§25.16.1Graccho, priusquam ex Lucanis moveret, sacrificanti triste prodigium factum est: §25.16.2ad exta sacrificio perpetrato angues duo ex occulto adlapsi adedere iocur conspectique repente ex oculis abierunt.
To Gracchus, before he moved from Lucania, while sacrificing, a grim prodigy occurred: when the sacrifice was completed, at the inspection of the entrails, two snakes, having glided from a hidden place, gnawed the liver, and on being seen, suddenly vanished from sight.
§25.16.3ob id cum haruspicum monitu sacrificium instauraretur atque intentius exta reservarentur, iterum ac tertium tradunt adlapsos libatoque iocinere intactos angues abisse.
Because of this, when on the advice of the haruspices the sacrifice was repeated and the entrails were watched more intently, they relate that a second and third time the snakes glided up and, having tasted the liver, departed untouched.
§25.16.4cum haruspices ad imperatorem id pertinere prodigium praemonuissent et ab occultis cavendum hominibus consultisque, nulla tamen providentia fatum imminens moveri potuit.
Although the haruspices had forewarned that this prodigy pertained to the general and that he must guard against hidden men and designs, yet by no foresight could the impending fate be averted.
§25.16.5Flavusi Lucanus fuit caput partis eius Lucanorum — cum pars ad Hannibalem defecisset —, quae cum Romanis stabat, et iam altero anno in magistratu erat, ab iisdem illis creatus praetor.
Flavus the Lucanian was the head of that party of the Lucanians—since a part had defected to Hannibal—which stood with the Romans, and was already in his second year in office, having been elected praetor by those very same people.
§25.16.6is mutata repente voluntate locum gratiae apud Poenum quaerens neque transire ipse neque trahere ad defectionem Lucanos satis habuit, nisi imperatoris et eiusdem hospitis proditi capite ac sanguine foedus cum hostibus sanxisset.
He, having suddenly changed his mind and seeking a place of favor with the Carthaginian, did not count it enough either to desert himself or to draw the Lucanians into defection, unless he should ratify a treaty with the enemy by the life and blood of the betrayed general, who was also his host.
§25.16.7ad Magonem, qui in Bruttiis praeerat, clam in colloquium venit fideque ab eo accepta, si Romanum iis imperatorem tradidisset, liberos cum suis legibus venturos in amicitiam Lucanos, deducit Poenum in locum natum tegendis insidiis, quo cum paucis Gracchum adducturum ait:
He came secretly to a conference with Mago, who was in command in the Bruttian territory, and having received a pledge from him that, if he should deliver the Roman general to them, the Lucanians should enter into friendship free and with their own laws, he led the Carthaginian to a place naturally suited for concealing an ambush, where he said he would bring Gracchus with a few men.
§25.16.8Mago ibi pedites equitesque armatos — et capere eas latebras ingentem numerum — occuleret.
Mago was to conceal armed infantry and cavalry there—and those hiding-places could hold a huge number.
§25.16.9loco satis inspecto atque undique explorato dies composita gerendae rei est.
The place having been sufficiently inspected and reconnoitred on all sides, a day was agreed upon for carrying out the deed.
§25.16.10Flavus ad Romanum imperatorem venit.
Flavus came to the Roman general.
rem se ait magnam incohasse, ad quam perficiendam ipsius Gracchi opera opus esse. omnium populorum praetoribus, qui ad Poenum in illo communi Italiae motu descissent, §25.16.11persuasisse, ut redirent in amicitiam Romanorum, quando res quoque Romana, quae prope exitium clade Cannensi venisset, in dies melior atque auctior fieret, Hannibalis vis senesceret ac prope ad nihilum venisset.
He said that he had begun a great undertaking, for the completion of which there was need of Gracchus's own assistance; that to the praetors of all the peoples who, in that general disturbance of Italy, had revolted to the Carthaginian, he had persuaded them to return to the friendship of the Romans, since the Roman power also, which had come near to destruction in the disaster of Cannae, was becoming better and greater day by day, while Hannibal's strength was growing old and had come almost to nothing.
§25.16.12veteri delicto haud inplacabilis fore Romanos: nullam umquam gentem magis exorabilem promptioremque veniae dandae fuisse.
The Romans would not be implacable toward the old offense; no nation had ever been more exorable and readier to grant pardon.
§25.16.13quotiens rebellioni etiam maiorum suorum ignotum? haec ab sese dicta; ceterum ab ipso Graccho eadem haec audire malle eos praesentisque contingere dextram et id pignus fidei secum ferre.
How many times had pardon been granted even to the rebellion of their ancestors? These things had been said by himself; but they preferred to hear these same things from Gracchus himself, to touch his right hand in person, and to carry that pledge of loyalty away with them.
§25.16.14locum se concilio iis dixisse a conspectu amotum haud procul castris Romanis; ibi paucis verbis transigi rem posse, ut omne nomen Lucanum in fide ac societate Romana sit.
He said he had named a place for them for the council, removed from sight, not far from the Roman camp; there the matter could be settled in a few words, so that the entire Lucanian nation might be in Roman loyalty and alliance.
§25.16.15Gracchus fraudem et sermoni et rei abesse ratus ac similitudine veri captus cum lictoribus ac turma equitum e castris profectus duce hospite in insidias praecipitatur.
Gracchus, thinking that there was no deceit in either his speech or the matter, and captured by the appearance of truth, set out from the camp with his lictors and a troop of cavalry, and under the guidance of his host, plunged headlong into the ambush.
§25.16.16hostes subito exorti, et, ne dubia proditio esset, Flavus iis se adiungit.
The enemy suddenly arose, and, so that the treachery might not be in doubt, Flavus joined himself to them.
§25.16.17tela undique in Gracchum atque equites coniciuntur.
Weapons were hurled from all sides against Gracchus and the cavalry.
Gracchus ex equo desilit; idem ceteros facere iubet hortaturque, ut, quod unum reliquum fortuna fecerit, id cohonestent virtute.
Gracchus leaped down from his horse; he ordered the others to do the same and exhorted them to honor with courage that which alone fortune had left remaining.
§25.16.18reliquum autem quid esse paucis a multitudine in valle silva ac montibus saepta circumventis praeter mortem?
What else, indeed, was left remaining, except death, for a few men surrounded by a multitude in a valley enclosed by woods and mountains?
§25.16.19id referre, utrum praebentes corpora pecorum modo inulti trucidentur, an toti a patiendo expectandoque eventu in impetum atque iram versi, agentes audentesque, perfusi hostium cruore, inter exspirantium inimicorum cumulata armaque et corpora cadant.
It mattered whether they should be slaughtered unavenged, offering their bodies like sheep, or whether, turned entirely from passive endurance and waiting for the end to onset and wrath, active and daring, drenched in the blood of the enemy, they should fall amidst the heaped-up weapons and bodies of their dying foes.
§25.16.20Lucanum proditorem ac transfugam omnes peterent; qui eam victimam prae se ad inferos misisset, eum decus eximium, egregium solacium suae morti inventurum.
Let all target the Lucanian traitor and deserter; whoever should have sent that victim before him to the underworld would find exceptional glory and excellent consolation for his own death.
§25.16.21inter haec dicta paludamento circa laevum brachium intorto — nam ne scuta quidem secum extulerant — in hostis impetum fecit.
Amidst these words, having wrapped his cloak around his left arm—for they had not even brought shields with them—he made a charge against the enemy.
maior quam pro numero hominum editur pugna: §25.16.22iaculis maxime aperta corpora Romanorum, et cum undique ex altioribus locis in cavam vallem coniectus esset, transfiguntur.
A battle greater than expected for the number of men was waged: the exposed bodies of the Romans were pierced chiefly by javelins, and as they had been driven from all sides from the higher ground into the hollow valley.
§25.16.23Gracchum iam nudatum praesidio vivum capere Poeni nituntur; ceterum conspicatus Lucanum hospitem inter hostis, adeo infestus confertos invasit, ut parci ei sine multorum pernicie non posset.
The Carthaginians strove to capture Gracchus alive, who was now stripped of his guard; but when he caught sight of his Lucanian host among the enemy, he charged the dense mass so fiercely that he could not be spared without the destruction of many.
§25.16.24exanimem eum Mago extemplo ad Hannibalem misit ponique cum captis simul fascibus ante tribunal imperatoris iussit.
Mago immediately sent his lifeless body to Hannibal and ordered it to be placed, together with the captured fasces, before the tribunal of the general.
§25.16.25si haec vera fama est, Gracchus in Lucanis ad campos, qui Veteres vocantur, periit.
If this report is true, Gracchus perished in Lucania at the plains which are called 'Veteres.'