§8.67.1ὁ δʼ ἕτερος τῶν ὑπάτων Τῖτος Σίκκιος, ὁ πεμφθεὶς ἐπὶ Οὐολούσκους, ὅσον ἦν κράτιστον τῆς δυνάμεως μέρος ἀναλαβὼν εἰς τὴν Οὐελιτρανῶν χώραν εἰσέβαλεν.
The other of the consuls, Titus Siccius, who had been sent against the Volscians, took the best part of his force and invaded the territory of the Veliternians.
ἐνταῦθα γὰρ ἦν Τύλλος Ἄττιος ὁ τῶν Οὐολούσκων ἡγεμὼν τὴν ἀκμαιοτάτην συσκευασάμενος στρατιάν, γνώμην ἔχων τὰ συμμαχικὰ Ῥωμαίων κακῶσαι πρῶτον, ὥσπερ ὁ Μάρκιος ἔδρασεν, ὅτʼ ἤρχετο τοῦ πολέμου, δόξας ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ φόβῳ Ῥωμαίους ἔτι διαμένειν καὶ μηδεμίαν τοῖς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν κινδυνεύουσι πέμψειν ἐπικουρίαν.
For there Tullus Attius, the leader of the Volscians, was stationed, having equipped his most powerful army, with the intention of first harassing the allies of the Romans, just as Marcius had done when he began the war, supposing that the Romans were still remaining in the same state of fear and would send no aid to those who were running risks on their behalf.
ὡς δʼ ὤφθησάν τε καὶ εἶδον ἀλλήλας αἱ δυνάμεις, οὐδὲν ἔτι ἀναβαλόμεναι συνῄεσαν εἰς ταὐτόν.
But when the forces were sighted and saw one another, they came together without delaying any longer.
§8.67.2ἦν δʼ ὁ χῶρος ὁ μεταξὺ τῶν στρατοπέδων, ἐν ᾧ τὴν μάχην ἔδει γενέσθαι, λόφος πετρώδης πολλαχῇ περικατεαγώς, ἔνθα οὐδετέροις ἡ ἵππος ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι χρησίμη.
Now the space between the camps, in which the battle was to take place, was a rocky hill broken in many places, where the cavalry was not likely to be of use to either side.
μαθόντες δὲ τοῦθʼ οἱ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἱππεῖς καὶ ἐν αἰσχύνῃ θέμενοι, εἰ παρόντες τῷ ἀγῶνι μηδὲν προσωφελήσουσιν, ἐδέοντο τοῦ ὑπάτου προσελθόντες ἀθρόοι, ἐᾶσαι σφᾶς καταβάντας ἀπὸ τῶν ἵππων μάχεσθαι πεζούς, εἰ τοῦτʼ αὐτῷ δοκεῖ κράτιστον εἶναι.
The Roman cavalry, having learned this and considering it a disgrace if, being present at the contest, they should render no assistance, came in a body to the consul and begged him to permit them to dismount from their horses and fight on foot, if this seemed best to him.
§8.67.3κἀκεῖνος πολλὰ ἐπαινέσας αὐτοὺς καταβιβάζει τʼ ἀπὸ τῶν ἵππων, καὶ σὺν ἑαυτῷ τεταγμένους εἶχεν ἐπισκόπους τε καὶ ἐπανορθωτὰς τοῦ κάμνοντος ἐσομένους· καὶ ἐγένοντο τῆς τότε νίκης λαμπρᾶς σφόδρα γενομένης οὗτοι Ῥωμαίοις αἴτιοι.
And he, having praised them highly, made them dismount from their horses, and kept them stationed with himself to be observers and correctors of any part that was struggling; and they became the cause of the victory, which on that occasion was very brilliant for the Romans.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ πεζὸν ἀμφοτέρων πλήθει τʼ ἀνθρώπων ὡς μάλιστα ἦν καὶ ὁπλισμοῖς ὁμοιότροπον, τάξεώς τε κόσμῳ καὶ μάχης ἐμπειρίᾳ κατά τʼ ἐπαγωγὰς καὶ ὑποχωρήσεις πληγάς τʼ αὖ καὶ φυλακὰς παραπλήσιον.
For the infantry of both sides was as similar as possible in the number of men and in their armor, and was nearly equal in the order of their ranks and in experience of battle, in both advances and retreats, as well as in blows and guards.
§8.67.4μετέμαθον γὰρ οἱ Οὐολοῦσκοι πάντα τὰ πολέμια, ἐξ οὗ Μάρκιον ἔσχον ἡγεμόνα, καὶ εἰς τὰ Ῥωμαίων προσεχώρησαν ἔθη.
For the Volscians had learned anew all matters of war ever since they had Marcius as leader, and had conformed to the customs of the Romans.
διέμενον οὖν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον χρόνον τῆς ἡμέρας ἀγχωμάλως αἱ φάλαγγες ἀγωνιζόμεναι, καὶ ἡ τοῦ χωρίου φύσις ἀνώμαλος οὖσα ἑκατέροις πολλὰ εἰς τὸ πλεονεκτεῖν κατʼ ἀλλήλων παρείχετο.
Thus the phalanxes remained contending on equal terms for the greatest part of the day, and the nature of the ground, being uneven, offered to both sides many opportunities for gaining an advantage over one another.
οἱ δʼ ἱππεῖς τῶν Ῥωμαίων διχῇ νείμαντες ἑαυτούς, οἱ μὲν κατὰ τὰ πλάγια τῶν πολεμίων ἀπὸ τοῦ δεξιοῦ κέρως ἐμβάλλουσιν, οἱ δὲ περιελθόντες διὰ τοῦ λόφου τοῖς κατόπιν ἐπιρράττουσιν.
But the Roman cavalry, having divided themselves into two bodies, some fell upon the enemy's flanks from the right wing, while others, going round by the hill, struck them in the rear.
§8.67.5ἔπειθʼ οἱ μὲν εἰσακοντίζοντες τὰς λόγχας, οἱ δὲ τοὺς ὁμόσε χωροῦντας τοῖς ἱππικοῖς ξίφεσι μακροτέροις οὖσι κατὰ βραχιόνων παίοντες καὶ παρὰ τὰς ἀγκύλας καταφέροντες, πολλῶν μὲν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῖς σκεπάσμασί τε καὶ ἀμυντηρίοις ἀπέκοπτον, πολλοὺς δὲ γονάτων τε καὶ ἀστραγάλων πληγαῖς βαθείαις ἀπὸ κρατίστης βάσεως ἐρρίπτουν ἡμιθανεῖς.
Then, some throwing their spears, and others striking those who came to close quarters with their cavalry swords, which were longer, upon their arms and cutting down along their elbows, they cut off the hands of many together with their shields and defensive armor, and threw many half-dead from their firmest footing with deep blows to their knees and ankles.
§8.67.6περιειστήκει τε πάντοθεν τοῖς Οὐολούσκοις τὸ δεινόν· ἐκ μὲν γὰρ τῶν κατὰ πρόσωπον οἱ πεζοὶ αὐτοῖς ἐνέκειντο, ἐκ δὲ τῶν πλαγίων τε καὶ τῶν κατόπιν οἱ ἱππεῖς, ὥστε ὑπὲρ δύναμιν ἀγαθοὶ γενόμενοι καὶ πολλὰ ἔργα τόλμης τε καὶ ἐμπειρίας ἀποδειξάμενοι, μικροῦ δεῖν πάντες οἱ τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας ἔχοντες κατεκόπησαν.
And danger surrounded the Volscians on all sides; for from the front the infantry pressed upon them, and from the flanks and the rear the cavalry, so that though they proved brave beyond their strength and displayed many deeds of daring and experience, almost all those who held the right wing were cut to pieces.
οἱ δʼ ἐν μέσῃ τε τῇ φάλαγγι τεταγμένοι καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου κέρως ἐπειδὴ τὸ δεξιόν τε παρερρηγμένον εἶδον καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἐπιόντας σφίσι τοὺς τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἱππεῖς, ἐξελίξαντες τοὺς λόχους βάδην ἀπεχώρουν ἐπὶ τὸν χάρακα, καὶ οἱ τῶν Ῥωμαίων §8.67.7ἱππεῖς ἐν τάξει ἠκολούθουν.
Those who were stationed in the center of the phalanx and on the other wing, when they saw the right wing broken and the Roman cavalry attacking them in the same manner, wheeled their companies and retreated at a walk toward the camp, and the Roman cavalry followed in order.
ἐπεὶ δὲ πρὸς τῷ ἐρύματι ἦσαν, ἑτέρα γίνεται μάχη τῶν ἱππέων ἐπιβαινόντων τοῖς περισταυρώμασι κατὰ πολλὰ μέρη τοῦ χάρακος ὀξεῖα καὶ παλίντροπος.
When they were near the rampart, another sharp and fluctuating battle took place, with the cavalry mounting the palisades in many parts of the camp.
πονουμένων δὲ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ὁ ὕπατος κελεύσας τοῖς πεζοῖς ὕλην προσενέγκαντας ἀποχῶσαι τὰς τάφρους, πρῶτος ἐχώρει κατὰ τὸ ἐπίβατον ἔχων τοὺς ἀρίστους τῶν ἱππέων ἐπὶ τὰς ἐχυρωτάτας τοῦ χάρακος πύλας· ἀναστείλας δὲ τοὺς πρὸ αὐτῶν μαχομένους καὶ τοὺς καταρράκτας τῶν πυλῶν διακόψας ἐντὸς ἐγεγόνει τῶν ἐρυμάτων, καὶ τοὺς ἐπιόντας τῶν σφετέρων πεζῶν ἐδέχετο.
While the Romans were hard-pressed, the consul, having ordered the infantry to bring wood and fill up the ditches, advanced first through the passable ground with the best of the cavalry to the strongest gates of the camp; and having driven back those fighting in front of them and cut through the barriers of the gates, he got inside the fortifications and received the oncoming of his own infantry.
§8.67.8Τύλλος δʼ Ἄττιος ἔχων τοὺς ἐρρωμενεστάτους καὶ εὐτολμοτάτους Οὐολούσκων ὁμόσε αὐτῷ χωρεῖ καὶ πολλὰ ἔργα γενναῖα ἀποδειξάμενος· ἦν γὰρ ἀγωνιστὴς μὲν πολέμων σφόδρʼ ἄλκιμος, στρατηγῆσαι δʼ οὐχ ἱκανός· ὑπὸ κόπου τε καὶ πλήθους τραυμάτων καταπονηθεὶς ἀποθνήσκει.
Tullus Attius, having the strongest and most daring of the Volscians, came to close quarters with him and displayed many noble deeds; for he was a very valiant warrior in battle, though not capable of acting as a general; and being overcome by fatigue and the multitude of his wounds, he died.
τῶν δʼ ἄλλων Οὐολούσκων, ἐπειδὴ ὁ χάραξ ἡλίσκετο, οἱ μὲν ἀγωνιζόμενοι κατεκόπησαν, οἱ δὲ τὰ ὅπλα ῥίψαντες πρὸς ἱκεσίας τῶν κεκρατηκότων ἐτράποντο, ὀλίγοι δέ τινες ἐπὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα φεύγοντες ἀπεσώθησαν.
Of the rest of the Volscians, when the camp was being taken, some were cut to pieces while fighting, and others, throwing away their arms, turned to entreaties of the conquerors, while a few escaped and saved themselves to their own homes.
§8.67.9ἀφικομένων δʼ εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην ἀγγέλων, οὓς ἀπέστειλαν οἱ ὕπατοι, μεγίστη χαρὰ τὸν δῆμον κατέσχε, καὶ αὐτίκα τοῖς μὲν θεοῖς χαριστηρίους ἐψηφίσαντο θυσίας, τοῖς δʼ ὑπάτοις τὴν τῶν θριάμβων τιμὴν προσέθεσαν.
When messengers arrived in Rome, whom the consuls had sent, the greatest joy took possession of the people, and they immediately voted thanksgiving sacrifices to the gods and awarded the honor of triumphs to the consuls.
οὐ μέντοι τὴν αὐτήν γʼ ἀμφοτέροις· ἀλλὰ Σικκίῳ μέν, ἐπειδὴ φόβου μείζονος ἠλευθερωκέναι ἐδόκει τὴν πόλιν τὸν Οὐολούσκων ὑβριστὴν καθελὼν στρατὸν καὶ τὸν ἡγεμόνα αὐτῶν ἀποκτείνας τὴν μείζονα πομπὴν ἐψηφίσαντο· καὶ εἰσήλασεν ὁ ἀνὴρ ἄγων τὰ λάφυρα καὶ τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους καὶ τὴν συναγωνισαμένην δύναμιν ἅρματι παρεμβεβηκὼς χρυσοχαλίνων ἵππων τὴν βασιλικὴν ἠμφιεσμένος ἐσθῆτα, ὡς περὶ τοὺς μείζονας θριάμβους νόμος.
Not indeed the same to both; but to Siccius, since he seemed to have freed the city from a greater fear by destroying the insolent army of the Volscians and killing their leader, they voted the greater procession; and the man entered, leading the spoils, the prisoners, and the army that had fought with him, riding in a chariot of horses with golden bridles and dressed in the royal robe, as is the custom in the greater triumphs.
Ἀκυλλίῳ δὲ τὸν ἐλάττονα θρίαμβον ἀπέδοσαν, ὃν αὐτοὶ καλοῦσιν οὐαστήν· δεδήλωται δέ μοι διὰ τῶν προτέρων, ἣν ἔχει διαφορὰν οὗτος πρὸς τὸν μείζονα· §8.67.10καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ ἀνὴρ πεζὸς τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς πομπῆς ἐπαγόμενος.
To Aquillius they granted the lesser triumph, which they themselves call an ovatio; and it has been shown by me in the preceding parts what difference this has from the greater one; and the man entered on foot, leading the rest of the procession.
καὶ τὸ ἔτος τοῦτο ἐτελεύτα.
And this year came to an end.