§21.46.1apud Romanos haudquaquam tanta alacritas erat, super cetera recentibus etiam territos prodigiis; §21.46.2nam et lupus intraverat castra laniatisque obviis ipse intactus evaserat, et examen apum in arbore praetorio imminente consederat.
Among the Romans, there was by no means such great alacrity, they having been terrified, besides other things, also by recent prodigies; for both a wolf had entered the camp and, having torn those in his way, had himself escaped untouched, and a swarm of bees had settled on a tree overhanging the general's tent.
§21.46.3quibus procuratis Scipio cum equitatu iaculatoribusque expeditis profectus ad castra hostium ex propinquo copiasque, quantae et cuius generis essent, speculandas, obvius fit Hannibali et ipsi cum equitibus ad exploranda circa loca progresso.
These prodigies having been expiated, Scipio set out with the cavalry and light-armed javelin-throwers to reconnoitre the camp of the enemy from nearby, and their forces, of what size and of what kind they were, and met Hannibal, who himself had also advanced with cavalry to explore the surrounding places.
§21.46.4neutri alteros primo cernebant; densior deinde incessu tot hominum et equorum oriens pulvis signum propinquantium hostium fuit.
Neither at first saw the other; then a dust cloud, rising thicker from the march of so many men and horses, was a sign of the approaching enemy.
consistit utrumque agmen, et ad proelium sese expediebant.
Each army halted, and they prepared themselves for battle.
§21.46.5Scipio A iaculatores et Gallos equites in fronte locat, Romanos! sociorumque quod roboris fuit, in subsidiis; Hannibal frenatos equites in medium accipit, cornua Numidis firmat.
Scipio A places the javelin-throwers and the Gallic cavalry in front, and the Romans! and whatever of strength there was of the allies, in reserve; Hannibal receives the bridled cavalry in the center, and strengthens the wings with the Numidians.
§21.46.6vixdum clamore sublato iaculatores fugerunt inter subsidia ad secundam aciem.
Scarcely had the shout been raised when the javelin-throwers fled through the reserves to the second line.
inde equitum certamen erat aliquamdiu anceps; dein, quia turbabant equos pedites intermixti, multis labentibus ex equis aut desilientibus, ubi suos premi circumventos vidissent, iam magna ex parte ad pedes pugna venerat, §21.46.7donec Numidae, qui in cornibus erant, circumvecti paulum ab tergo se ostenderunt.
Thence the contest of the cavalry was for some time undecided; then, because the intermingled infantry frightened the horses, many falling from their horses or leaping down when they saw their men hard pressed and surrounded, the battle had now largely come to a fight on foot, until the Numidians, who were on the wings, having ridden round, showed themselves a little from the rear.
is pavor perculit Romanos, auxitque pavorem consulis vulnus periculumque intercursu tum primum pubescentis fili propulsatum.
This terror struck the Romans, and the wound of the consul and his danger, averted by the intervention of his son, then first coming to manhood, increased the terror.
§21.46.8hic erit iuvenis, penes quem perfecti huiusce belli laus est, Africanus ob egregiam victoriam de Hannibale Poenisque appellatus.
This will be the youth, in whose hands is the glory of finishing this war, called Africanus on account of his extraordinary victory over Hannibal and the Carthaginians.
§21.46.9fuga tamen effusa iaculatorum maxume fruit, quos primos Numidae invaserunt; alius confertus equitatus consulem in medium acceptum non armis modo sed etiam corporibus suis protegens in castra nusquam trepide neque effuse cedendo reduxit.
The scattered flight, however, was chiefly that of the javelin-throwers, whom the Numidians first attacked; the rest of the cavalry, in close array, receiving the consul into their midst and protecting him not only with their arms but also with their bodies, brought him back to the camp, retreating nowhere in panic or in disorder.
§21.46.10servati consulis decus Coelius ad servum natione Ligurem delegat; malim equidem de filio verum esse, quod et plures tradidere auctores et fama obtinuit.
Coelius assigns the glory of having saved the consul to a slave of the Ligurian nation; I for my part should prefer it to be true concerning the son, which both more authors have handed down and tradition has maintained.