§1.33.1οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι θεωροῦντες τοὺς Καρχηδονίους τάς τε πορείας ποιουμένους διὰ τῶν ὁμαλῶν τόπων καὶ τὰς στρατοπεδείας τιθέντας ἐν τοῖς ἐπιπέδοις τῶν χωρίων, κατʼ αὐτὸ μὲν τοῦτο ξενιζόμενοι διετρέποντο, τοῖς γε μὴν ὅλοις ἔσπευδον ἐγγίσαι τοῖς πολεμίοις.
The Romans, seeing that the Carthaginians made their marches through flat country and pitched their camps on level ground, were surprised and troubled by this very fact, but nevertheless they were eager to close with the enemy.
§1.33.2συνάψαντες δὲ τὴν μὲν πρώτην ἡμέραν κατεστρατοπέδευσαν ὡς δέκα σταδίους ἀποσχόντες τῶν ὑπεναντίων.
Having come near them, on the first day they encamped at a distance of about ten stades from their opponents.
§1.33.3τῇ δὲ κατὰ πόδας οἱ μὲν προεστῶτες τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἐβουλεύοντο πῶς καὶ τί πρακτέον εἴη κατὰ τὸ παρόν· §1.33.4οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ προθύμως ἔχοντες πρὸς τὸν κίνδυνον, συστρεφόμενοι κατὰ μέρη καὶ κατʼ ὄνομα τὸν Ξάνθιππον ἀναβοῶντες ἐξάγειν σφᾶς ᾤοντο δεῖν τὴν ταχίστην.
On the following day, the leaders of the Carthaginians held a council as to how and what was to be done under the circumstances; but the common soldiers, being eager for battle, gathered in groups and, calling upon Xanthippus by name, demanded that he should lead them out as quickly as possible.
§1.33.5οἱ δὲ στρατηγοὶ τήν τε τῶν ὄχλων ὁρμὴν καὶ προθυμίαν θεωροῦντες, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τοῦ Ξανθίππου διαμαρτυρομένου μὴ παριέναι τὸν καιρόν, παρήγγειλαν τῷ μὲν πλήθει διασκευάζεσθαι, τῷ δὲ Ξανθίππῳ χρῆσθαι τοῖς πράγμασιν ἐπέτρεψαν ὥς ποτʼ αὐτῷ δοκεῖ συμφέρειν.
The generals, seeing the impulse and eagerness of the crowd, while at the same time Xanthippus also strongly urged that they should not let the opportunity slip, ordered the multitude to get ready, and entrusted the management of the business to Xanthippus, to act as he thought best.
§1.33.6ὁ δὲ λαβὼν τὴν ἐξουσίαν, τοὺς μὲν ἐλέφαντας ἐξαγαγὼν ἐφʼ ἕνα πρὸ πάσης τῆς δυνάμεως ἐν μετώπῳ κατέστησε, τὴν δὲ φάλαγγα τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἐν ἀποστήματι συμμέτρῳ τούτοις κατόπιν ἐπέστησε.
Having received the command, he led out the elephants and placed them in a single line in front of the entire force, and stationed the Carthaginian phalanx behind them at a suitable distance.
§1.33.7τῶν δὲ μισθοφόρων τοὺς μὲν ἐπὶ τὸ δεξιὸν κέρας παρενέβαλεν, τοὺς δʼ εὐκινητοτάτους ὁμοῦ τοῖς ἱππεῦσιν ἑκατέρου τοῦ κέρατος προέστησεν.
Some of the mercenaries he placed on the right wing, and the most active of them he posted, along with the cavalry, in front of each wing.
§1.33.8οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι συνιδόντες παραταττομένους τοὺς ὑπεναντίους ἀντεξῄεσαν ἑτοίμως.
The Romans, seeing their opponents drawing up in battle array, readily marched out to meet them.
§1.33.9καταπληττόμενοι δὲ καὶ προορώμενοι τὴν τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἔφοδον, προθέμενοι τοὺς γροσφομάχους πολλὰς ἐπʼ ἀλλήλαις κατόπιν ἵστασαν σημείας, τοὺς δʼ ἱππεῖς ἐμέρισαν ἐφʼ ἑκάτερον τὸ κέρας.
Being alarmed by and anticipating the charge of the elephants, they placed their velites in front, and stationed many maniples one behind the other, while they divided their cavalry on each wing.
§1.33.10τὴν δὲ σύμπασαν τάξιν βραχυτέραν μὲν ἢ πρόσθεν, βαθυτέραν δὲ ποιήσαντες τῆς μὲν πρὸς τὰ θηρία μάχης δεόντως ἦσαν ἐστοχασμένοι, τῆς δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἱππεῖς, πολλαπλασίους ὄντας τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῖς, ὁλοσχερῶς ἠστόχησαν.
By making their whole line narrower but deeper than before, they had indeed taken proper measures for the fight against the beasts, but they were completely wide of the mark regarding the fight against the cavalry, which was many times more numerous than their own.
§1.33.11ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀμφότεροι κατὰ τὰς ἑαυτῶν προαιρέσεις καὶ καθόλου καὶ κατὰ μέρος ἑκάστους ἔθηκαν εἰς τὰς ἁρμοζούσας τάξεις, ἔμενον ἐν κόσμῳ, καραδοκοῦντες τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἀλλήλων ἐπιθέσεως.
When both sides, according to their own plans, had placed their respective forces in suitable formations both as a whole and in detail, they remained in order, waiting for the opportunity to attack each other.