§23.1.1Hannibal post Cannensem pugnam binaque castra capta ac direpta confestim ex Apulia in Samnium moverat, accitus in Hirpinos a Statio Trebio, pollicente se Compsam traditurum.
After the battle of Cannae and the capture and plundering of the two camps, Hannibal had immediately moved from Apulia into Samnium, having been summoned into the territory of the Hirpini by Statius Trebius, who promised that he would deliver Compsa.
§23.1.2Compsanus erat Trebius nobilis inter suos; sed premebat eum Mopsiorum factio, familiae per gratiam Romanorum potentis.
Trebius was a nobleman of Compsa among his own people; but the faction of the Mopsii, a family powerful through the favor of the Romans, was oppressing him.
§23.1.3post famam Cannensis pugnae volgatumque Trebi sermonibus adventum Hannibalis cum Mopsiani urbe excessissent, sine certamine tradita urbs Poeno praesidiumque acceptum est.
After the report of the battle of Cannae and the arrival of Hannibal, made known by the talk of Trebius, when the Mopsiani had departed from the city, the city was delivered to the Carthaginian without a contest, and a garrison was received.
§23.1.4ibi praeda omni atque impedimentis relictis, exercitu partito Magonem regionis eius urbes aut deficientis ab Romanis accipere aut detractantis cogere ad defectionem iubet,
Having left all the booty and baggage there, and having divided the army, he ordered Mago to receive the cities of that region which were revolting from the Romans, or to force those which refused into revolt.
§23.1.5ipse per agrum Campanum mare inferum petit, oppugnaturus Neapolim, ut urbem maritimam haberet.
He himself, intending to attack Neapolis in order to have a maritime city, made for the Lower Sea through the Campanian territory.
§23.1.6ubi fines Neapolitanorum intravit, Numidas partim in insidiis — et pleraeque cavae sunt viae sinusque occulti —, quacumque apte poterat, disposuit, alios prae se actam praedam ex agris ostentantis obequitare portis iussit.
When he entered the territory of the Neapolitans, he posted some of the Numidians in ambush wherever he conveniently could—and most of the roads are hollow and the hollows hidden—and ordered others, displaying the booty driven from the fields before them, to ride up to the gates.
§23.1.7in quos, quia nec multi et incompositi videbantur, cum turma equitum erupisset, ab cedentibus consulto tracta in insidias circumventa est; nec evasisset quisquam, §23.1.8ni mare propinquum et haud procul litore naves, piscatoriae pleraeque, conspectae peritis nandi dedissent effugium.
When a troop of cavalry had sallied out against them, because they seemed to be few and disordered, they were purposely drawn into the ambush by the retreating enemy and surrounded; nor would anyone have escaped, if the nearby sea and the ships, mostly fishing boats, seen not far from the shore, had not given a means of escape to those skilled in swimming.
§23.1.9aliquot tamen eo proelio nobiles iuvenes capti caesique, inter quos et Hegeas, praefectus equitum, intemperantius cedentes secutus cecidit.
Nevertheless, some noble youths were captured and slain in that battle, among whom also fell Hegeas, the commander of the cavalry, who had pursued the retreating enemy too recklessly.
§23.1.10ab urbe oppugnanda Poenum absterruere conspecta moenia haudquaquam prompta oppugnanti.
The sight of the walls, by no means easy for an attacker, deterred the Carthaginian from attacking the city.