§27.1.1hic status rerum in Hispania erat.
This was the state of affairs in Spain.
in Italia consul Marcellus Salapia per proditionem recepta Marmoreas et Meles de Samnitibus vi cepit.
In Italy, the consul Marcellus, having recovered Salapia through treachery, took Marmoreae and Meles from the Samnites by force.
§27.1.2ad tria milia militum ibi Hannibalis, quae praesidii causa relicta erant, oppressa.
Up to three thousand of Hannibal's soldiers there, who had been left for the sake of a garrison, were crushed.
praeda — et aliquantum eius fuit militi concessa.
The booty — and there was a considerable amount of it — was granted to the soldiers.
tritici quoque ducenta quadraginta milia modium et centum decem milia hordei inventa.
Two hundred and forty thousand modii of wheat and one hundred and ten thousand of barley were also found.
§27.1.3ceterum nequaquam inde tantum gaudium fuit quanta clades intra paucos dies accepta est haud procul Herdonea urbe.
However, the joy from this was by no means so great as the disaster received within a few days not far from the city of Herdonea.
§27.1.4castra ibi Cn. Fulvius proconsul habebat spe recipiundae Herdoneae, quae post Cannensem cladem ab Romanis defecerat, nec loco satis tuto posita nec praesidiis firmata.
The proconsul Gnaeus Fulvius had his camp there in the hope of recovering Herdonea, which had revolted from the Romans after the disaster of Cannae; the camp was neither pitched in a sufficiently safe place nor strengthened by outposts.
§27.1.5neglegentiam insitam ingenio ducis augebat spes ea, quod labare iis adversus Poenum fidem senserat, postquam Salapia amissa excessisse iis locis in Bruttios Hannibalem auditum est.
The negligence inborn in the character of the general was increased by that hope, because he had perceived that their loyalty towards the Carthaginian was wavering, after it was reported that, Salapia having been lost, Hannibal had departed from those regions into the Bruttian territory.
§27.1.6ea omnia ab Herdonea per occultos nuntios delata Hannibali simul curam sociae retinendae urbis et spem fecere incautum hostem adgrediendi.
All these things, reported to Hannibal from Herdonea by secret messengers, created at once a concern for retaining an allied city and a hope of attacking an off-guard enemy.
exercitu expedito, ita ut famam prope praeveniret, magnis itineribus ad Herdoneam contendit et, quo plus terroris hosti obiceret, acie instructa accessit.
Having lightened his army, so that he almost outran report, he marched by forced marches to Herdonea, and, in order to cast more terror upon the enemy, he approached with his army drawn up in battle array.
§27.1.7par audacia Romanus, consilio et viribus impar, copiis raptim eductis conflixit.
The Roman, equal in boldness but unequal in strategy and strength, clashed with him after his forces had been quickly led out.
quinta legio et sinistra ala acriter pugnam inierunt.
The fifth legion and the left wing fiercely entered the battle.
§27.1.8ceterum Hannibal signo equitibus dato, ut, cum pedestres acies occupassent praesenti certamine oculos animosque, circumvecti pars castra hostium pars terga pugnam spectantium invaderent, ipse Cn. Fulvi similitudinem nominis §27.1.9quia Cn. Fulvium praetorem biennio ante in isdem devicerat locis, increpans, similem eventum pugnae fore adfirmabat.
But Hannibal, having given a signal to the cavalry that, when the infantry lines had occupied the enemy's eyes and minds with the immediate struggle, they should ride around and attack, part the enemy's camp, part the rear of those watching the fight, himself, taunting the similarity of the name of Gnaeus Fulvius — because he had defeated Gnaeus Fulvius the praetor two years before in the same places — taunting him, affirmed that the outcome of the battle would be similar.
§27.1.10neque ea spes vana fuit; nam cum comminus acie et peditum certamine multi cecidissent Romanorum, §27.1.11starent tamen ordines signaque, equestris tumultus a tergo, simul a castris clamor hostilis auditus sextam ante legionem, quae in secunda acie posita prior ab Numidis turbata est, quintam deinde atque eos, qui ad prima signa erant, avertit.
Nor was that hope in vain; for when, in close combat and in the struggle of the infantry, many of the Romans had fallen, and though their ranks and standards still stood, the cavalry uproar at their rear, together with the hostile shout heard from the camp, routed first the sixth legion (which, placed in the second line, was the first to be thrown into confusion by the Numidians), then the fifth, and those who were at the front standards.
§27.1.12pars in fugam effusi, pars in medio caesi, ubi et ipse Cn. Fulvius cum undecim tribunis militum cecidit.
Some poured out into flight, some were slaughtered in the midst, where Gnaeus Fulvius himself also fell, along with eleven military tribunes.
§27.1.13Romanorum sociorumque quot caesa in eo proelio milia sint, quis pro certo adfirmet, cum alibi: tredecim milia, alibi haud plus quam septem inveniam? castris praedaque victor potitur.
How many thousands of Romans and allies were slain in that battle, who could affirm for certain, since in some sources I find thirteen thousand, in others not more than seven? The victor took possession of the camp and the booty.
§27.1.14Herdoneam quia et defecturam fuisse ad Romanos comperit nec mansuram in fide, si inde abscessisset, multitudine omni Metapontum ac Thurios traducta incendit; occidit principes, qui cum Fulvio conloquia occulta habuisse comperti sunt.
Because he found out both that Herdonea would have revolted to the Romans and that it would not remain in loyalty if he should depart from there, having transferred the entire population to Metapontum and Thurii, he burned it; he put to death the leading men who were found to have held secret conferences with Fulvius.
§27.1.15Romani, qui ex tanta clade evaserant, diversis itineribus semermes ad Marcellum consulem in Samnium perfugerunt.
The Romans who had escaped from so great a disaster fled for refuge by different routes, half-armed, to the consul Marcellus in Samnium.