§2.45.1consules quoque Romani nihil aliud quam suas vires, sua arma horrebant.
The Roman consuls also dreaded nothing other than their own strength, their own weapons.
§2.45.2memoria pessimi proximo bello exempli terrebat, ne rem committerent eo, ubi duae simul acies timendae essent.
The memory of the worst example in the last war terrified them, lest they should commit the issue to a place where two battle-lines had to be feared at the same time.
itaque castris se tenebant, tam ancipiti periculo aversi: diem tempusque forsitan ipsum leniturum iras sanitatemque animis adlaturum.
Therefore they kept themselves in the camp, averted from so two-sided a danger, thinking that days and time itself would perhaps soften their anger and bring sanity to their minds.
§2.45.3Veiens hostis Etruscique eo magis praepropere agere; lacessere ad pugnam primo obequitando castris provocandoque, postremo, ut nihil movebant, qua consules ipsos, qua exercitum increpando: §2.45.4simulationem intestinae discordiae remedium timoris inventum, et consules magis non confidere quam non credere suis militibus; novum seditionis genus, silentium otiumque inter armatos.
The Veientine enemy and the Etruscans acted all the more precipitately; they provoked to battle, at first by riding up to the camp and challenging, and finally, as they could move nothing, by reviling now the consuls themselves, now the army: that the pretense of internal discord had been found as a remedy for fear, and that the consuls rather distrusted than disbelieved their own soldiers; and that a new kind of sedition was silence and quiet among armed men.
ad haec in novitatem generis originisque qua falsa, qua vera iacere.
In addition to these, they threw out, partly false and partly true things, against the novelty of their family and origin.
§2.45.5haec cum sub ipso vallo portisque streperent, haud aegre consules pati; at inperitae multitudini nunc indignatio, nunc pudor pectora versare et ab intestinis avertere malis: nolle inultos hostes, nolle successum non patribus, non consulibus; externa et domestica odia certare in animis.
While these things were being shouted beneath the very rampart and gates, the consuls bore it not unwillingly; but in the inexperienced multitude, now indignation, now shame stirred their breasts and turned them from internal evils: they did not want the enemy to go unavenged, nor did they want success for either the patricians or the consuls; external and domestic hatreds contended in their minds.
§2.45.6tandem superant externa; adeo superbe insolenterque hostis eludebat.
At length the external ones triumphed; so proudly and insolently did the enemy mock them.
frequentes in praetorium conveniunt; poscunt pugnam, postulant, ut signum detur.
They assembled in crowds at the general's tent; they demanded battle, they requested that the signal be given.
§2.45.7consules velut deliberabundi capita conferunt, diu conloquuntur.
The consuls, as if deliberating, put their heads together and spoke for a long time.
pugnare cupiebant, sed retro revocanda et abdenda cupiditas erat, ut adversando remorandoque incitato semel militi adderent impetum.
They wished to fight, but their desire had to be held back and concealed, so that by opposing and delaying they might add force to the soldier once he was incited.
§2.45.8redditur responsum inmaturam rem agi, nondum tempus pugnae esse; castris se tenerent.
An answer was returned that the matter was immature, that it was not yet the time for battle; they should keep themselves in the camp.
edicunt inde, ut abstineant pugna: si quis iniussu pugnaverit, ut in hostem animadversuros.
They then issued an edict that they should abstain from battle: if anyone fought without orders, they would punish him as an enemy.
§2.45.9ita dimissis, quo minus consules velle credunt, crescit ardor pugnandi.
When they were thus dismissed, the less they believed the consuls wished it, the more the eagerness for fighting grew.
accendunt insuper hostes ferocius multo, ut statuisse non pugnare consules cognitum est: §2.45.10quippe inpune se insultaturos, non credi militi arma, rem ad ultimum seditionis erupturam, finemque venisse Romano imperio.
Moreover, the enemy inflamed them much more fiercely, as soon as it was known that the consuls had decided not to fight: for they believed that they would insult them with impunity, that weapons were not trusted to the soldier, that the matter would break out into the ultimate sedition, and that the end had come to the Roman empire.
his freti occursant portis, ingerunt probra, aegre abstinent, quin castra oppugnent.
Relying on these hopes, they ran to the gates, heaped insults, and scarcely refrained from attacking the camp.
enimvero non ultra contumeliam pati Romanus posse; §2.45.11totis castris undique ad consules curritur; non iam sensim, ut ante, per centurionum principes postulant, sed passim omnes clamoribus agunt.
Indeed, the Romans could no longer endure the contumely; from the whole camp, they rushed from all sides to the consuls; they no longer demanded gradually, as before, through the chief centurions, but all everywhere urged with shouts.
matura res erat; tergiversantur tamen.
The matter was ripe; yet they hesitated.
§2.45.12Fabius deinde, ad crescentem tumultum iam metu seditionis collega concedente, cum silentium classico fecisset: “ego istos, Cn. Manli, posse vincere scio;
Then Fabius, since his colleague was already yielding through fear of sedition to the growing tumult, when he had made silence with the trumpet, said: "I know, Cnaeus Manlius, that those men are able to conquer; but whether they wish it, they themselves have prevented me from knowing.
§2.45.13velle ne scirem, ipsi fecerunt. itaque certum atque decretum est non dare signum, nisi victores se redituros ex hac pugna iurant.
Therefore it is fixed and decreed not to give the signal, unless they swear that they will return victorious from this battle.
consulem Romanum miles semel in acie fefellit, deos numquam fallet. ” centurio erat M. Flavoleius, inter primores pugnae flagitator.
The soldier has deceived the Roman consul once in the battle-line; he will never deceive the gods." The centurion Marcus Flavoleius was there, a demander among the foremost in the battle.
§2.45.14“victor” inquit, “M. Fabi, revertar ex acie. ” si fallat, Iovem patrem Gradivumque Martem aliosque iratos invocat deos.
"Victorious," he said, "Marcus Fabius, will I return from the battle-line." If he should deceive, he invoked father Jupiter, Mars Gradivus, and other angry gods against himself.
idem deinceps omnis exercitus in se quisque iurat.
Then, one by one, the whole army swore the same oath.
iuratis datur signum; arma capiunt; eunt in pugnam irarum speique pleni.
To those who had sworn, the signal was given; they took up arms; they went into battle full of anger and hope.
nunc iubent Etruscos probra iacere, §2.45.15nunc armati sibi quisque lingua promptum hostem offerri.
Now they commanded the Etruscans to throw their insults, now, armed, each wished that the enemy, so prompt with his tongue, be presented to him.
§2.45.16omnium illo die, qua plebis, qua patrum, eximia virtus fuit; Fabium nomen maxime enituit.
On that day, the valor of all, both of the plebs and of the patricians, was extraordinary; the name of Fabius shone out most.
multis civilibus certaminibus infensos plebis animos illa pugna sibi reconciliare statuunt.
They resolved to reconcile to themselves by this battle the minds of the plebs, which had been hostile through many civil conflicts.