§24.46.1Fabius ab Suessula profectus Arpos primum institit oppugnare.
Fabius, having set out from Suessula, first began to attack Arpi.
ubi cum a quingentis fere passibus castra posuisset, contemplatus ex propinquo situm urbis moeniaque, quae pars tutissima moenibus erat, quia maxime neglectam custodia vidit, ea potissimum adgredi statuit.
There, when he had pitched his camp about five hundred paces away, having observed from nearby the situation of the city and the walls, because he saw that the part which was safest by its walls was most neglected in its guard, he decided to attack that part in particular.
§24.46.2comparatis omnibus, quae ad urbes oppugnandas usui sunt, centurionum robora ex toto exercitu delegit tribunosque viros fortes eis praefecit et milites sescentos, quantum satis visum est, attribuit eosque, ubi quartae vigiliae signum cecinisset, ad eu locum scalas iussit ferre.
When all things that are useful for besieging cities had been prepared, he chose the strongest of the centurions from the whole army, and placed brave men, tribunes, in command of them, and assigned six hundred soldiers, as many as seemed sufficient, and ordered them, when the signal for the fourth watch should have sounded, to carry ladders to that place.
§24.46.3porta ibi humilis et angusta erat infrequenti via per desertam partem urbis.
There was a low and narrow gate there, on an unfrequented road through a deserted part of the city.
eam portam scalis prius transgressos murum aperire ex interiore parte aut claustra refringere iubet et tenentes partem urbis cornu signum dare, ut ceterae copiae admoverentur: §24.46.4parata omnia atque instructa sese habiturum.
He ordered those who had first crossed the wall with ladders to open that gate from the inside or to break open the bars, and, holding a part of the city, to give a signal with a horn so that the rest of the forces might be brought up; [saying] that he would have all things ready and prepared.
ea inpigre facta, et quod impedimentum agentibus fore videbatur, id maxime ad fallendum adiuvit.
These things were done diligently, and what seemed likely to be a hindrance to those performing the action, that in particular helped greatly to deceive [the enemy].
§24.46.5imber ab nocte media coortus custodes vigilesque dilapsos e stationibus subfugere in tecta coegit sonitusque primo largioris procellae strepitum molientium portam exaudiri prohibuit, lentior deinde aequaliorque accidens auribus magnam partem hominum sopivit.
A rainstorm that arose after midnight forced the guards and watchmen, who had slipped away from their posts, to take shelter under roofs; and at first the sound of a rather heavy storm prevented the noise of those working at the gate from being heard, and then, falling on their ears more gently and steadily, it lulled a large part of the men to sleep.
§24.46.6postquam portam tenebant cornicines in via paribus intervallis dispositos canere iubent, ut consulem excirent.
After they held the gate, they ordered the hornblowers, stationed along the street at equal intervals, to sound their horns, in order to rouse the consul.
§24.46.7id ubi factum ex composito est, signa efferri consul iubet ac paulo ante lucem per effractam portam urbem ingreditur.
When this was done according to the agreement, the consul ordered the standards to be advanced, and a little before dawn, he entered the city through the broken gate.