§27.28.1Hannibal magnum terrorem hostibus morte consulis unius, vulnere alterius iniectum esse ratus, ne cui deesset occasioni, castra in tumulum, in quo pugnatum erat, extemplo transfert.
Hannibal, thinking that a great terror had been struck into the enemy by the death of one consul and the wounding of the other, lest he should miss any opportunity, immediately transferred his camp to the hill on which the battle had been fought.
§27.28.2ibi inventum Marcelli corpus sepelit.
There he buried the body of Marcellus, which had been found.
Crispinus, et morte conlegae et suo vulnere territus, silentio insequentis noctis profectus, quos proxumos nanctus est montes, in iis loco alto et tuto undique castra posuit.
Crispinus, terrified both by the death of his colleague and by his own wound, set out in the silence of the following night, and having reached the nearest mountains he could find, he pitched his camp in them, in a place high and secure on all sides.
§27.28.3ibi duo duces sagaciter moti sunt, alter ad inferendam, alter ad cavendam fraudem.
There the two leaders moved sagaciously, the one to inflict, the other to guard against, a deception.
§27.28.4anulis Marcelli simul cum corpore Hannibal potitus erat.
Hannibal had got possession of Marcellus's rings along with his body.
eius signi errore ne cui dolus necteretur a Poeno metuens, Crispinus circa civitates proximas miserat nuntios, occisum conlegam esse anulisque eius hostem potitum: §27.28.5ne quibus litteris crederent nomine Marcelli compositis.
Fearing lest some plot should be woven by the Carthaginian through a mistake of this seal, Crispinus had sent messengers around the neighbouring cities to warn them that his colleague had been slain and the enemy had got possession of his rings: that they should not believe any letters written in the name of Marcellus.
paulo ante hic nuntius consulis Salapiam venerat, quam litterae ab Hannibale allatae sunt Marcelli nomine compositae, se nocte, quae diem illum secutura esset, Salapiam venturum; parati milites essent, qui in praesidio erant, si quo opera eorum opus esset.
This messenger of the consul had arrived at Salapia a little before letters were brought from Hannibal written in the name of Marcellus, stating that he would come to Salapia on the night which was to follow that day; that the soldiers who were in the garrison should be ready, in case there should be need of their service anywhere.
§27.28.6sensere Salapitani fraudem et ab ira non defectionis modo sed etiam equitum interfectorum rati occasionem supplicii peti, remisso retro nuntio — §27.28.7perfuga autem Romanus erat —, ut sine arbitro milites quae vellent agerent, oppidanos per muros urbisque opportuna loca in stationibus disponunt, §27.28.8custodias uigiliasque in eam noctem intentius instruunt, circa portam, qua venturum hostem rebantur, quod roboris in praesidio erat opponunt.
The Salapians perceived the fraud, and thinking that an opportunity for punishment was being sought from their resentment not only of their defection but also of the slaughter of the horsemen, they sent the messenger back — now he was a Roman deserter — so that the soldiers might do what they wished without any witness, and they stationed the townsmen along the walls and at suitable places in the city, and they drew up the guards and sentinels for that night more watchfully, and around the gate by which they thought the enemy would come, they opposed the strength of the garrison.
§27.28.9Hannibal quarta vigilia ferme ad urbem accessit.
Hannibal approached the city about the fourth watch.
primi agminis erant perfugae Romanorum et arma Romana habebant.
The vanguard consisted of Roman deserters, and they had Roman arms.
ii, ubi ad portam est ventum, Latine omnes loquentes excitant vigiles, aperireque portam iubent: consulem adesse.
When they came to the gate, they, all speaking in Latin, aroused the sentinels and ordered them to open the gate: that the consul was at hand.
§27.28.10vigiles velut ad vocem eorum excitati tumultuari, trepidare, moliri portam.
The sentinels, as if aroused by their voice, began to make a bustle, to run about, and to work at the gate.
cataracta deiecta clausa erat; eam partim vectibus levant, partim funibus subducunt in tantum altitudinis, ubi subire recti possent.
The portcullis had been let down and closed; they raised it partly with levers, and partly drew it up with ropes to such a height that men could enter upright.
§27.28.11vixdum satis patebat iter cum perfugae certatim ruunt per portam; et cum sescenti ferme intrassent, remisso fune, quo suspensa erat, cataracta magr — sonitu cecidit.
The passage was scarcely yet open enough when the deserters rushed eagerly through the gate; and when about six hundred had entered, the rope by which it was suspended being let go, the portcullis fell with a great crash.
§27.28.12Salapitani alii perfugas neglegenter ex itinere suspensa umeris, ut inter pacatos, gerentis arma invadunt, alii e turri eius portae murisque saxis, sudibus, pilis absterrent hostem.
Some of the Salapians fell upon the deserters, who, as if among friends, were carrying their arms carelessly, slung from their shoulders after their march; others, from the tower of that gate and from the walls, kept off the enemy with stones, stakes, and javelins.
§27.28.13ita inde Hannibal suamet ipse fraude captus abiit, profectusque ad Locrorum solvendam obsidionem, quam L. Cincius summa vi, operibus tormentorumque omni genere ex Sicilia advecto oppugnabat.
Thus Hannibal, caught by his own stratagem, departed from there, and set out to raise the siege of Locri, which Lucius Cincius was pressing with the greatest force, using siege-works and every kind of engine brought from Sicily.
§27.28.14Magoni iam haud ferme fidenti retenturum defensurumque se urbem prima spes morte nuntiata Marcelli adfulsit.
To Mago, who was now scarcely trusting that he would hold and defend the city, the first hope shone upon the announcement of Marcellus's death.
§27.28.15secutus inde nuntius Hannibalem Numidarum equitatu praemisso ipsum, quantum adcelerare posset, cum peditum agmine sequi.
This was followed by a message that Hannibal, having sent the Numidian cavalry ahead, was himself following as fast as he could accelerate with the column of infantry.
§27.28.16itaque ubi primum Numidas edito e speculis signo adventare sensit, et ipse patefacta repente porta ferox in hostes erumpit.
Therefore, as soon as he perceived by a signal given from the watchtowers that the Numidians were approaching, he also, suddenly opening the gate, sallied out fiercely upon the enemy.
et primo magis quia inproviso id fecerat, quam quod par viribus esset, anceps certamen erat; deinde, §27.28.17ut supervenere Numidae, tantus pavor Romanis est iniectus, ut passim ad mare ac naves fugerent relictis operibus machinisque, quibus muros quatiebant.
And at first, rather because he had done this unexpectedly than because he was equal in strength, the contest was doubtful; then, when the Numidians came up, such great terror was struck into the Romans that they fled in all directions to the sea and the ships, leaving behind the siege-works and machines with which they were battering the walls.
ita adventu Hannibalis soluta Locrorum obsidio est.
Thus by the arrival of Hannibal, the siege of Locri was raised.