§22.32.1consules Atilius Fabiano Geminus Servilius Minuciano exercitu accepto hibernaculis mature communitis, quod reliquum autumni erat, Fabi artibus cum summa inter se concordia bellum gesserunt.
The consuls, Atilius having received the army of Fabius, and Geminus Servilius that of Minucius, having fortified their winter quarters early, conducted the war for the remainder of the autumn with the greatest harmony between themselves, according to the tactics of Fabius.
§22.32.2frumentatum exeunti Hannibali diversis locis opportuni aderant carpentes agmen palatosque excipientes; in casum universae dimicationis, quam omnibus artibus petebat hostis, non veniebant;
They were ready at favorable moments in various places for Hannibal as he went out to forage, cutting off his column and capturing stragglers; but they did not risk a general engagement, which the enemy was seeking by every art.
§22.32.3eoque inopiae est redactus Hannibal, ut nisi cum fugae specie abeundum ei fuisset, Galliam repetiturus fuerit nulla relicta spe alendi exercitus in eis locis, si insequentes consules eisdem artibus bellum gererent.
Indeed, Hannibal was reduced to such want that, had he not had to depart with the appearance of flight, he would have returned to Gaul, since no hope was left of feeding his army in those places, if the succeeding consuls should conduct the war with the same tactics.
§22.32.4cum ad Gereonium iam hieme impediente constitisset bellum, Neapolitani legati Romam venere.
When the war had come to a standstill near Geronium, with winter now hindering operations, ambassadors from Neapolis came to Rome.
ab iis quadraginta paterae aureae magni ponderis in curiam inlatae atque ita verba facta, ut dicerent: §22.32.5scire sese populi Romani aerarium bello exhauriri, et cum iuxta pro urbibus agrisque sociorum ac pro capite atque arce Italiae, urbe Romana, atque imperio geratur, aequum censuisse Neapolitanos, §22.32.6quod auri sibi cum ad templorum ornatum tum ad subsidium fortunae a maioribus relictum foret, eo iuvare populum Romanum; §22.32.7si quam opem in sese crederent, eodem studio fuisse oblaturos.
By them forty golden bowls of great weight were brought into the senate house, and they spoke to this effect: That they knew the treasury of the Roman people was being exhausted by the war; and since it was being waged equally for the cities and lands of the allies and for the capital and citadel of Italy, the city of Rome, and her empire, the Neapolitans had deemed it just to assist the Roman people with the gold which had been left to them by their ancestors both for the adornment of their temples and for a reserve against fortune; and that if they had believed there was any help in themselves, they would have offered it with the same zeal.
gratum sibi patres Romanos populumque facturum, si omnes res Neapolitanorum suas duxissent dignosque iudicaverint, §22.32.8ab quibus donum animo ac voluntate eorum, qui libentes darent, quam re maius ampliusque acciperent.
They added that the Roman senators and people would do what was pleasing to them if they regarded all the property of the Neapolitans as their own, and judged them worthy that they should accept a gift from them as something greater and more ample in the spirit and goodwill of those who gave it gladly, than in its actual value.
§22.32.9legatis gratiae actae pro munificentia curaque; patera, quae ponderis minimi fuit, accepta.
Thanks were returned to the ambassadors for their munificence and care; and the bowl which was of the least weight was accepted.