§21.34.1Perventum inde ad frequentem cultoribus alium, ut inter montanos, populum.
From there they came to another tribe, which was populous for mountaineers.
ibi non bello aperto sed suis artibus, fraude et insidiis, est prope circumventus.
There, not by open war but by their own arts, deceit and treachery, he was almost surrounded.
§21.34.2magno natu principes castellorum oratores ad Poenum veniunt, alienis malis, utili exemplo, doctos memorantes amicitiam malle quam vim experiri Poenorum; §21.34.3itaque oboedienter imperata facturos; commeatum itinerisque duces et ad fidem promissorum obsides acciperet.
Elderly chiefs of the strongholds came as envoys to the Carthaginian, stating that they, having learned from the misfortunes of others—a useful example—preferred to experience the friendship rather than the power of the Carthaginians; therefore, they would obediently perform his commands; and they requested that he accept provisions, guides for the journey, and hostages as a pledge of their promises.
§21.34.4Hannibal nec temere credendum nec aspernandos ratus, ne repudiati aperte hostes fierent, benigne cum respondisset, obsidibus, quos dabant, acceptis et commeatu, quem in viam ipsi detulerant, usus, nequaquam ut inter pacatos composito agmine duces eorum sequitur.
Hannibal, thinking that he should neither trust them rashly nor reject them, lest they should become open enemies if rebuffed, gave a friendly answer, accepted the hostages they offered, and made use of the provisions they themselves had brought down to the road; but he followed their guides by no means as if marching through a peaceful country, but with his line of march strictly formed.
§21.34.5primum agmen elephanti et equites erant; §21.34.6ipse post cum robore peditum circumspectans sollicitusque ad omnia incedebat.
The vanguard consisted of the elephants and cavalry; he himself followed behind with the main body of the infantry, looking around and anxious about everything.
ubi in angustiorem viam et parte altera subiectam iugo insuper inminenti ventum est, undique ex insidiis barbari a fronte ab tergo coorti comminus eminus petunt, saxa ingentia in agmen devolvunt.
When they had come into a narrower path, which on one side was commanded by a ridge hanging over them from above, the barbarians, rising up from their ambushes on all sides, from front and rear, attacked them at close quarters and from a distance, and rolled huge rocks down upon the column.
§21.34.7maxima ab tergo vis hominum urgebat.
The greatest force of men was pressing from the rear.
in eos versa peditum acies haud dubium fecit, quin, nisi firmata extrema agminis fuissent, ingens in eo saltu accipienda clades fuerit.
The line of infantry, turned against them, made it beyond doubt that, if the rear of the column had not been strengthened, a huge disaster would have been suffered in that pass.
§21.34.8tunc quoque ad extremum periculi ac prope perniciem ventum est.
Even then they came to the extremity of danger and almost to destruction.
nam dum cunctatur Hannibal demittere agmen in angustias, quia non, ut ipse equitibus praesidio erat, ita peditibus quicquam ab tergo auxilii reliqui erat, §21.34.9occursantes per obliqua montani interrupto medio agmine viam insedere, noxque una Hannibali sine equitibus atque inpedimentis acta est.
For while Hannibal hesitated to lead the column down into the narrow pass, because there was no protection left for the infantry from behind, as he himself was a protection to the cavalry, the mountaineers, rushing down across the slopes, broke the column in the middle and occupied the road; and one night was spent by Hannibal without his cavalry and baggage.