§22.51.1Hannibali victori cum ceteri circumfusi gratularentur suaderentque, ut tanto perfunctus bello diei quod reliquum esset noctisque insequentis quietem et ipse sibi sumeret et fessis daret militibus, §22.51.2Maharbal praefectus equitum, minime cessandum ratus “immo ut, quid hac pugna sit actum, scias, die quinto” inquit “victor in Capitolio epulaberis.
When the others crowded around the victorious Hannibal to congratulate him and urge him that, having completed so great a war, he should take rest for himself for what was left of the day and the following night, and give it to his weary soldiers, Maharbal, the commander of the cavalry, thinking that there should be no delay at all, said: "Indeed, so that you may know what has been accomplished by this battle, on the fifth day you shall feast as victor on the Capitol.
sequere; cum equite ut prius venisse quam venturum sciant, praecedam. ” Hannibali nimis laeta res est visa maiorque, §22.51.3quam ut eam statim capere animo posset.
Follow me; I will go ahead with the cavalry so that they may know we have arrived before they know we are coming." To Hannibal, the matter seemed too joyful and too great, for him to be able to grasp it in his mind immediately.
itaque voluntatem se laudare Maharbalis ait; ad consilium pensandum temporis opus esse.
Therefore, he said that he praised Maharbal's goodwill, but that time was needed to weigh the plan.
§22.51.4tum Maharbal: “non omnia nimirum eidem di dedere: vincere scis, Hannibal, victoria uti nescis. ” mora eius diei satis creditur saluti fuisse urbi atque imperio.
Then Maharbal said: "Assuredly, the gods did not give all things to the same man: you know how to conquer, Hannibal, but you do not know how to use victory." The delay of that day is widely believed to have been the salvation of the city and the empire.
§22.51.5Postero die ubi primum inluxit, ire ad spolia legenda foedamque etiam hostibus spectandam stragem insistunt.
On the next day, as soon as it dawned, they set about gathering the spoils and viewing the slaughter, which was ghastly even to the enemy.
§22.51.6iacebant tot Romanorum milia, pedites passim equitesque, ut quem cuique fors aut pugna iunxerat aut fuga.
So many thousands of Romans lay there, infantry and cavalry everywhere, just as chance or battle or flight had joined each to each.
adsurgentes quidam ex strage media cruenti, quos stricta matutino frigore excitaverant vulnera, ab hoste oppressi sunt; §22.51.7quosdam et iacentis vivos succisis feminibus poplitibusque invenerunt, nudantis cervicem iugulumque et reliquum sanguinem iubentes haurire; §22.51.8inventi quidam sunt mersis in effossam terram capitibus, quos sibi ipsos fecisse foveas obruentesque ora superiecta humo interclusisse spiritum apparebat.
Some, rising bloody from the midst of the slaughter, whose wounds had been stimulated by the sharp morning cold, were dispatched by the enemy; they found some lying alive with their thighs and knees hamstrung, baring their necks and throats and bidding them drain their remaining blood; some were found with their heads buried in the dug-up earth, and it was clear that they had made pits for themselves and, covering their faces with the earth thrown over them, had choked their breath.
§22.51.9praecipue convertit omnes subtractus Numida mortuo superincubanti Romano uivus naso auribusque laceratis, cum ille manibus ad capiendum telum inutilibus in rabiem ira versa laniando dentibus hostem expirasset.
Above all, what drew everyone's attention was a living Numidian with his nose and ears mutilated, pulled out from under a dead Roman who lay on top of him; the Roman, with his hands useless for holding a weapon, his anger turned to fury, had expired while tearing his enemy with his teeth.