§27.40.1consules diversis itineribus profecti ab urbe velut in duo pariter bella distenderant curas hominum, simul recordantium, quas primus adventus Hannibalis intulisset Italiae clades, §27.40.2simul cum illa angeret cura, quos tam propitios urbi atque imperio fore deos, ut eodem tempore utrobique res publica prospere gereretur? adhuc adversa secundis pensando rem ad id tempus extractam esse:
The consuls, having set out from the city by different routes, had distracted the anxieties of the people as if into two equal wars at once, while they recalled at the same time what disasters the first coming of Hannibal had brought upon Italy, and at the same time they were tormented by the anxiety: what gods would be so propitious to the city and the empire that the republic's affairs could be managed successfully in both places at the same time?
§27.40.3cum in Italia ad Trasumennum et Cannas praecipitasset Romana res, prospera bella in Hispania prolapsam eam erexisse; §27.40.4postea, cum in Hispania alia super aliam clades duobus egregiis ducibus amissis duos exercitus ex parte delesset, multa secunda in Italia Siciliaque gesta quassatam rem publicam excepisse; §27.40.5et ipsum intervallum loci, quod in ultimis terrarum oris alterum bellum gereretur, spatium dedisse ad respirandum: §27.40.6nunc duo bella in Italiam accepta, duo celeberrimi nominis duces circumstare urbem Romanam, et unum in locum totam periculi molem, omne onus incubuisse.
Hitherto, by balancing adverse fortune with favorable events, the state had been kept going up to that time: when in Italy the Roman cause had plunged headlong at Trasumennus and Cannae, successful campaigns in Spain had raised it up from its fall; afterwards, when in Spain disaster after disaster, with the loss of two excellent generals, had partially destroyed two armies, many successful actions achieved in Italy and Sicily had sustained the shaken republic; and the very distance of place, because the other war was being waged at the ends of the earth, had given breathing space: but now, two wars had been admitted into Italy, two generals of the most celebrated name were surrounding the Roman city, and the whole mass of danger, the entire burden, had pressed upon a single place.
qui eorum prior vicisset, intra paucos dies castra cum altero iuncturum.
Whichever of them should conquer first would within a few days join his camp with the other.
§27.40.7terrebat et proximus annus lugubris duorum consulum funeribus.
The previous year, also, made mournful by the deaths of two consuls, caused terror.
§27.40.8his anxii curis homines digredientes in provincias consules prosecuti sunt.
Escorted by the people, who were anxious with these cares, the consuls departed for their provinces.
memoriae proditum est plenum adhuc irae in civis M. Livium ad bellum proficiscentem monenti Q. Fabio, ne, priusquam genus hostium cognosset, temere manum consereret, respondisse, ubi primum hostium agmen conspexisset, pugnaturum.
It is recorded that Marcus Livius, still full of anger against his fellow citizens as he set out for the war, replied to Quintus Fabius, who warned him not to join battle rashly before he had learned the character of the enemy, that he would fight as soon as he saw the enemy's column.
§27.40.9cum quaereretur, quae causa festinandi esset, “aut ex hoste egregiam gloriam” inquit “aut ex civibus victis gaudium meritum certe, etsi non honestum, capiam. ” §27.40.10priusquam Claudius consul in provinciam pervenire per extremum finem agri Larinatis ducentem in Sallentinos exercitum Hannibalem expeditis cohortibus adortus C. Hostilius Tubulus incomposito agmini terribilem tumultum intulit;
When he was asked what the reason for his haste was, he said: “I shall win either outstanding glory from the enemy,” “or a joy from defeated citizens, which is certainly deserved, even if not honorable.” Before the consul Claudius arrived in his province, Gaius Hostilius Tubulus, having attacked with light-armed cohorts Hannibal as he was leading his army into the territory of the Sallentini along the extreme border of the Larinum district, brought terrible confusion upon the disordered column; he killed about four thousand men and captured nine military standards.
§27.40.11ad quattuor milia hominum occidit, novem signa militaria cepit. moverat ex hibernis ad famam hostis Q. Claudius, qui per urbes agri Sallentini castra disposita habebat.
Quintus Claudius, who had his camps distributed through the cities of the Sallentini district, had moved from winter quarters at the report of the enemy.
§27.40.12itaque ne cum duobus exercitibus simul confligeret, Hannibal nocte castra ex agro Tarentino movit atque in Bruttios concessit.
Therefore, lest he should have to fight with two armies at the same time, Hannibal moved his camp by night from the Tarentine territory and withdrew into the land of the Bruttii.
§27.40.13Claudius in Sallentinos agmen convertit, Hostilius Capuam petens obvius ad Venusiam fuit consuli Claudio.
Claudius turned his column toward the Sallentini, and Hostilius, while heading for Capua, met the consul Claudius near Venusia.
§27.40.14ibi ex utroque exercitu electa peditum quadraginta milia, duo milia et quingenti equites, quibus consul adversus Hannibalem rem gereret: reliquas copias Hostilius Capuam ducere iussus, ut Q. Fulvio proconsuli traderet.
There, from both armies, forty thousand infantry and two thousand five hundred cavalry were selected, with which the consul was to conduct the campaign against Hannibal; Hostilius was ordered to lead the remaining forces to Capua, to hand them over to the proconsul Quintus Fulvius.