§3.44.1ὁ δὲ στρατηγὸς τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἅμα τῆς τε διαβάσεως καὶ τῶν ὑπεναντίων κεκρατηκὼς παραυτίκα μὲν ἐγίνετο πρὸς τῇ παρακομιδῇ τῶν πέραν ἀπολειπομένων ἀνδρῶν, §3.44.2πάσας δʼ ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ διαπεραιώσας τὰς δυνάμεις ἐκείνην μὲν τὴν νύκτα παρʼ αὐτὸν τὸν ποταμὸν κατεστρατοπέδευσεν, §3.44.3τῇ δʼ ἐπαύριον ἀκούων τὸν τῶν Ῥωμαίων στόλον περὶ τὰ στόματα τοῦ ποταμοῦ καθωρμίσθαι, προχειρισάμενος πεντακοσίους τῶν Νομαδικῶν ἱππέων ἐξαπέστειλε κατασκεψομένους ποῦ καὶ πόσοι τυγχάνουσιν ὄντες καὶ τί πράττουσιν οἱ πολέμιοι. §3.44.4κατὰ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν καὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἐλεφάντων διάβασιν προεχειρίσατο τοὺς ἐπιτηδείους. §3.44.5αὐτὸς δὲ συναγαγὼν τὰς δυνάμεις εἰσήγαγε τοὺς βασιλίσκους τοὺς περὶ Μάγιλον — οὗτοι γὰρ ἧκον πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν περὶ τὸν Πάδον πεδίων — καὶ διʼ ἑρμηνέως τὰ δεδογμένα παρʼ αὐτῶν διεσάφει τοῖς ὄχλοις. §3.44.6ἦν δὲ τῶν λεγομένων ἰσχυρότατα πρὸς θάρσος τῶν πολλῶν πρῶτον μὲν ἡ τῆς παρουσίας ἐνάργεια τῶν ἐπισπωμένων καὶ κοινωνήσειν ἐπαγγελλομένων τοῦ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους πολέμου, §3.44.7δεύτερον δὲ τὸ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας αὐτῶν ἀξιόπιστον, ὅτι καθηγήσονται διὰ τόπων τοιούτων διʼ ὧν οὐδενὸς ἐπιδεόμενοι τῶν ἀναγκαίων συντόμως ἅμα καὶ μετʼ ἀσφαλείας ποιήσονται τὴν εἰς Ἰταλίαν πορείαν, §3.44.8πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἡ τῆς χώρας γενναιότης, εἰς ἣν ἀφίξονται, καὶ τὸ μέγεθος, ἔτι δὲ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἡ προθυμία, μεθʼ ὧν μέλλουσι ποιεῖσθαι τοὺς ἀγῶνας πρὸς τὰς τῶν Ῥωμαίων δυνάμεις. §3.44.9οἱ μὲν οὖν Κελτοὶ τοιαῦτα διαλεχθέντες ἀνεχώρησαν. §3.44.10μετὰ δὲ τούτους εἰσελθὼν αὐτὸς πρῶτον μὲν τῶν προγεγενημένων πράξεων ἀνέμνησε τοὺς ὄχλους· ἐν αἷς ἔφη πολλοῖς αὐτοὺς καὶ παραβόλοις ἔργοις καὶ κινδύνοις ἐπικεχειρηκότας ἐν οὐδενὶ διεσφάλθαι, κατακολουθήσαντας τῇ ʼκείνου γνώμῃ καὶ συμβουλίᾳ. §3.44.11τούτοις δʼ ἑξῆς εὐθαρσεῖς εἶναι παρεκάλει, θεωροῦντας διότι τὸ μέγιστον ἤνυσται τῶν ἔργων, ἐπειδὴ τῆς τε τοῦ ποταμοῦ διαβάσεως κεκρατήκασι τῆς τε τῶν συμμάχων εὐνοίας καὶ προθυμίας αὐτόπται γεγόνασι. §3.44.12διόπερ ᾤετο δεῖν περὶ μὲν τῶν κατὰ μέρος ῥᾳθυμεῖν, ὡς αὐτῷ μελόντων, πειθαρχοῦντας δὲ τοῖς παραγγέλμασιν ἄνδρας ἀγαθοὺς γίνεσθαι καὶ τῶν προγεγονότων ἔργων ἀξίους. §3.44.13τοῦ δὲ πλήθους ἐπισημαινομένου καὶ μεγάλην ὁρμὴν καὶ προθυμίαν ἐμφαίνοντος, ἐπαινέσας αὐτοὺς καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων εὐξάμενος διαφῆκε, παραγγείλας θεραπεύειν σφᾶς καὶ παρασκευάζεσθαι μετὰ σπουδῆς, ὡς εἰς τὴν αὔριον ἀναζυγῆς ἐσομένης.
The Carthaginian general, having secured both the passage and the defeat of the enemy, immediately set about the transport of the men who had been left on the other side. Having in a short time transported all his forces, he encamped for that night along the river itself. On the following day, hearing that the Roman fleet was anchored near the mouths of the river, he selected and dispatched five hundred of his Numidian horsemen to reconnoiter where and in what numbers the enemy were, and what they were doing. At the same time, he also selected suitable men to prepare for the crossing of the elephants. He himself, having assembled his forces, introduced the petty kings around Magilus—for these had come to him from the plains around the Padus—and through an interpreter made clear to the troops what had been resolved by them. What was said was most powerful in encouraging the multitude: first, the visible presence of those who were inviting them and promising to take part in the war against the Romans, and secondly, the credibility of their promise, namely, that they would guide them through such places where they would lack nothing necessary and would make their march into Italy both rapidly and safely. In addition to these things, there was the richness and magnitude of the country to which they would arrive, and furthermore, the eagerness of the men with whom they were to fight against the Roman forces. The Celts, having spoken to this effect, then withdrew. After them, Hannibal himself came forward and first reminded the multitude of their past achievements; in which, he said, though they had undertaken many daring deeds and dangers, they had never failed in any, as long as they followed his mind and counsel. Next to this, he exhorted them to be of good courage, seeing that the greatest of their tasks had been accomplished, since they had secured the passage of the river and had been eyewitnesses to the goodwill and eagerness of their allies. Therefore, he thought they should not trouble themselves about details, as these would be his care, but obey his orders, show themselves brave men, and worthy of their past deeds. As the multitude cheered and showed great enthusiasm and eagerness, he praised them, and having prayed to the gods for them all, dismissed them, ordering them to refresh themselves and prepare with speed, as the march would begin on the morrow.