§21.55.1Hannibalis interim miles ignibus ante tentoria factis oleoque per manipulos, ut mollirent artus, misso et cibo per otium capto, ubi transgressos flumen hostis nuntiatum est, alacer animis corporibusque arma capit atque in aciem procedit. §21.55.2Baliares locat ante signa levemque aliam armaturam, octo ferme milia hominum, dein graviorem armis peditem, quod virium, quod roboris erat; in cornibus circumfudit decem milia equitum, et ab cornibus in utramque partem divisos elephantos statuit. §21.55.3consul effuse sequentis equites, cum ab resistentibus subito Numidis incauti exciperentur, signo receptui dato revocatos circumdedit peditibus. §21.55.4duodeviginti milia Romana erant, socium nominis Latini viginti, auxilia praeterea Cenomanorum;
Meanwhile, Hannibal's soldiers, having lit fires before their tents, and oil having been distributed through the maniples to soften their limbs, and having taken food at their leisure, as soon as it was reported that the enemy had crossed the river, with minds and bodies full of vigor, took up their arms and advanced into line of battle. He placed the Baleares and other light-armed troops, about eight thousand men, in front of the standards; then the heavier-armed infantry, which was the main strength and vigor of his army; on the wings he stationed ten thousand cavalry, and on both sides, dividing them from the wings, he placed the elephants. The consul, when his cavalry, which were pursuing in a scattered manner, were suddenly surprised off their guard by the resisting Numidians, gave the signal for retreat and, having recalled them, placed them around the infantry. There were eighteen thousand Romans, twenty thousand of the allies of the Latin name, and besides, the auxiliary troops of the Cenomani; this was the only Gallic tribe that had remained faithful.
ea sola in fide manserat Gallica gens. iis copiis concursum est. §21.55.5proelium a Baliaribus ortum est; quibus cum maiore robore legiones obsisterent, diducta propere in cornua levis armatura est, quae res effecit, ut equitatus Romanus extemplo urgeretur. §21.55.6nam cum vix iam per se resisterent decem milibus equitum quattuor milia et fessi integris plerisque, obruti sunt insuper velut nube iaculorum a Baliaribus coniecta. §21.55.7ad hoc elephanti eminentes ab extremis cornibus, equis maxime non visu modo sed odore insolito territis, fugam late faciebant. §21.55.8pedestris pugna par animis magis quam viribus erat, quas recentis Poenus paulo ante curatis corporibus in proelium attulerat; contra ieiuna fessaque corpora Romanis et rigentia gelu torpebant.
With these forces the conflict began. The battle was begun by the Baleares; and when the legions opposed them with greater strength, the light-armed troops were quickly drawn off to the wings, a movement which caused the Roman cavalry to be immediately hard pressed. For while four thousand cavalry could scarcely by themselves resist ten thousand, and they being fatigued against those who were mostly fresh, they were moreover overwhelmed by what was like a cloud of javelins thrown by the Baleares. In addition to this, the elephants, towering up at the extremities of the wings, and terrifying the horses especially, not only by their appearance but also by their unaccustomed smell, caused a widespread flight. The infantry fight was equal in spirit rather than in strength, which the Carthaginians, fresh and having recently refreshed their bodies, had brought into the battle; on the other hand, the bodies of the Romans, fasting and fatigued, and stiff with cold, were benumbed.
restitissent tamen animis, si cum pedite solum foret pugnatum; §21.55.9sed et Baleares pulso equite iaculabantur in latera et elephanti iam in mediam peditum aciem sese intulerant et Mago Numidaeque, simul latebras eorum inprovida praeterlata acies est, exorti ab tergo ingentem tumultum ac terrorem fecere. §21.55.10tamen in tot circumstantibus malis mansit aliquamdiu immota acies, maxime praeter spem omnium adversus elephantos. §21.55.11eos velites ad id ipsum locati verutis coniectis et avertere et insecuti aversos sub caudis, qua maxume molli cute vulnera accipiunt, fodiebant.
They would, however, have resisted by their courage, if the fight had been with the infantry alone; but both the Baleares, having repulsed the cavalry, were throwing javelins at their flanks, and the elephants had already forced themselves into the center of the infantry line, and Mago and the Numidians, as soon as the Roman line had inattentively passed by their ambush, rising up from behind, caused immense confusion and terror. Yet, in the midst of so many surrounding evils, the line remained for some time unmoved, especially, beyond the expectation of all, against the elephants. The light-armed darter, stationed for this very purpose, by throwing their javelins both turned them away, and pursuing them as they turned, stabbed them under their tails, where they receive wounds most easily because the skin is thinnest.