians, broke into flight: most of them scattering in every direction, while some of them kept closely massed round the Consul.
65. τῇ δὲ κατὰ πόδας ἡμέρᾳ προῆγον ἀμφότεροι παρὰ τὸν ποταμὸν ἐκ τοῦ πρὸς τὰς Ἄλπεις μέρους, ἔχοντες εὐώνυμον μὲν οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι, δεξιὸν δὲ τὸν ῥοῦν οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι. γνόντες δὲ τῇ δευτέρᾳ διὰ τῶν προνομευόντων ὅτι σύνεγγύς εἰσιν ἀλλήλων, τότε μὲν αὐτοῦ καταστρατοπεδεύσαντες ἔμειναν. τῇ δʼ ἐπαύριον πᾶσαν τὴν ἵππον ἀναλαβόντες ἀμφότεροι, Πόπλιος δὲ καὶ τῶν πεζῶν τοὺς ἀκοντιστάς, προῆγον διὰ τοῦ πεδίου, σπεύδοντες κατοπτεῦσαι τὰς ἀλλήλων δυνάμεις. ἅμα δὲ τῷ πλησιάζειν αὑτοῖς καὶ συνιδεῖν τὸν κονιορτὸν ἐξαιρόμενον εὐθέως συνετάττοντο πρὸς μάχην. ὁ μὲν οὖν Πόπλιος προθέμενος τοὺς ἀκοντιστὰς καὶ τοὺς ἅμα τούτοις Γαλατικοὺς ἱππεῖς, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ἐν μετώπῳ καταστήσας προῄει βάδην. ὁ δʼ Ἀννίβας τὴν μὲν κεχαλινωμένην ἵππον καὶ πᾶν τὸ στάσιμον αὐτῆς κατὰ πρόσωπον τάξας ἀπήντα τοῖς πολεμίοις, τοὺς δὲ Νομαδικοὺς ἱππεῖς ἀφʼ ἑκατέρου τοῦ κέρατος ἡτοιμάκει πρὸς κύκλωσιν. ἀμφοτέρων δὲ καὶ τῶν ἡγεμόνων καὶ τῶν ἱππέων φιλοτίμως διακειμένων πρὸς τὸν κίνδυνον, τοιαύτην συνέβη γενέσθαι τὴν πρώτην σύμπτωσιν ὥστε τοὺς ἀκοντιστὰς μὴ φθάσαι τὸ πρῶτον ἐκβαλόντας βέλος, φεύγειν δʼ ἐγκλίναντας εὐθέως διὰ τῶν διαστημάτων ὑπὸ τὰς παρʼ αὑτῶν ἴλας, καταπλαγέντας τὴν ἐπιφορὰν καὶ περιδεεῖς γενομένους μὴ συμπατηθῶσιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐπιφερομένων ἱππέων. οἱ μὲν οὖν κατὰ πρόσωπον ἀλλήλοις συμπεσόντες ἐπὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἐποίουν ἰσόρροπον τὸν κίνδυνον· ὁμοῦ γὰρ ἦν ἱππομαχία καὶ πεζομαχία διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν παρακαταβαινόντων ἀνδρῶν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ μάχῃ. τῶν δὲ Νομάδων κυκλωσάντων καὶ κατόπιν ἐπιπεσόντων, οἱ μὲν πεζακοντισταὶ τὸ πρῶτον διαφυγόντες τὴν σύμπτωσιν τῶν ἱππέων τότε συνεπατήθησαν ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους καὶ τῆς ἐπιφορᾶς τῶν Νομάδων· οἱ δὲ κατὰ πρόσωπον ἐξ ἀρχῆς διαμαχόμενοι πρὸς τοὺς Καρχηδονίους, πολλοὺς μὲν αὑτῶν ἀπολωλεκότες, ἔτι δὲ πλείους τῶν Καρχηδονίων διεφθαρκότες, συνεπιθεμένων ἀπʼ οὐρᾶς τῶν Νομάδων, ἐτράπησαν, οἱ μὲν πολλοὶ σποράδες, τινὲς δὲ περὶ τὸν ἡγεμόνα συστραφέντες.
66. Publius then broke up his camp, and marched through the plains to the bridge over the Padus, in haste to get his legions across before the enemy came up. He saw that the level country where he was then was favourable to the enemy with his superiority in cavalry. He was himself disabled by a wound; and he decided that it was necessary to shift his quarters to a place of safety. For a time Hannibal imagined that Scipio would give him battle with his infantry also: but when he saw that he had abandoned his camp, he went in pursuit of him as far as the bridge over the Ticinus; but finding that the greater part of the timbers of this bridge had been torn away, while the men who guarded the bridge were left still on his side of the river, he took them prisoners to the number of about six hundred; and being informed that the main army was far on its way, he wheeled round and again ascended the Padus in search of a spot in it which admitted of being easily bridged. After two days’ march he halted and constructed a bridge over the river by means of boats. He committed the task of bringing over the army to Hasdrubal; while he himself crossed at once, and busied himself in receiving the ambassadors who arrived from the neighbouring districts. For no sooner had he gained the advantage in the cavalry engagement, than all the Celts in the vicinity hastened to fulfil their original engagement by avowing themselves his friends, supplying him with provisions, and joining the Carthaginian forces. After giving these men a cordial reception, and getting his own army across the Padus, he began to march back again down stream, with an earnest desire of giving the enemy battle. Publius, too, had crossed the river and was now encamped under the walls of the Roman colony Placentia. There he made no sign of any intention to move; for he was engaged in trying to heal his own wound and those of his men, and considered that he had a secure base of operations where he was. A two days’ march from the place where he had crossed the Padus brought Hannibal to the neighbourhood of the enemy; and on the third day he drew out his army for battle in full view of his opponents: but as no one came out to attack. he pitched his camp about fifty stades from them.
66. Πόπλιος μὲν οὖν ἀναζεύξας προσῆγε διὰ τῶν πεδίων ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ Πάδου γέφυραν, σπεύδων φθάσαι διαβιβάσας τὰ στρατόπεδα. θεωρῶν γὰρ τοὺς μὲν τόπους ἐπιπέδους ὄντας, τοὺς δʼ ὑπεναντίους ἱπποκρατοῦντας, αὑτὸν δὲ βαρυνόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ τραύματος, εἰς ἀσφαλὲς ἔκρινε δεῖν ἀποκαταστῆσαι τὰς δυνάμεις. Ἀννίβας δὲ μέχρι μέν τινος ὑπέλαβε τοῖς πεζικοῖς στρατοπέδοις αὐτοὺς διακινδυνεύειν· συνιδὼν δὲ κεκινηκότας ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς, ἕως μὲν τοῦ πρώτου ποταμοῦ καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τούτῳ γεφύρας ἠκολούθει, καταλαβὼν δὲ τὰς μὲν πλείστας τῶν σανίδων ἀνεσπασμένας, τοὺς δὲ φυλάττοντας τὴν γέφυραν ἔτι περὶ τὸν ποταμὸν ὑπολειπομένους, τούτων μὲν ἐγκρατὴς ἐγένετο, σχεδὸν ἑξακοσίων ὄντων τὸν ἀριθμόν· τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ἀκούων ἤδη πολὺ προειληφέναι, μεταβαλόμενος αὖθις εἰς τἀναντία παρὰ τὸν ποταμὸν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν πορείαν, σπεύδων ἐπὶ τόπον εὐγεφύρωτον ἀφικέσθαι τοῦ Πάδου. καταλύσας δὲ δευτεραῖος καὶ γεφυρώσας τοῖς ποταμίοις πλοίοις τὴν διάβασιν Ἀσδρούβᾳ μὲν ἐπέταξεν διακομίζειν τὸ πλῆθος, αὐτὸς δὲ διαβὰς εὐθέως ἐχρημάτιζε τοῖς παραγεγονόσι πρεσβευταῖς ἀπὸ τῶν σύνεγγυς τόπων. ἅμα γὰρ τῷ γενέσθαι τὸ προτέρημα πάντες ἔσπευδον οἱ παρακείμενοι Κελτοὶ κατὰ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς πρόθεσιν καὶ φίλοι γίνεσθαι καὶ χορηγεῖν καὶ συστρατεύειν τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις. ἀποδεξάμενος δὲ τοὺς παρόντας φιλανθρώπως καὶ κομισάμενος τὰς δυνάμεις ἐκ τοῦ πέραν προῆγεν παρὰ τὸν ποταμόν, τὴν ἐναντίαν ποιούμενος τῇ πρόσθεν παρόδῳ· κατὰ ῥοῦν γὰρ ἐποιεῖτο τὴν πορείαν, σπεύδων συνάψαι τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις. ὁ δὲ Πόπλιος περαιωθεὶς τὸν Πάδον καὶ στρατοπεδεύσας περὶ πόλιν Πλακεντίαν, ἥτις ἦν ἀποικία Ῥωμαίων, ἅμα μὲν αὑτὸν ἐθεράπευε καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους τραυματίας, ἅμα δὲ τὰς δυνάμεις εἰς ἀσφαλὲς ἀπηρεῖσθαι νομίζων ἦγε τὴν ἡσυχίαν. Ἀννίβας δὲ παραγενόμενος δευτεραῖος ἀπὸ τῆς διαβάσεως ἐγγὺς τῶν πολεμίων τῇ τρίτῃ παρέταξε τὴν δύναμιν ἐν συνόψει τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις. οὐδενὸς δὲ σφίσιν ἀντεξάγοντος, κατεστρατοπέδευσε, λαβὼν περὶ πεντήκοντα στάδια τὸ μεταξὺ διάστημα τῶν στρατοπέδων.
67. But the Celtic contingent of the Roman army, seeing that Hannibal’s prospects looked the brighter of the two, concerted their plans for a fixed time, and waited in their several tents for the moment of carrying them out. When the men within the rampart of the camp had taken their supper and were gone to bed, the Celts let more than half the night pass, and just about the time of the morning watch armed themselves and fell upon the Romans who were quartered nearest to them; killed a considerable number, and wounded not a few; and, finally, cutting off the heads of the slain, departed with them to join the Carthaginians, to the number of two thousand infantry and nearly two hundred cavalry. They were received with great satisfaction by Hannibal; who, after addressing them encouragingly, and promising them all suitable rewards, sent them to their several cities, to declare to their compatriots what they had done, and to urge them to make alliance with him: for he knew that they would now all feel compelled to take part with him, when they learnt the treachery of which their fellow-countrymen had been guilty to the Romans. Just at the same time the Boii came in, and handed over to him the three Agrarian Commissioners, sent from Rome to divide the lands; whom, as I have already related, they had seized by a sudden act of treachery at the beginning of the war. Hannibal gratefully acknowledged their good intention, and made a formal alliance with those who came: but he handed them back their prisoners, bidding them keep them safe, in order to get back their own hostages from Rome, as they intended at first. Publius regarded this treachery as of most serious importance; and feeling sure that the Celts in the neighbourhood had long been ill-disposed, and would, after this event, all incline to the Carthaginians, he made up his mind that some precaution for the future was necessary. The next night, therefore, just before the morning watch, he broke up his camp and marched for the river Trebia, and the high ground near it, feeling confidence in the protection which the strength of the position and the neighbourhood of his allies would give him.
67. οἱ δὲ συστρατευόμενοι Κελτοὶ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις θεωροῦντες ἐπικυδεστέρας τὰς τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἐλπίδας, συνταξάμενοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους καιρὸν ἐπετήρουν πρὸς ἐπίθεσιν, μένοντες ἐν ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ἕκαστοι σκηναῖς. δειπνοποιησαμένων δὲ καὶ κατακοιμισθέντων τῶν ἐν τῷ χάρακι, παρελθεῖν ἐάσαντες τὸ πλεῖον μέρος τῆς νυκτὸς καθωπλισμένοι περὶ τὴν ἑωθινὴν φυλακὴν ἐπιτίθενται τοῖς σύνεγγυς τῶν Ῥωμαίων παραστρατοπεδεύουσι. καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν ἀπέκτειναν, οὐκ ὀλίγους δὲ κατετραυμάτισαν· τέλος δὲ τὰς κεφαλὰς ἀποτεμόντες τῶν τεθνεώτων ἀπεχώρουν πρὸς τοὺς Καρχηδονίους, ὄντες πεζοὶ μὲν εἰς δισχιλίους, ἱππεῖς δὲ μικρῷ λείποντες διακοσίων. Ἀννίβας δὲ φιλοφρόνως ἀποδεξάμενος αὐτῶν τὴν παρουσίαν, τούτους μὲν εὐθέως παρακαλέσας καὶ δωρεὰς ἑκάστοις τὰς ἁρμοζούσας ἐπαγγειλάμενος ἐξέπεμψεν εἰς τὰς αὑτῶν πόλεις, δηλώσοντας μὲν τὰ πεπραγμένα τοῖς πολίταις, παρακαλέσοντας δὲ πρὸς τὴν αὑτοῦ συμμαχίαν. ᾔδει γὰρ ὅτι πάντες κατʼ ἀνάγκην αὐτῷ κοινωνήσουσι τῶν πραγμάτων, ἐπιγνόντες τὸ γεγονὸς ἐκ τῶν σφετέρων πολιτῶν παρασπόνδημα κατὰ τῶν Ῥωμαίων. ἅμα δὲ τούτοις καὶ τῶν Βοίων παραγεγονότων καὶ τοὺς τρεῖς ἄνδρας ἐγχειριζόντων αὐτῷ τοὺς ἐπὶ τὴν διάδοσιν τῆς χώρας ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων ἐξαπεσταλμένους, ὧν κατʼ ἀρχὰς ἐκυρίευσαν τοῦ πολέμου παρασπονδήσαντες, καθάπερ ἐπάνω προεῖπον, ἀποδεξάμενος Ἀννίβας τὴν εὔνοιαν αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ μὲν τῆς φιλίας καὶ συμμαχίας ἔθετο πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας πίστεις· τούς γε μὴν ἄνδρας αὐτοῖς ἀπέδωκε, παραγγείλας τηρεῖν, ἵνα παρὰ τούτων κομίσωνται τοὺς αὑτῶν ὁμήρους κατὰ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς πρόθεσιν. Πόπλιος δὲ σχετλιάζων ἐπὶ τῷ γεγονότι παρασπονδήματι καὶ συλλογισάμενος ὅτι πάλαι τῶν Κελτῶν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἀλλοτρίως διακειμένων, τούτων ἐπιγεγονότων πάντας τοὺς πέριξ Γαλάτας συμβήσεται πρὸς τοὺς Καρχηδονίους ἀπονεύειν, ἔγνω δεῖν εὐλαβηθῆναι τὸ μέλλον. διόπερ ἐπιγενομένης τῆς νυκτὸς ὑπὸ τὴν ἑωθινὴν ἀναζεύξας ἐποιεῖτο τὴν πορείαν ὡς ἐπὶ τὸν Τρεβίαν ποταμὸν καὶ τοὺς τούτῳ συνάπτοντας γεωλόφους, πιστεύων τῇ τε τῶν τόπων ὀχυρότητι καὶ τοῖς παροικοῦσι τῶν συμμάχων.
68. When Hannibal was informed of Scipio’s change of quarters, he sent the Numidian horse in pursuit at once, and the rest soon afterwards, following close behind with his main army. The Numidians, finding the Roman camp empty, stopped to set fire to it: which proved of great service to the Romans; for if they had pushed on and caught up the Roman baggage, a large number of the rear-guard would have certainly been killed by the cavalry in the open plains. But as it was, the greater part of them got across the River Trebia in time; while those who were after all too far in the rear to escape, were either killed or made prisoners by the Carthaginians. Scipio, however, having crossed the Trebia occupied the first high ground; and having strengthened his camp with trench and palisade, waited the arrival of his colleague, Tiberius Sempronius, and his army; and was taking the greatest pains to cure his wound, because he was exceedingly anxious to take part in the coming engagement. Hannibal pitched his camp about forty stades from him. While the numerous Celts inhabiting the plains, excited by the good prospects of the Carthaginians, supplied his army with provisions in great abundance, and were eager to take their share with Hannibal in every military operation or battle. When news of the cavalry engagement reached Rome, the disappointment of their confident expectations caused a feeling of consternation in the minds of the people. Not but that plenty of pretexts were found to prove to their own satisfaction that the affair was not a defeat. Some laid the blame on the Consul’s rashness, and others on the treacherous lukewarmness of the Celts, which they concluded from their recent revolt must have been shown by them on the field. But. after all, as the infantry was still unimpaired, they made up their minds that the general result was still as hopeful as ever. Accordingly, when Tiberius and his legions arrived at Rome, and marched through the city, they believed that his mere appearance at the seat of war would settle the matter. His men met Tiberius at Ariminum, according to their oath, and he at once led them forward in all haste to join Publius Scipio. The junction effected, and a camp pitched by the side of his colleague, he was naturally obliged to refresh his men after their forty days’ continuous march between Ariminum and Lilybaeum: but he went on with all preparations for a battle; and was continually in conference with Scipio, asking questions as to what had happened in the past, and discussing with him the measures to be taken in the present.
68. Ἀννίβας δὲ τὴν ἀναζυγὴν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνοὺς παραυτίκα μὲν τοὺς Νομαδικοὺς ἱππεῖς ἐξαπέστελλε, μετʼ οὐ πολὺ δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους· τούτοις δʼ ἐκ ποδὸς τὴν δύναμιν ἔχων αὐτὸς εἵπετο κατόπιν. οἱ μὲν οὖν Νομάδες εἰς ἔρημον τὴν στρατοπεδείαν ἐμπεσόντες ταύτην ἐνεπίμπρασαν. ὃ δὴ καὶ σφόδρα συνήνεγκε τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις, ὡς εἴπερ οὗτοι κατὰ πόδας ἀκολουθήσαντες συνῆψαν ταῖς ἀποσκευαῖς, πολλοὺς ἂν αὐτῶν ὑπὸ τῶν ἱππέων ἐν τοῖς ἐπιπέδοις συνέβη διαφθαρῆναι. νῦν δʼ οἱ πλείους ἔφθασαν διαβάντες τὸν Τρεβίαν ποταμόν· τῶν δὲ καταλειφθέντων ἐπὶ τῆς οὐραγίας οἱ μὲν διεφθάρησαν, οἱ δὲ ζῶντες ἑάλωσαν ὑπὸ τῶν Καρχηδονίων. Πόπλιος μὲν οὖν διαβὰς τὸν προειρημένον ποταμὸν ἐστρατοπέδευσε περὶ τοὺς πρώτους λόφους καὶ περιλαβὼν τάφρῳ καὶ χάρακι τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἀνεδέχετο μὲν τὸν Τεβέριον καὶ τὰς μετʼ ἐκείνου δυνάμεις, ἐθεράπευε δʼ αὑτὸν ἐπιμελῶς, σπουδάζων εἰ δύναιτο κοινωνῆσαι τοῦ μέλλοντος κινδύνου. Ἀννίβας δὲ περὶ τετταράκοντα σταδίους ἀποσχὼν τῶν πολεμίων αὐτοῦ κατεστρατοπέδευσε. τὸ δὲ τῶν Κελτῶν πλῆθος τὸ τὰ πεδία κατοικοῦν, συνεξεστηκὸς ταῖς τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἐλπίσι, δαψιλῶς μὲν ἐχορήγει τὸ στρατόπεδον τοῖς ἐπιτηδείοις, ἕτοιμον δʼ ἦν παντὸς κοινωνεῖν ἔργου καὶ κινδύνου τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἀννίβαν. οἱ δʼ ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ, προσπεπτωκότων τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἱππομαχίαν, ἐξενίζοντο μὲν τῷ τὸ συμβεβηκὸς εἶναι παρὰ τὴν προσδοκίαν, οὐ μὴν ἠπόρουν γε σκήψεων πρὸς τὸ μὴ δοκεῖν αὐτοῖς ἧτταν εἶναι τὸ γεγονός, ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν ᾐτιῶντο τὴν τοῦ στρατηγοῦ προπέτειαν, οἱ δὲ τὴν τῶν Κελτῶν ἐθελοκάκησιν, στοχαζόμενοι διὰ τῆς τελευταίας ἀποστάσεως. καθόλου δὲ τῶν πεζικῶν στρατοπέδων ἀκεραίων ὄντων ἀκεραίους εἶναι διελάμβανον τὰς ὑπὲρ τῶν ὅλων ἐλπίδας. ὅθεν καὶ συνάψαντος τοῦ Τεβερίου καὶ τῶν μετʼ ἐκείνου στρατοπέδων καὶ διαπορευομένων διὰ τῆς Ῥώμης, ἐξ ἐπιφανείας ἐδόξαζον κριθήσεσθαι τὴν μάχην. ἁθροισθέντων δὲ τῶν στρατιωτῶν κατὰ τὸν ὅρκον εἰς Ἀρίμινον, ἀναλαβὼν αὐτοὺς ὁ στρατηγὸς προῆγε, σπεύδων συνάψαι τοῖς περὶ τὸν Πόπλιον. συμμίξας δὲ καὶ καταστρατοπεδεύσας παρʼ αὐτοῖς ταῖς οἰκείαις δυνάμεσι τὸ μὲν πλῆθος ἀνελάμβανε τῶν ἀνδρῶν, ὡς ἂν ἐκ Λιλυβαίου τετταράκοντα συνεχῶς ἡμέρας πεπεζοπορηκότων εἰς Ἀρίμινον, τὰς δὲ παρασκευὰς ἐποιεῖτο πάσας ὡς πρὸς μάχην, αὐτὸς δʼ ἐπιμελῶς συνήδρευε τῷ Ποπλίῳ, τὰ μὲν ἤδη γεγονότα πυνθανόμενος, περὶ δὲ τῶν παρόντων συνδιανοούμενος.