Numidian Feigned Surrender and Chaos on the Left Wing — Livy, History of Rome Book 22 (22.48.1–22.48.6), Latin & English

§22.48.1

iam et sinistro cornu Romano, ubi sociorum equites adversus Numidas steterant, consertum proelium erat, segne primo et a Punica coeptum fraude.¹

Now on the Roman left wing too, where the allied cavalry had stationed themselves against the Numidians, the battle had been joined, sluggish at first and started by a Carthaginian fraud.

§22.48.2

quingenti ferme Numidae praeter solita arma telaque gladios occultos sub loricis habentes, specie transfugarum cum ab suis parmas post terga habentes adequitassent,² repente ex equis desiliunt, parmisque et iaculis ante pedes hostium proiectis in mediam aciem accepti ductique ad ultimos considere ab tergo iubentur. ac dum proelium ab omni parte conseritur, quieti manserunt;

About five hundred Numidians, who besides their customary arms and weapons had swords concealed under their cuirasses, having ridden up from their own side in the guise of deserters with their bucklers behind their backs, suddenly leaped down from their horses, and having thrown down their bucklers and javelins before the feet of the enemy, they were received into the midst of the line, conducted to the rear, and ordered to sit down behind. And while the battle was being joined on every side, they remained quiet;

§22.48.4

postquam omnium animos oculosque occupaverat certamen, tum arreptis scutis, quae passim inter acervos caesorum corporum strata erant, aversam adoriuntur Romanam aciem, tergaque ferientes ac poplites caedentes stragem ingentem ac maiorem aliquanto pavorem ac tumultum fecerunt.

but after the contest had engrossed the minds and eyes of all, then, snatching up the shields which lay scattered here and there among the heaps of the slain bodies, they attacked the Roman line from behind, and striking their backs and hamstringing them, they caused immense slaughter and a far greater panic and confusion.

§22.48.5

cum alibi terror ac fuga, alibi pertinax in mala iam spe proelium esset, Hasdrubal, qui ea parte praeerat, subductos ex media acie Numidas, quia segnis eorum cum adversis pugna erat, ad persequendos passim fugientis mittit,³ Hispanos et Gallos equites Afris prope iam fessis caede magis quam pugna adiungit.

When in one place there was terror and flight, and in another an obstinate battle even in what was now bad hope, Hasdrubal, who commanded in that sector, withdrew the Numidians from the center of the line because their fight against the enemy was sluggish, and sent them to pursue the fugitives who were scattered in all directions, while he joined the Spanish and Gallic cavalry to the Africans, who were already nearly exhausted by slaughter rather than by fighting.

Syntax notes3 items

22.48.1segne primo et a Punica coeptum fraude
The neuter nominative singular adjective segne and perfect passive participle coeptum agree with and modify the preceding neuter nominative noun proelium (battle). a Punica fraude is an ablative of agent/origin, referring to the deceptive stratagem of the Carthaginians.
22.48.2specie transfugarum cum ab suis parmas post terga habentes adequitassent
The ablative specie (under the guise of) governs the genitive transfugarum. cum introduces a temporal clause with the pluperfect subjunctive adequitassent. The present participle phrase parmas post terga habentes describes the circumstantial state of holding their bucklers behind their backs to feign a lack of hostile intent.
22.48.5subductos ex media acie Numidas ... mittit
The direct object of the main verb mittit (in §22.48.6) is the accusative phrase with the passive participle subductos Numidas (the withdrawn Numidians), which is modified by the gerundive phrase of purpose ad persequendos ... fugientis (to pursue the fleeing enemies).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0914.phi001.humanitext-lat2:22.48.1-22.48.6