§3.92.1Ἀννίβας μὲν οὖν τοιούτοις χρησάμενος λογισμοῖς καὶ διελθὼν ἐκ τῆς Σαυνίτιδος τὰ στενὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἐριβιανὸν καλούμενον λόφον κατεστρατοπέδευσε παρὰ τὸν Ἄθυρνον ποταμόν, ὃς σχεδὸν δίχα διαιρεῖ τὰ προειρημένα πεδία.
Thus Hannibal, employing such calculations and having passed from Samnium through the pass near the hill called Eribianus, encamped by the Athyrnus river, which divides the aforementioned plains almost in two.
§3.92.2καὶ τὴν μὲν παρεμβολὴν ἐκ τοῦ πρὸς Ῥώμην μέρους εἶχε, ταῖς δὲ προνομαῖς πᾶν ἐπιτρέχων ἐπόρθει τὸ πεδίον ἀδεῶς.
And he held his camp on the side facing Rome, and running over the whole plain with his foraging parties, he plundered it without fear.
§3.92.3Φάβιος δὲ κατεπέπληκτο μὲν τὴν ἐπιβολὴν καὶ τόλμαν τῶν ὑπεναντίων, τοσούτῳ δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τῶν κεκριμένων ἔμενεν.
Fabius, on the other hand, was struck by the enterprise and daring of his opponents, but all the more on that account he remained steadfast in his resolved decisions.
§3.92.4ὁ δὲ συνάρχων αὐτοῦ Μάρκος καὶ πάντες οἱ κατὰ τὸ στρατόπεδον χιλίαρχοι καὶ ταξίαρχοι νομίζοντες ἐν καλῷ τοὺς πολεμίους ἀπειληφέναι, σπεύδειν ᾤοντο δεῖν καὶ συνάπτειν εἰς τὰ πεδία καὶ μὴ περιορᾶν τὴν ἐπιφανεστάτην χώραν δῃουμένην.
But his colleague in command, Marcus, and all the military tribunes and centurions in the camp, thinking they had trapped the enemy in a favorable position, believed they ought to make haste and descend into the plains to join battle, and not look on while the most celebrated territory was being laid waste.
§3.92.5Φάβιος δὲ μέχρι μὲν τοῦ συνάψαι τοῖς τόποις ἔσπευδε καὶ συνυπεκρίνετο τοῖς προθύμως καὶ φιλοκινδύνως διακειμένοις, §3.92.6ἐγγίσας δὲ τῷ Φαλέρνῳ ταῖς μὲν παρωρείαις ἐπιφαινόμενος ἀντιπαρῆγε τοῖς πολεμίοις, ὥστε μὴ δοκεῖν τοῖς αὑτῶν συμμάχοις ἐκχωρεῖν τῶν ὑπαίθρων,
Fabius, indeed, up to the point of approaching the localities, showed haste and feigned agreement with those who were eagerly and adventurously disposed; but having approached the Falernian district, appearing on the foothills, he led his forces parallel to the enemy, so as not to seem to their allies to be abandoning the open country.
§3.92.7εἰς δὲ τὸ πεδίον οὐ καθίει τὴν δύναμιν, εὐλαβούμενος τοὺς ὁλοσχερεῖς κινδύνους διά τε τὰς προειρημένας αἰτίας καὶ διὰ τὸ προφανῶς ἱπποκρατεῖν παρὰ πολὺ τοὺς ὑπεναντίους.
However, he did not bring his force down into the plain, guarding against a general engagement both for the reasons already mentioned and because the enemy was manifestly far superior in cavalry.
§3.92.8Ἀννίβας δʼ ἐπειδὴ καταπειράσας τῶν πολεμίων καὶ καταφθείρας πᾶν τὸ πεδίον ἥθροισε λείας ἄπλετον πλῆθος, §3.92.9ἐγίνετο πρὸς ἀναζυγήν, βουλόμενος μὴ καταφθεῖραι τὴν λείαν, ἀλλʼ εἰς τοιοῦτον ἀπερείσασθαι τόπον, ἐν ᾧ δυνήσεται ποιήσασθαι καὶ τὴν παραχειμασίαν, ἵνα μὴ μόνον κατὰ τὸ παρὸν εὐωχίαν ἀλλὰ συνεχῶς δαψίλειαν ἔχῃ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων τὸ στρατόπεδον.
Hannibal, on his part, when he had tested the enemy and devastated the whole plain, and had collected an immense quantity of booty, set about breaking camp, wishing not to waste the booty, but to deposit it in such a place where he would be able to make his winter quarters, so that his army might have an abundance of provisions not only for the present but continuously.
§3.92.10Φάβιος δὲ καὶ κατανοῶν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπιβολήν, ὅτι προχειρίζεται ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἐπάνοδον ᾗπερ ἐποιήσατο καὶ τὴν εἴσοδον, καὶ θεωρῶν τοὺς τόπους στενοὺς ὄντας καὶ καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν εὐφυεῖς πρὸς ἐπίθεσιν, §3.92.11ἐπʼ αὐτῆς μὲν τῆς διεκβολῆς περὶ τετρακισχιλίους ἐπέστησε, παρακαλέσας χρήσασθαι τῇ προθυμίᾳ σὺν καιρῷ μετὰ τῆς τῶν τόπων εὐφυΐας, αὐτὸς δὲ τὸ πολὺ μέρος ἔχων τῆς δυνάμεως ἐπί τινα λόφον ὑπερδέξιον πρὸ τῶν στε
Fabius, both understanding his plan, that he was preparing to make his retreat by the very route he had made his entrance, and seeing that the passes were narrow and exceedingly well suited for an attack, stationed about four thousand men at the pass itself, exhorting them to employ their zeal at the right moment, in combination with the natural advantage of the place, while he himself with the main body of his force on a commanding hill in front of the nar...