§26.10.1in hoc tumultu Fulvius Flaccus porta Capena cum exercitu Romam ingressus media urbe per Carinas Esquilias contendit; inde egressus inter Esquilinam Collinamque portam posuit castra.
In this tumult, Fulvius Flaccus entered Rome with his army through the Capena gate, and marched through the middle of the city by way of Carinae and Esquiliae; going out from there, he pitched his camp between the Esquiline and Colline gates.
§26.10.2aediles plebis conmmeatum eo conportarunt.
The plebeian aediles brought provisions thither.
consules senatusque in castra venerunt.
The consuls and the senate came into the camp.
ibi de summa re publica consultatum.
There, a consultation was held concerning the supreme state of the republic.
placuit consules circa portas Collinam Esquilinamque ponere castra, C. Calpurnium praetorem urbanum Capitolio atque arci praeesse et senatum frequentem in foro contineri, si quid in tam subitis rebus consulto opus esset.
It was resolved that the consuls should pitch their camps around the Colline and Esquiline gates; that Gaius Calpurnius, the urban praetor, should have charge of the Capitol and the citadel; and that the senate in full numbers should remain in the forum, in case there should be need of deliberation in such sudden circumstances.
§26.10.3inter haec Hannibal ad Anienem fluvium tria milia passuum ab urbe castra admovit.
Meanwhile, Hannibal moved his camp to the river Anio, three miles from the city.
ibi stativis positis ipse cum duobus milibus equitum ad portam Collinam usque ad Herculis templum est progressus atque, unde proxime poterat, moenia situmque urbis obequitans contemplabatur.
Having pitched his stationary camp there, he himself with two thousand cavalry advanced to the Colline gate as far as the temple of Hercules, and, riding around from where he could get closest, contemplated the walls and the site of the city.
§26.10.4id eum tam licenter atque otiose facere Flacco indignum visum est; itaque immisit equites summoverique atque in castra redigi hostium equitatum iussit.
To Flaccus, it seemed intolerable that he should do this so licensefully and at his leisure; therefore, he sent in his cavalry and ordered the enemy's cavalry to be driven off and forced back to their camp.
§26.10.5cum commissum proelium esset, consules transfugas Numidarum, qui tum in Aventino ad mille et ducenti erant, media urbe transire Esquilias iusserunt, §26.10.6nullos aptiores inter convalles tectaque hortorum et sepulcra et cavas undique vias ad pugnandum futuros rati.
When the battle was joined, the consuls ordered the Numidian deserters, who were then on the Aventine to the number of about twelve hundred, to march through the middle of the city to Esquiliae, thinking that none would be better suited for fighting among the valleys, the roofs of the gardens, the tombs, and the hollow roads everywhere.
quos cum ex arce Capitolioque clivo Publicio in equis decurrentis quidam vidissent, captum Aventinum conclamaverunt.
When some from the citadel and the Capitol saw them riding down the Publician slope, they cried out that the Aventine was captured.
§26.10.7ea res tantum tumultum ac fugam praebuit, ut, nisi castra Punica extra urbem fuissent, effusura se omnis pavida multitudo fuerit; tunc in domos atque in tecta refugiebant vagosque in viis suos pro hostibus lapidibus telisque incessebant.
This event caused such a tumult and flight that, if the Punic camp had not been outside the city, the entire panicked multitude would have poured out; as it was, they fled back into their houses and onto the roofs, and attacked their own men wandering in the streets with stones and missiles, mistaking them for the enemy.
§26.10.8nec comprimi tumultus aperirique error poterat refertis itineribus agrestium turba pecorumque, quae repentinus pavor in urbem compulerat.
Nor could the tumult be suppressed or the mistake cleared up, because the streets were blocked by a crowd of rustics and cattle, which a sudden panic had driven into the city.
§26.10.9equestre proelium secundum fuit, summotique hostes sunt.
The cavalry battle was successful, and the enemy was driven off.
et quia multis locis comprimendi tumultus erant, qui temere oriebantur, placuit omnes, qui dictatores, consules censoresve fuissent, cum imperio esse, donec recessisset a muris hostis.
And because there were tumults to be suppressed in many places which were arising without order, it was resolved that all who had been dictators, consuls, or censors should hold imperium until the enemy had withdrawn from the walls.
§26.10.10et diei quod reliquum fuit et nocte insequenti multi temere excitati tumultus sunt compressique.
And during both what was left of the day and the following night, many tumults which had been casually excited were suppressed.