§30.18.1eadem aestate, qua haec decreta Romae et in Africa gesta sunt, P. Quinctilius Varus praetor et M. Cornelius proconsul in agro Insubrum Gallorum cum Magone Poeno signis conlatis pugnarunt.
In the same summer in which these decrees were passed at Rome and actions were performed in Africa, the praetor Publius Quinctilius Varus and the proconsul Marcus Cornelius fought a pitched battle in the territory of the Insubrian Gauls with Mago the Carthaginian.
praetoris legiones in prima acie fuerunt; §30.18.2Cornelius suas in subsidiis tenuit, ipse ad prima signa equo advectus; proque duobus cornibus praetor ac proconsul milites ad inferenda in hostes signa summa vi hortabantur.
The legions of the praetor were in the front line; Cornelius kept his own in reserve, himself riding up to the front standards; and in front of the two wings, the praetor and the proconsul exhorted the soldiers with all their might to advance the standards against the enemy.
§30.18.3postquam nihil commovebant, tum Quinctilius Cornelio: “lentior, ut vides, fit pugna, et induratur praeter spem resistendo hostium timor, ac, ne vertat in audaciam, periculum est.
When they made no impression, Quinctilius then said to Cornelius: “The battle, as you see, is becoming sluggish, and the fear of the enemy is hardening beyond expectation by their resisting, and there is a danger lest it turn into boldness.
§30.18.4equestrem procellam excitemus oportet, si turbare ac statu movere volumus.
We must raise a cavalry storm, if we wish to throw them into confusion and move them from their position.
itaque vel tu ad prima signa proelium sustine, ego inducam in pugnam equites; vel ego hic in prima acie rem geram, tu quattuor legionum equites in hostem emitte. ” §30.18.5utram vellet praetor muneris partem proconsule accipiente, Quinctilius praetor cum filio, cui Marco praenomen erat, inpigro iuvene ad equites pergit iussosque escendere in equos repente in hostem emittit.
Therefore, either do you support the battle at the front standards, and I will introduce the cavalry into the fight; or I will conduct the business here in the front line, and you send the cavalry of the four legions against the enemy.” The proconsul accepting whichever part of the duty the praetor wished, the praetor Quinctilius, with his son, an active youth whose praenomen was Marcus, proceeded to the cavalry, and having ordered them to mount their horses, suddenly launched them against the enemy.
§30.18.6tumultum equestrem auxit clamor ab legionibus additus.
The cavalry confusion was increased by the shout added from the legions.
nec stetisset hostium acies, ni Mago ad primum equitum motum paratos elephantos extemplo in proelium induxisset.
Nor would the enemy's line have stood, if Mago, at the first movement of the cavalry, had not immediately led the elephants, which had been kept ready, into the battle.
§30.18.7ad quorum stridorem odoremque et aspectum territi equi vanum equestre auxilium fecerunt.
Frightened by their trumpeting, smell, and sight, the horses rendered the cavalry assistance useless.
et ut turbae permixtus, ubi cuspide uti et comminus gladio posset, roboris maioris Romanus eques erat, ita in ablatum paventibus procul equis melius ex intervallo Numidae iaculabantur.
And while the Roman cavalryman was of greater strength when mixed in the crowd, where he could use his spear and his sword at close quarters, yet with the horses fleeing far away in panic, the Numidians threw their javelins better from a distance.
§30.18.8simul et peditum legio duodecima, magna ex parte caesa, pudore magis quam viribus tenebat locum; §30.18.9nec diutius tenuisset, ni ex subsidiis tertia decuma legio in primam aciem inducta proelium dubium excepisset.
At the same time, the twelfth legion of infantry also, cut down in large part, held its place more from shame than from strength; nor would it have held it longer, if the thirteenth legion, led from the reserves into the front line, had not taken up the doubtful battle.
Mago quoque ex subsidiis Gallos integrae legioni opposuit.
Mago also opposed the Gauls from his reserves to the fresh legion.
§30.18.10quibus haud magno certamine fusis hastati legionis undecimae conglobant sese atque elephantos iam etiam peditum aciem turbantes invadunt.
When these were routed with no great struggle, the hastati of the eleventh legion massed themselves and attacked the elephants, which were now also throwing the infantry line into confusion.
§30.18.11in quos cum pila confertos coniecissent, nullo ferme frustra emisso omnes retro in aciem suorum averterunt; quattuor gravati vulneribus conruerunt.
When they had hurled their javelins into them as they were crowded together, with almost none thrown in vain, they turned them all back into the line of their own men; four, weighed down by their wounds, fell.
§30.18.12tum primum commota hostium acies, simul omnibus equitibus, ut aversos videre elephantos, ad augendum pavorem ac tumultum effusis. sed donec stetit ante signa Mago, gradum sensim referentes ordines et tenorem pugnae servabant;
Then for the first time the enemy's line was shaken, all the cavalry having charged at the same time to increase the panic and confusion as soon as they saw the elephants turned away.
§30.18.13postquam femine transfixo cadentem auferrique proelio prope exsanguem videre, extemplo in fugam omnes versi.
But as long as Mago stood before the standards, the ranks, gradually retreating, kept their steps and the course of the battle; after they saw him fall, transfixed through the thigh, and carried away from the battle almost lifeless, immediately all turned to flight.
ad quinque milia hostium eo die caesa et signa militaria duo et viginti capta.
Up to five thousand of the enemy were slain on that day, and twenty-two military standards were captured.
§30.18.14nec Romanis incruenta victoria fuit: duo milia et trecenti de exercitu praetoris, pars multo maxima ex legione duodecima amissi; §30.18.15inde et tribuni militum duo, M. Cosconius et M. Maevius; tertiae decimae quoque legionis, quae postremo proelio adfuerat, C. Helvius tribunus militum in restituenda pugna cecidit, et duo et viginti ferme inlustres equites obtriti ab elephantis cum centurionibus aliquot perierunt.
Nor was the victory bloodless for the Romans: two thousand three hundred of the praetor's army were lost, by far the greatest part from the twelfth legion; among them also two military tribunes, Marcus Cosconius and Marcus Maevius; of the thirteenth legion also, which had been present in the latter part of the battle, Gaius Helvius, a military tribune, fell while restoring the fight, and about twenty-two illustrious cavalrymen, trampled by the elephants, perished with several centurions.
et longius certamen fuisset, ni vulnere ducis concessa victoria esset.
And the struggle would have been longer, if the victory had not been conceded by the wound of the general.