§3.111.1Ἀννίβας δὲ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν θεωρῶν ὅτι καλεῖ τὰ πράγματα μάχεσθαι καὶ συμβάλλειν τοῖς πολεμίοις, εὐλαβούμενος δὲ μὴ διατέτραπται τὸ πλῆθος ἐκ τοῦ προγεγονότος ἐλαττώματος, κρίνας προσδεῖσθαι παρακλήσεως τὸν καιρὸν συνῆγε τοὺς πολλούς.
Hannibal, at the same time, seeing that circumstances called for fighting and engaging with the enemy, but being cautious lest the multitude had been discouraged by the previous setback, and judging that the occasion stood in need of an exhortation, assembled his troops.
§3.111.2ἁθροισθέντων δέ, περιβλέψαι κελεύσας πάντας εἰς τοὺς πέριξ τόπους, ἤρετο τί μεῖζον εὔξασθαι τοῖς θεοῖς κατὰ τοὺς παρόντας ἐδύναντο καιρούς, δοθείσης αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίας, τοῦ παρὰ πολὺ τῶν πολεμίων ἱπποκρατοῦντας ἐν τοιούτοις τόποις διακριθῆναι περὶ τῶν ὅλων.
And when they had assembled, having ordered them all to look around at the surrounding country, he asked what greater thing they could pray to the gods for under the present circumstances, if the power were given to them, than, being vastly superior to the enemy in cavalry, to decide the whole issue in such places.
§3.111.3πάντων δὲ τὸ ῥηθὲν ἐπισημηναμένων διὰ τὴν ἐνάργειαν ‘τούτου τοιγαροῦν’ ἔφη ‘πρῶτον μὲν τοῖς θεοῖς ἔχετε χάριν· ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ ἡμῖν συγκατασκευάζοντες τὴν νίκην εἰς τοιούτους τόπους ἤχασι τοὺς ἐχθρούς· §3.111.4δεύτερον δʼ ἡμῖν, ὅτι καὶ μάχεσθαι τοὺς πολεμίους συνηναγκάσαμεν· οὐ γὰρ ἔτι δύνανται τοῦτο διαφυγεῖν· καὶ μάχεσθαι προφανῶς ἐν τοῖς ἡμετέροις προτερήμασι.
And when all approved of what had been said because of its self-evidence, he said, "For this, therefore, first of all give thanks to the gods; for they, helping to prepare our victory, have brought the enemies into such places; secondly to us, because we have also forced the enemy to fight; for they can no longer escape this, and must fight in conditions where our advantages are obvious.
§3.111.5τὸ δὲ παρακαλεῖν ὑμᾶς νῦν διὰ πλειόνων εὐθαρσεῖς καὶ προθύμους εἶναι πρὸς τὸν κίνδυνον οὐδαμῶς μοι δοκεῖ καθήκειν.
And to exhort you now at greater length to be of good courage and eager for the danger does not seem to me to be at all appropriate.
§3.111.6ὅτε μὲν γὰρ ἀπείρως διέκεισθε τῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους μάχης, ἔδει τοῦτο ποιεῖν, καὶ μεθʼ ὑποδειγμάτων ἐγὼ πρὸς ὑμᾶς πολλοὺς διεθέμην λόγους· §3.111.7ὅτε δὲ κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς τρισὶ μάχαις τηλικαύταις ἐξ ὁμολογουμένου νενικήκατε Ῥωμαίους, ποῖος ἂν ἔτι λόγος ὑμῖν ἰσχυρότερον παραστήσαι θάρσος αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων;
For when you were inexperienced in fighting against the Romans, it was necessary to do this, and I addressed many speeches to you with examples; but now that you have consecutively, in three such great battles, by common consent defeated the Romans, what speech could instill in you a stronger courage than these very deeds?
§3.111.8διὰ μὲν οὖν τῶν πρὸ τοῦ κινδύνων κεκρατήκατε τῆς χώρας καὶ τῶν ἐκ ταύτης ἀγαθῶν κατὰ τὰς ἡμετέρας ἐπαγγελίας, ἀψευστούντων ἡμῶν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰρημένοις· ὁ δὲ νῦν ἀγὼν ἐνέστηκεν περὶ τῶν πόλεων καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐταῖς ἀγαθῶν.
Indeed, through our former struggles you have made yourselves masters of the countryside and its riches, according to our promises, we having been truthful in all that was said to you; but the present struggle has begun for the cities and the riches within them.
§3.111.9οὗ κρατήσαντες κύριοι μὲν ἔσεσθε παραχρῆμα πάσης Ἰταλίας, ἀπαλλαγέντες δὲ τῶν νῦν πόνων, γενόμενοι συμπάσης ἐγκρατεῖς τῆς Ῥωμαίων εὐδαιμονίας, ἡγεμόνες ἅμα καὶ δεσπόται πάντων γενήσεσθε διὰ ταύτης τῆς μάχης.
Having conquered in this, you will immediately become masters of all Italy, and having been delivered from your present hardships, having become masters of the entire wealth of the Romans, you will become at once leaders and masters of all things through this battle.
§3.111.10διόπερ οὐκέτι λόγων ἀλλʼ ἔργων ἐστὶν ἡ χρεία· θεῶν γὰρ βουλομένων ὅσον οὔπω βεβαιώσειν ὑμῖν πέπεισμαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας. §3.111.11’ ταῦτα δὲ καὶ τούτοις παραπλήσια διαλεχθείς, προθύμως αὐτὸν ἐπισημαινομένου τοῦ πλήθους, ἐπαινέσας καὶ δεξάμενος αὐτῶν τὴν ὁρμὴν ἀφῆκε καὶ παραχρῆμα κατεστρατοπέδευσε, ποιούμενος τὸν χάρακα παρὰ τὴν αὐτὴν πλευρὰν τοῦ ποταμοῦ τῇ μείζονι στρατοπεδείᾳ τῶν ὑπεναντίων.
Therefore, there is no longer need of words but of deeds; for, the gods willing, I am persuaded that they will very soon confirm my promises to you." Having spoken these and similar words, the multitude eagerly applauding him, having praised and welcomed their enthusiasm, he dismissed them, and immediately pitched camp, making his entrenchment on the same side of the river as the larger camp of the enemy.