§31.2.1sub idem fere tempus et ab Attalo rege et Rhodiis legati venerunt nuntiantes Asiae quoque civitates sollicitari.
About the same time, envoys came both from King Attalus and from the Rhodians, reporting that the cities of Asia were also being stirred up.
§31.2.2his legationibus responsum est curae eam rem senatui fore; consultatio de Macedonico bello integra ad consules, qui tunc in provinciis erant, reiecta est.
To these embassies, it was answered that that matter would be a care to the senate; the consultation concerning the Macedonian war was referred, untouched, to the consuls, who were then in their provinces.
§31.2.3interim ad Ptolomaeum, Aegypti regem, legati tres missi, C. Claudius Nero, M. Aemilius Lepidus, P. Sempronius Tuditanus, ut nuntiarent victum Hannibalem Poenosque et gratias agerent regi, §31.2.4quod in rebus dubiis, cum finitimi etiam socii Romanos desererent, in fide mansisset, et peterent, ut, si coacti iniuriis bellum adversus Philippum suscepissent, pristinum animum erga populum Romanum conservaret.
Meanwhile, three envoys, Gaius Claudius Nero, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, and Publius Sempronius Tuditanus, were sent to Ptolemy, king of Egypt, to announce that Hannibal and the Carthaginians had been defeated, and to render thanks to the king, because in doubtful circumstances, when even the neighboring allies were deserting the Romans, he had remained faithful, and to request that, if, forced by injuries, they should undertake war against Philip, he would preserve his former goodwill toward the Roman people.
§31.2.5eodem fere tempore P. Aelius consul in Gallia, cum audisset a Boiis ante suum adventum incursiones in agros sociorum factas, §31.2.6duabus legionibus subitariis tumultus eius causa scriptis additisque ad eas quattuor cohortibus de exercitu suo C. Ampium, praefectum socium, hac tumultuaria manu per Umbriam, qua tribum Sapiniam vocant, agrum Boiorum invadere iussit; ipse eodem aperto itinere per montes duxit.
At about the same time, the consul Publius Aelius in Gaul, having heard that before his arrival incursions into the territories of the allies had been made by the Boii, having enrolled two sudden legions on account of this disturbance, and having added to them four cohorts from his own army, ordered Gaius Ampius, the prefect of the allies, to invade the territory of the Boii with this sudden force through Umbria, by the way they call the Sapinian tribe; he himself led his troops along the same open route through the mountains.
§31.2.7Ampius ingressus hostium fines primo populationes satis prospere ac tuto fecit; delecto deinde ad castrum Mutilum satis idoneo loco ad demetenda frumenta — iam enim maturae erant segetes — profectus neque explorato circa nec stationibus satis firmis, §31.2.8quae armatae inermis atque operi intentos tutarentur, positis improviso impetu Gallorum cum frumentatoribus est circumventus.
Ampius, having entered the territory of the enemy, at first carried out devastations successfully and safely enough; then, having chosen a sufficiently suitable place near the fort of Mutilum for reaping the grain—for the crops were now ripe—he set out, having neither reconnoitered the surroundings nor stationed sufficiently strong pickets, which, being armed, might protect those who were unarmed and intent on their work; and so, by a sudden attack of the Gauls, he was surrounded along with the foragers.
inde pavor fugaque etiam armatos cepit.
Thereupon, panic and flight seized even the armed men.
§31.2.9ad septem milia hominum palata per segetes sunt caesa, inter quos ipse C. Ampius praefectus; §31.2.10ceteri in castra metu compulsi.
Up to seven thousand men, scattered through the grain fields, were cut down, among whom was the prefect Gaius Ampius himself; the rest were driven by fear into the camp.
inde sine certo duce consensu militari proxima nocte relicta magna parte rerum suarum ad consulem per saltus prope invios pervenere.
Thence, without any certain leader, by military consensus, they abandoned a large part of their baggage the following night and reached the consul through almost impassable passes.
§31.2.11qui, nisi quod populatus est Boiorum finis et cum Ingaunis Liguribus foedus icit, nihil quod esset memorabile aliud in provincia cum gessisset, Romam rediit.
He, since he had done nothing else memorable in his province, except that he ravaged the territory of the Boii and struck a treaty with the Ingaunian Ligurians, returned to Rome.