§3.64.1ἰδόντες δὲ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους οἱ Σαβῖνοι προθύμως ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα χωροῦντας ἐξῆγον καὶ αὐτοὶ τὰς δυνάμεις οὔτε πλήθει λειπόμενοι τῶν πολεμίων οὔτε ἀρετῇ καὶ συμπεσόντες ἐμάχοντο πᾶσαν ἀποδεικνύμενοι τόλμαν, ἕως ἦν αὐτοῖς εἷς μόνος ὁ πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιτεταγμένους ἀγών.
The Sabines, seeing the Romans eagerly advancing to the contest, also led out their forces, being inferior to the enemy neither in numbers nor in courage; and clashing together, they fought displaying every kind of daring, as long as they had to contend with only those who were drawn up in front of them.
ἔπειτα μαθόντες ἐπιόντα σφίσι κατὰ νώτου στρατὸν πολεμίων ἕτερον ἐν τάξει τε καὶ κόσμῳ χωροῦντα καταλιπόντες τὰ σημεῖα τρέπονται πρὸς φυγήν.
But afterwards, learning that another army of the enemy was coming upon them from behind, marching in order and discipline, they abandoned their standards and turned to flight.
ἦσαν δὲ Ῥωμαίων ἄνδρες ἐπίλεκτοι πεζοί τε καὶ ἱππεῖς οἱ κατόπιν ἐπιφανέντες τοῖς Σαβίνοις, οὓς ὁ Ταρκύνιος ἐν ἐπιτηδείοις χωρίοις διὰ νυκτὸς ἐλόχισε.
It was selected Roman foot and horse who had appeared behind the Sabines, whom Tarquinius had placed in ambush during the night in suitable places.
§3.64.2τούτους δὴ τοὺς ἄνδρας οἱ Σαβῖνοι δείσαντες ἐκ τοῦ ἀδοκήτου σφίσιν ἐπιφαινομένους οὐθὲν ἔτι γενναῖον ἔργον ἀπεδείξαντο, ἀλλʼ ὡς κατεστρατηγημένοι ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν καὶ συμφορᾷ πεπληγότες ἀμάχῳ σώζειν ἑαυτοὺς ἄλλοι κατʼ ἄλλας ὁδοὺς ἐπειρῶντο, κἂν τούτῳ μάλιστα πολὺς αὐτῶν φόνος ἐγένετο διωκομένων ὑπὸ τῆς Ῥωμαϊκῆς ἵππου καὶ πανταχόθεν ἀποκλειομένων·
Dreading these men who had appeared before them unexpectedly, the Sabines no longer displayed any noble deed, but as if they had been outgeneralled by the enemy and struck by an irresistible calamity, they tried to save themselves, some by one route and some by another; and in this particularly, a great slaughter of them occurred as they were pursued by the Roman cavalry and shut off on all sides.
ὥστε ὀλίγους τινὰς ἐξ αὐτῶν κομιδῇ γενέσθαι τοὺς διασωθέντας εἰς τὰς ἔγγιστα πόλεις, τὸ δὲ πλεῖον μέρος ὅσον μὴ κατὰ τὴν μάχην ἔπεσεν ὑποχείριον τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις γενέσθαι·
Consequently, those of them who escaped to the nearest cities were very few indeed, while the greater part, as many as did not fall in the battle, fell into the hands of the Romans.
οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ καταλειφθέντες ἐν τῷ χάρακι τὴν ἔφοδον ἀποκρούσασθαι τῶν ἐπιόντων σφίσιν ἐθάρρησαν οὐδʼ εἰς πεῖραν ἦλθον μάχης, ἀλλʼ ἐκταραχθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ παρʼ ἐλπίδα κακοῦ παρέδοσαν ἀμαχητὶ σφᾶς τε αὐτοὺς καὶ τὸ ἔρυμα.
For not even those who had been left in the camp dared to repel the attack of those coming upon them, nor did they make trial of battle; but being thrown into confusion by the unexpected disaster, they surrendered both themselves and the fortification without a fight.
§3.64.3αἱ μὲν δὴ τῶν Σαβίνων πόλεις ὡς κατεστρατηγημέναι καὶ οὐκ ἀρετῇ τὴν νίκην ἀφῃρημέναι πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων, ἀλλὰ δόλῳ μείζονας αὖθις ἀποστέλλειν δυνάμεις παρεσκευάζοντο καὶ στρατηγὸν ἐμπειρότερον.
Now, the cities of the Sabines, believing that they had been outgeneralled and deprived of the victory by the enemy not through courage but through stratagem, prepared to send larger forces again and a more experienced general.
ὁ δὲ Ταρκύνιος μαθὼν τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν συνῆγε τὴν στρατιὰν διὰ τάχους καὶ πρὶν ἐκείνους ἅπαντας δὴ §3.64.4συνελθεῖν φθάνει διαβὰς τὸν Ἀνίητα ποταμόν.
But Tarquinius, learning their intention, assembled his army with speed, and before all of them could assemble, he anticipated them by crossing the river Anio.
ταῦτα μαθὼν ὁ τῶν Σαβίνων στρατηγὸς ἐξῄει μὲν ὡς εἶχε τάχους τὴν νεωστὶ συνηγμένην δύναμιν ἀναλαβὼν καὶ στρατοπεδεύεται πλησίον τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἐπὶ λόφου τινὸς ὑψηλοῦ καὶ ἀποτόμου, μάχης δὲ ἄρχειν οὐκ ἐδοκίμαζεν ἕως αἱ λοιπαὶ τῶν Σαβίνων δυνάμεις συνέλθωσιν, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τοὺς προνομεύοντας τὴν χώραν ἐκπέμπων ἀεί τινας τῶν ἱππέων καὶ λόχους ἐγκαθίζων ὕλαις ἢ νάπαις εἶργε τοὺς Ῥωμαίους τῶν ἐπὶ τὴν χώραν ἐξόδων.
Learning this, the general of the Sabines marched out with all possible speed, taking the newly assembled force, and encamped near the Romans on a certain high and steep hill; but he did not think it best to begin a battle until the remaining forces of the Sabines should assemble, but by always sending some of the cavalry against those who were foraging the country, and placing ambushes in the woods or glens, he barred the Romans from exits into the country.