§2.41.1ὁ δὲ Τάτιος καὶ οἱ Σαβῖνοι φρουρίου γενόμενοι καρτεροῦ κύριοι καὶ τὰ πλεῖστα τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀποσκευῆς ἀμοχθεὶ παρειληφότες ἐκ τοῦ ἀσφαλοῦς ἤδη τὸν πόλεμον διέφερον.
But Tatius and the Sabines, having become masters of a strong fortress and having taken over most of the baggage of the Romans without difficulty, were now carrying on the war from a position of safety.
πολλαὶ μὲν οὖν αὐτῶν ἐγίνοντο καὶ διὰ πολλὰς προφάσεις παρεστρατοπεδευκότων ἀλλήλοις διʼ ὀλίγου πεῖραί τε καὶ συμπλοκαὶ οὔτε κατορθώματα μεγάλα ἑκατέρῳ φέρουσαι τῶν στρατευμάτων οὔτε σφάλματα, μέγισται δʼ ἐκ παρατάξεως ὅλαις ταῖς δυνάμεσι πρὸς ἀλλήλας μάχαι διτταὶ καὶ φόνος ἑκατέρων πολύς.
Accordingly, since they were encamped near one another, many trials and skirmishes took place between them on many pretexts, which brought neither great success nor failure to either of the armies; but there were two very great battles fought in regular array with all their forces against each other, and many were slain on both sides.
§2.41.2ἑλκομένου δὴ τοῦ χρόνου γνώμην ἀμφότεροι τὴν αὐτὴν ἔσχον ὁλοσχερεῖ κρῖναι τὸν ἀγῶνα μάχῃ, καὶ προελθόντες εἰς τὸ μεταξὺ τῶν στρατοπέδων χωρίον ἡγεμόνες τε ἄριστοι τὰ πολέμια καὶ στρατιῶται πολλῶν ἐθάδες ἀγώνων ἄξια λόγου ἔργʼ ἀπεδείκνυντο ἐπιόντες τʼ ἀλλήλοις καὶ τοὺς ἐπιόντας δεχόμενοι καὶ ἐξ ὑποστροφῆς εἰς ἴσον αὖθις καθιστάμενοι.
As time dragged on, both came to the same resolution to decide the contest by a general battle, and advancing into the space between the camps, the leaders, who were most excellent in military affairs, and the soldiers, accustomed to many contests, displayed deeds worthy of mention, both charging one another and receiving those who charged, and upon wheeling about, establishing themselves on equal terms again.
§2.41.3οἱ δʼ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐρυμάτων ἑστῶτες ἰσορρόπου θεαταὶ ἀγῶνος καὶ θαμινὰ ἑκατέρωσε μεταπίπτοντος τῷ μὲν κατορθοῦντι τῶν σφετέρων ἐπικελεύσει τε καὶ παιανισμῷ πολλὴν ἐποίουν τὴν εἰς τὸ εὔψυχον ἐπίδοσιν, τῷ δὲ κάμνοντι καὶ διωκομένῳ δεήσεις τε καὶ οἰμωγὰς προϊέμενοι κωλυταὶ τοῦ εἰς τέλος ἀνάνδρου ἐγίνοντο· ὑφʼ ὧν ἀμφοτέρων ἠναγκάζοντο καὶ παρὰ δύναμιν ὑπομένειν τὰ δεινά.
And those who stood upon the ramparts, spectators of a well-balanced contest which frequently shifted to either side, by their encouragement and paeans greatly increased the courage of those of their own side who were succeeding, and by offering prayers and laments to those who were hard-pressed and pursued, became preventers of their turning cowardly in the end; under the influence of both of these, the soldiers were compelled to endure the danger even beyond their strength.
ἐκείνην μὲν οὖν τὴν ἡμέραν οὕτω διενέγκαντες ἀγχωμάλως τὴν μάχην, σκότους ὄντος ἤδη ἄσμενοι εἰς τοὺς οἰκείους ἑκάτεροι χάρακας ἀπηλλάσσοντο.
Having thus spent that day in an evenly matched battle, and as it was already dark, both sides gladly departed to their own camps.