§25.37.1cum deleti exercitus amissaeque Hispaniae viderentur, vir unus res perditas restituit.
When the armies seemed destroyed and Spain lost, one man restored the ruined fortunes.
§25.37.2erat in exercitu L. Marcius Septimi filius, eques Romanus, impiger iuvenis animique et ingenii aliquanto quam pro fortuna, in qua erat natus, maioris.
There was in the army Lucius Marcius, son of Septimius, a Roman knight, an active young man, and of a spirit and capacity somewhat greater than was suited to the condition in which he had been born.
§25.37.3ad summam indolem accesserat Cn. Scipionis disciplina, sub qua per tot annos omnis militiae artis edoctus fuerat.
To his excellent natural disposition had been added the training of Gnaeus Scipio, under whom he had been thoroughly instructed in all the arts of war for so many years.
§25.37.4is et ex fuga collectis militibus et quibusdam de praesidiis deductis haud contemnendum exercitum fecerat iunxeratque cum Ti. Fonteio, P. Scipionis legato.
He, having collected the soldiers from the flight and drawn some from the garrisons, had made a force by no means to be despised, and had joined it with Tiberius Fonteius, the lieutenant of Publius Scipio.
§25.37.5sed tantum praestitit eques Romanus auctoritate inter milites atque honore, ut castris citra Hiberum communitis, cum ducem exercitus comitiis militaribus creari placuisset, §25.37.6subeuntes alii aliis in custodiam valli stationesque, donec per omnis suffragium iret, ad L. Marcium cuncti summam imperii detulerint.
But the Roman knight so excelled in authority among the soldiers and in honor, that when they had fortified a camp on this side of the Ebro, and it was decided that a commander of the army should be chosen in a military assembly, while they succeeded one another in turn to the guard of the rampart and the outposts, until the vote had gone through all, they all conferred the supreme command upon Lucius Marcius.
omne inde tempus — §25.37.7exiguum id fuit — muniendis castris convehendisque commeatibus consumpsit; et omnia imperia milites cum inpigre, tum haudquaquam abiecto animo exequebantur.
All the time from then— and that was but short—he spent in fortifying the camp and bringing in provisions; and the soldiers executed all orders not only with energy, but by no means with a dejected spirit.
§25.37.8ceterum postquam Hasdrubalem Gisgonis venientem ad reliquias belli delendas transisse Hiberum et adpropinquare adlatum est, signumque pugnae propositum ab novo duce milites viderunt, §25.37.9recordati, quos paulo ante imperatores habuissent quibusque et ducibus et copiis freti prodire in pugnam soliti essent, flere omnes repente et offensare capita et alii manus ad caelum tendere deos incusantes, alii strati humi suum quisque nominatim ducem implorare.
But when word was brought that Hasdrubal, son of Gisgo, was coming to destroy the remnants of the war, had crossed the Ebro and was approaching, and the soldiers saw the signal of battle displayed by their new leader, remembering what commanders they had had a little before, and relying on what leaders and forces they had been accustomed to go out to battle, they all suddenly began to weep and strike their heads, and some stretched their hands to heaven, accusing the gods, while others, prostrate on the ground, implored each his own commander by name.
§25.37.10neque sedari lamentatio poterat excitantibus centurionibus manipulares et ipso mulcente et increpante Marcio, quod in muliebris et inutiles se proiecissent fletus potius, quam ad tutandos semet ipsos et rem publicam secum acuerent animos, et ne inultos imperatores suos iacere sinerent:, cum subito clamor tubarumque sonus — §25.37.11iam enim prope vallum hostes erant — exauditur.
Nor could the lamentation be stilled, though the centurions excited the common soldiers, and Marcius himself coaxed and reproved them, asking why they had thrown themselves into womanish and useless tears, rather than sharpen their courage with him to defend themselves and the commonwealth, and not suffer their commanders to lie unavenged; when suddenly a shout and the sound of trumpets— for the enemy were already near the rampart—was heard.
inde verso repente in iram luctu discurrunt ad arma, ac velut accensi rabie concurrunt ad portas et in hostem neglegenter atque incomposite venientem incurrunt.
Then, their grief suddenly turned into rage, they ran in all directions to their arms, and as if kindled with madness, rushed together to the gates and charged upon the enemy, who were coming on carelessly and in disorder.
§25.37.12extemplo inprovisa res pavorem incutit Poenis mirabundique, unde tot hostes subito exorti prope deleto exercitu forent, unde tanta audacia, tanta fiducia sui uictis ac fugatis, quis imperator duobus Scipionibus caesis exstitisset, quis castris praeesset, quis signum dedisset pugnae — §25.37.13ad haec tot tam necopinata primo omnium incerti stupentesque referunt pedem, dein valida inpressione pulsi terga vertunt.
Immediately the unexpected event struck terror into the Carthaginians, and wondering whence so many enemies had suddenly arisen after their army was almost destroyed, whence came such audacity and such confidence in themselves to the vanquished and routed, what commander had arisen after the two Scipios were slain, who commanded the camp, and who had given the signal for battle— uncertain and astonished at so many and such unexpected things, they first of all retreated, and then, driven by a powerful onset, turned their backs.
§25.37.14et aut fugientium caedes foeda fuisset aut temerarius periculosusque sequentium impetus, ni Marcius propere receptui dedisset signum obsistensque ad prima signa et quosdam ipse retinens concitatam repressisset aciem.
And either the slaughter of the fugitives would have been terrible, or the pursuit of the followers rash and dangerous, had not Marcius quickly given the signal for retreat, and, standing in the way of the foremost standards and himself restraining some, held back the excited line.
inde in castra avidos adhuc caedisque et sanguinis reduxit.
Then he led them back into the camp, still eager for slaughter and blood.
§25.37.15Carthaginienses trepide primo ab hostium vallo acti postquam neminem insequi viderunt, metu substitisse rati contemptim rursus et sedato gradu in castra abeunt. par neglegentia in castris custodiendis fuit;
The Carthaginians, having been driven in panic at first from the enemy's rampart, when they saw that no one pursued them, thinking that they had stopped out of fear, returned to their camp again with contempt and at a quiet pace.
§25.37.16nam etsi propinquus hostis erat, tamen reliquias eum esse duorum exercituum ante paucos dies deletorum succurrebat.
There was equal negligence in guarding their camp; for although the enemy was near, yet it occurred to them that they were but the remnants of two armies destroyed a few days before.
§25.37.17ob hoc cum omnia neglecta apud hostis essent, exploratis iis Marcius ad consilium prima specie temerarium magis quam audax animum adiecit, ut ultro castra hostium oppugnaret, §25.37.18facilius esse ratus unius Hasdrubalis expugnari castra quam, si se rursus tres exercitus ac tres duces iunxissent, sua defendi; simul aut, §25.37.19si successisset coeptis, erecturum se adflictas res aut, si pulsus esset, tamen ultro inferendo arma contemptum sui dempturum.
Because of this, when everything was neglected among the enemy, Marcius, having reconnoitered them, directed his mind to a plan that at first sight seemed rash rather than bold, namely, to attack the enemy's camp of his own accord, thinking it easier for the camp of Hasdrubal alone to be taken, than for their own to be defended if three armies and three generals should unite again; and at the same time, if he succeeded in his attempt, he would restore their ruined fortunes, or, if he were repulsed, yet by taking the initiative in attacking, he would remove all contempt for themselves.