§10.41.1proelium commissum atrox, ceterum longe disparibus animis: Romanos ira, spes, ardor certaminis avidos hostium sanguinis in proelium rapit; Samnitium magnam partem necessitas ac religio invitos magis. resistere quam inferre pugnam cogit.
The battle was joined with great fury, but with far different spirits: anger, hope, and the eagerness of the contest hurried the Romans into battle, greedy for the enemies' blood; necessity and religious awe compelled a large part of the Samnites, rather unwillingly, to resist rather than to attack.
§10.41.2nec sustinuissent primum clamorem atque impetum Romanorum, per aliquot iam annos vinci adsueti, ni potentior alius metus insidens pectoribus a fuga retineret.
Nor would they have withstood the first shout and onset of the Romans, accustomed as they had been to be defeated for several years now, had not another and more powerful fear residing in their breasts restrained them from flight.
§10.41.3quippe in oculis erat omnis ille occulti apparatus sacri et armati sacerdotes et promiscua hominum pecudumque sttruos et respersae fando nefandoque sanguine arae et dira execratio ac furiale carmen detestandae familiae stirpique conpositum: iis vinculis fugae obstricti stabant, civem magis quam hostem timentes.
For they had before their eyes all that preparation of the secret sacred rite, and the armed priests, and the promiscuous heap of men and beasts, and the altars sprinkled with blood speakable and unspeakable, and the dreadful imprecation and the furious song composed for the destruction of their family and race: bound by these chains against flight they stood, fearing their own fellow-citizens more than the enemy.
§10.41.4instare Romanus a cornu utroque, a media acie, et caedere deorum hominumque attonitos metu; repugnatur segniter, ut ab iis, quos timor moraretur a fuga.
The Romans pressed on from both wings and from the center, cutting down those who were stunned by the fear of gods and men; the resistance was made sluggishly, as by those whom fear restrained from flight.
§10.41.5iam prope ad signa caedes pervenerat, cum ex transverse pulvis velut ingentis agminis incessu motus apparuit; Sp. Nautius — Octavium Maecium quidam eum tradunt — cum auxiliaribus cohortibus erat; §10.41.6pulverem maiorem quam pro numero excitabant; insidentes mulis calones frondosos ramos per terram trahebant.
Now the slaughter had nearly reached the standards, when from a flank there appeared a cloud of dust raised as if by the march of a huge army; Spurius Nautius—some hand him down as Octavius Maecius—was there with the auxiliary cohorts; they were raising a greater dust than was proportioned to their number; the camp-servants riding on the mules were dragging leafy branches along the ground.
arma signaque per turbidam lucem in primo apparebant; post altior densiorque pulvis equitum speciem cogentium agmen dabat §10.41.7fefellitque non Samnites modo sed etiam Romanos; et consul adfirmavit errorem clamitans inter prima signa, ita ut vox etiam ad hostis accideret, captum Cominium, victorem collegam adesse: adniterentur vincere, priusquam gloria alterius exercitus fieret.
Weapons and standards appeared in the front through the dim light; behind, a higher and denser cloud of dust gave the appearance of cavalry bringing up the rear, and deceived not only the Samnites but also the Romans; and the consul confirmed the error by shouting among the foremost standards, so that his voice might reach even the enemy, that Cominium was taken, and his victorious colleague was present: let them strive to conquer before the glory should become that of the other army.
§10.41.8haec insidens equo; inde tribunis centurionibusque imperat, ut viam equitibus patefaciant; ipse Trebonio Caedicioque praedixerat, ut, ubi se cuspidem erectam quatientem vidissent, quanta maxima vi possent, concitarent equites in hostem.
This he said while sitting on his horse; then he commanded the tribunes and centurions to clear a way for the cavalry; he himself had previously instructed Trebonius and Caedicius that, when they saw him shaking his spear held erect, they should urge the cavalry against the enemy with the greatest force possible.
§10.41.9ad nutum omnia, ut ex ante praeparato, fiunt: panduntur inter ordines viae, provolat eques atque infestis cuspidibus in medium agmen hostium ruit perrumpitque ordines, quacumque impetum dedit.
Everything was done at his nod, as if prepared beforehand: ways were opened between the ranks, the cavalry flew forward and with lowered spears rushed into the midst of the enemy's line and broke through the ranks wherever they made their charge.
instant Volumnius et Scipio et perculsos sternunt.
Volumnius and Scipio pressed on and laid low those who were thrown into confusion.
§10.41.10tum iam deorum hominumque victa vis: funduntur linteatae cohortes, pariter iurati iniuratique fugiunt nec quemquam praeter hostes metuunt.
Then indeed the power of gods and men was overcome: the linen-clad cohorts were scattered, and those who had taken the oath and those who had not fled alike, fearing none but the enemy.
§10.41.11peditum agmen, quod superfuit pugnae, in castra aut Aquiloniam conpulsum est; nobilitas equitesque Bovianum perfugerunt.
The force of infantry that survived the battle was driven into the camp or to Aquilonia; the nobility and the cavalry fled to Bovianum.
equitem eques sequitur, peditem pedes; diversa cornua dextrum ad castra Samnitium, laevum ad urbem tendit.
Horseman followed horseman, foot soldier followed foot soldier; the wings separated, the right heading toward the Samnites' camp, the left toward the city.
§10.41.12prior aliquanto Volumnius castra cepit; ad urbem Scipioni maiore resistitur vi, non quia plus animi victis est, sed melius muri quam vallum armatos arcent: §10.41.13inde lapidibus propulsant hostem.
Volumnius captured the camp some what earlier; at the city, resistance was made against Scipio with greater force, not because the vanquished had more courage, but because walls keep off armed men better than a rampart does: from there they repulsed the enemy with stones.
Scipio, nisi in primo pavore, priusquam colligerentur animi, transacta res esset, lentiorem fore munitae urbis oppugnationem ratus, interrogat milites, satin aequo animo paterentur ab altero cornu castra capta esse, se victores pelli a portis urbis.
Scipio, thinking that unless the business was finished in the first panic before their spirits could be recovered, the siege of the fortified city would be slower, asked the soldiers whether they could bear with equanimity that the camp had been captured by the other wing, while they, the victors, were repulsed from the gates of the city.
§10.41.14reclamantibus universis primus ipse scuto super caput elato pergit ad portam; secuti alii testudine facta in urbem perrumpunt deturbatisque Samnitibus quae circa portam erant muri occupavere; penetrare in interiora urbis, quia pauci admodum erant, non audent.
While all cried out against this, he himself, first with his shield held over his head, went forward to the gate; the others followed and, having made a testudo, broke into the city and, having dislodged the Samnites, occupied the walls around the gate; they did not dare to penetrate into the interior of the city, because they were very few.