§31.21.1iam exercitus consularis ab Arretio Ariminum transductus erat et quinque milia socium Latini nominis ex Gallia in Etruriam transierant.
Already the consular army had been led across from Arretium to Ariminum, and five thousand allies of the Latin name had crossed from Gaul into Etruria.
§31.21.2itaque L. Furius, magnis itineribus ab Arimino adversus Gallos Cremonam etiam tum obsidentes profectus, castra mille quingentorum passuum intervallo ab hoste posuit.
Therefore Lucius Furius, having set out by forced marches from Ariminum against the Gauls who were even then besieging Cremona, pitched his camp at a distance of fifteen hundred paces from the enemy.
§31.21.3occasio egregie rei gerendae fuit, si protinus de via ad castra oppugnanda duxisset; §31.21.4palati passim vagabantur per agros nullo satis firmo relicto praesidio.
There would have been an excellent opportunity of achieving a great success if he had immediately led his forces from the march to assault the camp; for the enemy were wandering scattered here and there through the fields, leaving no sufficiently strong garrison.
lassitudini militum timuit, quod raptim ductum agmen erat.
But he feared for the fatigue of the soldiers, because the column had been marched rapidly.
§31.21.5Galli clamore suorum ex agris revocati omissa praeda, quae in manibus erat, castra repetivere.
The Gauls, recalled from the fields by the shouting of their comrades, abandoned the booty they had in hand and returned to their camp.
postero die in aciem progressi; §31.21.6nec Romanus moram pugnandi fecit.
On the following day they marched out into battle array; nor did the Roman make any delay in fighting.
sed vix spatium instruendi fuit; §31.21.7eo cursu hostes in proelium venerunt.
But there was scarcely time to draw up the line; with such speed did the enemy come into battle.
dextra ala — in alas divisum socialem exercitum habebat — in prima acie locata est, in subsidiis duae Romanae legiones.
The right wing—for he kept the allied army divided into wings—was stationed in the front line, with the two Roman legions in reserve.
§31.21.8M. Furius dextrae alae, legionibus M. Caecilius, equitibus L. Valerius Flaccus — legati omnes erant — praepositi.
Marcus Furius was placed in command of the right wing, Marcus Caecilius of the legions, and Lucius Valerius Flaccus of the cavalry—all of whom were legates.
praetor secum duos legatos, §31.21.9C. Laetorium et P. Titinium, habebat, cum quibus circumspicere et obire ad omnis hostium subitos conatus posset.
The praetor kept with himself two legates, Gaius Laetorius and Publius Titinius, with whom he might look around and go to meet any sudden attempts of the enemy.
§31.21.10primo Galli omni multitudine in unum locum conixi obruere atque obterere sese dextram alam, quae prima erat, sperarunt posse.
At first, the Gauls, having exerted themselves with their entire multitude in one place, hoped that they would be able to overwhelm and crush the right wing, which was in the front line.
§31.21.11ubi id parum procedebat, circuire a cornibus et amplecti hostium aciem, quod multitudine adversus paucos facile videbatur, conati sunt.
When this succeeded but little, they attempted to go around from the flanks and envelop the enemy's line, which seemed easy due to their multitude against a few.
§31.21.12id ubi vidit praetor, ut et ipse dilataret aciem, duas legiones ex subsidiis dextra laevaque alae, quae in prima acie pugnabat, circumdat aedemque Diiovi vovit, si eo die hostis fudisset.
When the praetor saw this, in order that he too might extend his line, he placed the two legions from the reserve on the right and left of the wing that was fighting in the front line, and vowed a temple to Diiovis if he should rout the enemy on that day.
§31.21.13L. Valerio imperat, ut parte una duarum legionum equites, altera sociorum equitatum in cornua hostium emittat nec circuire eos aciem patiatur; §31.21.14simul et ipse, ut extenuatam mediam diductis cornibus aciem Gallorum vidit, signa inferre confertos milites et perrumpere ordines iubet.
He ordered Lucius Valerius to send the cavalry of the two legions on one flank, and the allied cavalry on the other, against the wings of the enemy, and not to allow them to surround the line; at the same time, as soon as he saw the center of the Gauls' line thinned by the extension of their wings, he ordered his soldiers to advance in close order and break through the ranks.
§31.21.15et cornua ab equitibus et medii a pedite pulsi.
Both the wings were repulsed by the cavalry, and the center by the infantry.
ac repente, cum in omni parte caede ingenti sternerentur, Galli terga verterunt fugaque effusa repetunt castra.
And suddenly, when they were being laid low with huge slaughter on every side, the Gauls turned their backs and in headlong flight sought their camp again.
§31.21.16fugientes persecutus eques; mox et legiones insecutae in castra impetum fecerunt.
The cavalry pursued the fugitives; soon the legions also followed and made an assault upon the camp.
§31.21.17minus sex milia hominum inde effugerunt; caesa aut capta supra quinque et triginta milia cum signis militaribus septuaginta, carpentis Gallicis multa praeda oneratis plus ducentis.
Fewer than six thousand men escaped from there; more than thirty-five thousand were slain or captured, along with seventy military standards, and more than two hundred Gallic wagons loaded with much booty.
§31.21.18Hamilcar, dux Poenus, eo proelio cecidit et tres imperatores nobiles Gallorum.
Hamilcar, the Carthaginian general, fell in that battle, as well as three noble commanders of the Gauls.
Placentini captivi, ad duo milia liberorum capitum, redditi colonis.
The captives from Placentia, to the number of about two thousand free persons, were restored to the colonists.