§22.44.1consules satis exploratis itineribus sequentes Poenum, ut ventum ad Cannas est et in conspectu Poenum habebant, bina castra communiunt eodem ferme intervallo, quo ad Gereonium, sicut ante copiis divisis.
The consuls, having sufficiently reconnoitered the routes, followed the Carthaginian, and when they had come to Cannae and had the Carthaginian in sight, they fortified two camps at almost the same interval as at Gereonium, with their forces divided as before.
§22.44.2Aufidus amnis utrisque castris adfluens aditum aquatoribus ex sua cuiusque opportunitate haud sine certamine dabat; §22.44.3ex minoribus tamen castris, quae posita trans Aufidum erant, liberius aquabantur Romani, quia ripa ulterior nullum habebat hostium praesidium.
The river Aufidus, flowing by both camps, gave access to the water-gatherers, according to each one's convenience, not without combat; however, from the smaller camp, which had been pitched across the Aufidus, the Romans drew water more freely, because the further bank had no garrison of the enemy.
§22.44.4Iannibal spem nanctus locis natis ad equestrem pugnam, qua parte virium invictus erat, facturos copiam pugnandi consules, derigit aciem lacessitque Numidarum procursatione hostis.
Hannibal, having obtained hope that the consuls would afford an opportunity of fighting in places naturally suited for cavalry combat—in which part of his forces he was invincible—drew up his line of battle and harassed the enemy with skirmishing by the Numidians.
§22.44.5inde rursus sollicitari seditione militari ac discordia consulum Romana castra, cum Paulus Semproniique et Flamini temeritatem Varroni, Varro Paulo speciosum timidis ac segnibus ducibus exemplum Fabium obiceret, §22.44.6testareturque deos hominesque hic, nullam penes se culpam esse, quod Hannibal iam velut usu cepisset Italiam: se constrictum a collega teneri; ferrum atque arma iratis et pugnare cupientibus adimi militibus; §22.44.7ille, si quid proiectis ac proditis ad inconsultam atque inprovidam pugnam legionibus accideret, se omnis culpae exsortem, omnis eventus participem fore diceret: videret, ut, quibus lingua prompta ac temeraria, aeque in pugna vigerent manus.
Thence again the Roman camp was disturbed by military mutiny and the discord of the consuls, while Paulus cast in Varro's teeth the rashness of Sempronius and Flaminius, and Varro cast in Paulus's the example of Fabius as a specious model for timid and lazy generals, and the latter called gods and men to witness that no fault lay with him that Hannibal had now, as if by right of long possession, taken Italy; that he was held bound by his colleague; and that the sword and arms were being snatched from soldiers who were angry and eager to fight; while the former declared that if any disaster should befall the legions, thrown away and betrayed to an ill-advised and improvident battle, he would be free of all blame, though a sharer in whatever outcome; and let the other see to it that those whose tongues were ready and rash should have hands equally vigorous in battle.