§29.6.1post reditum ex Africa C. Laeli et Scipione stimulato Masinissae adhortationibus et militibus, praedam ex hostium terra cernentibus tota classe efferri, accensis ad traiciendum quam primum, intervenit maiori minor cogitatio Locros urbem recipiendi, quae sub defectionem Italiae desciverat et ipsa adi Poenos.
After the return of Gaius Laelius from Africa, and when Scipio had been stimulated by the exhortations of Masinissa, and the soldiers, seeing the booty from the enemy's land being carried away by the whole fleet, were inflamed to cross over as soon as possible, a smaller consideration of recovering the city of Locri, which itself had revolted to the Carthaginians at the time of the defection of Italy, intervened upon their greater plan.
§29.6.2spes autem adfectandae eius rei ex minima re adfulsit.
Moreover, the hope of attempting this matter shone forth from a very small circumstance.
latrociniis magis quam iusto bello in Bruttiis gerebantur res, principio ab Numidis facto et Bruttiis non societate magis Punica quam suopte ingenio congruentibus in eum morem; §29.6.3postremo Romani quoque milites contagione quadam rapto gaudentes, quantum per duces licebat, excursiones in hostium agros facere.
In the territory of the Bruttii, operations were being conducted more by brigandage than by regular warfare, a beginning having been made by the Numidians, and the Bruttii conforming to that custom not so much because of their alliance with the Carthaginians as by their own natural disposition; finally, the Roman soldiers also, delighting in plunder through a kind of contagion, made excursions into the enemy's fields as far as they were permitted by their commanders.
§29.6.4ab iis egressi quidam urbe Locrenses circumventi Regiumque abstracti fuerant.
In these excursions certain Locrians who had gone out of the city were surrounded and carried off to Regium.
in eo captivorum numero fabri quidam fuere, adsueti forte apud Poenos mercede opus in arce Locrorum facere.
In that number of captives there were certain artisans, who happened to have been accustomed to work for pay under the Carthaginians in the citadel of Locri.
§29.6.5hi cogniti ab Locrensium principibus, qui pulsi ab adversa factione, quae Hannibali Locros tradiderat, Regium se contulerapt,
These men were recognized by the leading men of the Locrians, who, having been expelled by the opposite faction which had delivered Locri to Hannibal, had betaken themselves to Regium.
§29.6.6cum cetera percunctantibus, ut mos est, qui diu absunt, quae domi agerentur exposuissent, spem fecerunt, si redempti ac remissi forent, arcem se iis tradituros; ibi se habitare, fidemque sibi rerum omnium inter Carthaginienses esse.
When they, to those inquiring about other matters, as is the custom of those who have been long absent, had explained what was going on at home, they gave hope that, if they should be ransomed and sent back, they would deliver the citadel to them; they said that they dwelt there, and that they had credit in all matters among the Carthaginians.
§29.6.7itaque ut qui simul desiderio patriae angerentur, simul cupiditate inimicos ulciscendi arderent, §29.6.8redemptis extemplo iis remissisque, cum ordinem agendae rei composuissent signaque, quae procul edita observarent, ipsi ad Scipionem Syracusas profecti, apud quem pars exulum erat, referentes ibi promissa captivorum cumspem ab effectu haud abhorrentem consuli fecissent, tribuni militum cum iis M. Sergius §29.6.9et P. Matienus missi iussique ab Regio tria milia militum Locros ducere; et Q. Pleminio propraetori scriptum, ut rei agendae adesset.
Therefore, as men who were at once tormented by a longing for their country, and at the same time burning with a desire to avenge themselves on their enemies, having immediately ransomed and sent them back, when they had settled the order of conducting the business and the signals which they were to observe when displayed from afar, they themselves set out to Scipio at Syracuse, where a part of the exiles was, and reporting there the promises of the captives, when they had given the consul a hope not far from realization, the tribunes of the soldiers, Marcus Sergius and Publius Matienus, were sent with them and ordered to lead three thousand soldiers from Regium to Locri; and a letter was written to Quintus Pleminius, the propraetor, that he should assist in conducting the business.
§29.6.10profecti ab Regio, scalas ad editam altitudinem arcis fabricatas portantes, media ferme nocte ex eo loco, unde convenerat, signum dedere proditoribus arcis; §29.6.11qui parati intentique et ipsi scalas ad id ipsum factas cum demisissent pluribusque simul locis scandentes accepissent, priusquam clamor oreretur, in vigiles Poenorum, ut in nullo tali metu sopitos, impetus est factus.
Having set out from Regium, carrying ladders constructed to the measured height of the citadel, about midnight they gave the signal from that place which had been agreed upon to the betrayers of the citadel; who, prepared and watchful, having themselves lowered ladders made for that very purpose and received those climbing up at several places at once, made an attack upon the guards of the Carthaginians, who were asleep as having no such fear, before any clamor arose.
§29.6.12quorum gemitus primo morientium exauditus, dein subita consternatio ex somno et tumultus, cum causa ignoraretur, postremo certior res aliis excitantibus alios.
At first, the groans of the dying were heard, then a sudden alarm from sleep and tumult, while the cause was unknown, and finally, the matter became more certain as they roused one another.
§29.6.13iamque ad arma pro se quisque vocabat: hostes in arce esse et caedi vigiles; oppressique forent Romani nequaquam numero pares, ni clamor ab iis, qui extra arcem erant, sublatus incertum, unde accidisset, omnia vana augente nocturno tumultu, fecisset.
And now each for himself was calling to arms: that the enemy was in the citadel and the guards were being slain; and the Romans, by no means equal in number, would have been overwhelmed, had not a shout raised by those who were outside the citadel, making it uncertain whence it had arisen, while the nocturnal tumult exaggerated all groundless fears, struck terror into them.
§29.6.14itaque velut plena iam hostium arce territi Poeni omisso certamine in alteram arcem — duae sunt, haud multum inter se distantes — confugiunt.
Therefore, the Carthaginians, terrified as if the citadel were already full of enemies, abandoned the fight and fled to the other citadel — for there are two, not far distant from each other.
§29.6.15oppidani urbem habebant victoribus praemium in medio positam; ex arcibus duabus proeliis cotidie levibus certabatur.
The townspeople held the city, placed in the middle as a prize for the victors; from the two citadels, battles were fought daily with light skirmishes.
§29.6.16Q. Pleminius Romano, Hamilcar Punico praesidio praeerat; arcessentes ex propinquis locis subsidia copias augebant.
Quintus Pleminius commanded the Roman garrison, Hamilcar the Carthaginian; they were increasing their forces by summoning reinforcements from neighboring places.
§29.6.17ipse postremo veniebat Hannibal; nec sustinuissent Romani, nisi Locrensium multitudo, exacerbata superbia atque avaritia Poenorum, ad Romanos inclinasset.
Finally Hannibal himself arrived; and the Romans would not have held out, had not the multitude of the Locrians, exasperated by the pride and avarice of the Carthaginians, inclined to the Romans.