§33.17.1Leucade haec sunt decreta.
These things were decreed at Leucas.
id caput Acarnaniae erat, eoque in concilium omnes populi conveniebant.
That was the capital of Acarnania, and all the states used to assemble there for the council.
§33.17.2itaque cum haec repentina mutatio Corcyram ad legatum Flamininum perlata esset, extemplo cum classe profectus Leucadem ad Heraeum, quod vocant, naves adplicuit.
Therefore, when this sudden change of affairs had been reported at Corcyra to the lieutenant Flamininus, having immediately set out with his fleet, he brought his ships to land at Leucas near what they call Heraeum.
§33.17.3inde cum omni genere tormentorum machinarumque, quibus expugnantur urbes ad muros accessit, ad primum terrorem ratus inclinari animos posse.
From there, he approached the walls with every kind of artillery and engines with which cities are stormed, thinking that their minds might be shaken by the first terror.
§33.17.4postquam pacati nihil ostendebatur, tum vineas turresque erigere et arietem admovere muris coepit.
After nothing of a peaceful nature was shown, he then began to erect penthouses and towers and to bring the battering ram up to the walls.
§33.17.5Acarnania universa inter Aetoliam atque Epirum posita solem occidentem et mare Siculum spectat.
The whole of Acarnania, situated between Aetolia and Epirus, faces the setting sun and the Sicilian Sea.
§33.17.6Leucadia nunc insula est, vadoso freto, quod perfossum manu est, ab Acarnania divisa; tum paeninsula erat, occidentis regione artis faucibus cohaerens Acarnaniae; §33.17.7quingentos ferme passus longae eae fauces erant, latae haud amplius centum et viginti.
Leucadia is now an island, divided from Acarnania by a shallow strait which was excavated by hand; at that time it was a peninsula, connected to Acarnania in the western region by a narrow neck of land; that neck of land was about five hundred paces long, and not more than one hundred and twenty wide.
in iis angustiis Leucas posita est, colli adplicata verso in orientem et Acarnaniam; §33.17.8ima urbis plana sunt, iacentia ad mare, quo Leucadia ab Acarnania dividitur.
In these narrows Leucas was situated, applied to a hill facing the east and Acarnania; the lowest parts of the city are flat, lying along the sea by which Leucadia is divided from Acarnania.
inde terra marique expugnabilis est; nam et vada sunt stagno similiora quam mari, et campus terrenus omnis operique facilis.
From there, it is open to assault by land and sea; for both the shallows are more like a pool than a sea, and the plain is entirely earthy and easy for work.
§33.17.9itaque multis simul locis aut subruti aut ariete decussi ruebant muri.
Therefore, in many places at the same time, the walls, either undermined or beaten down by the ram, were falling.
sed quam urbs ipsa opportuna oppugnantibus erat, tam inexpugnabiles hostium animi.
But as accessible as the city itself was to the attackers, so invincible were the spirits of the enemy.
§33.17.10die ac nocte intenti reficere quassata muri, obstruere, quae patefacta ruinis erant, proelia inpigre inire et armis magis muros quam se ipsos moenibus tutari; §33.17.11diutiusque spe Romanorum obsidionem eam extraxissent, ni exules quidam Italici generis Leucade habitantes ab arce milites accepissent.
Intent day and night, they repaired the shattered parts of the wall, blocked up what had been opened by the ruins, vigorously entered into battles, and protected the walls with weapons rather than protecting themselves with the fortifications; and they would have prolonged that siege beyond the expectation of the Romans, had not certain exiles of Italian race, living in Leucas, admitted the soldiers from the citadel.
§33.17.12eos tamen ex superiore loco magno cum tumultu decurrentes acie in foro instructa iusto proelio aliquamdiu Leucadii sustinuerunt.
Nevertheless, when they ran down from the higher ground with great tumult, the Leucadians, with their line drawn up in the forum, withstood them for some time in a regular battle.
§33.17.13interim et scalis capta multis locis moenia, et per stragem lapidum ac ruinas transcensum in urbem; §33.17.14iamque ipse legatus magno agmine circumvenerat pugnantes.
Meanwhile, the fortifications were captured in many places by scaling ladders, and passage was made into the city over the heap of stones and ruins; and now the lieutenant himself with a large force had surrounded those who were fighting.
tum pars in medio caesi pars armis abiectis dediderunt sese victori.
Then some were slain in the midst, others threw down their arms and surrendered themselves to the victor.
§33.17.15et post dies paucos audito proelio, quo ad Cynoscephalas pugnatum erat, omnes Acarnaniae populi in dicionem legati venerunt.
And a few days later, having heard of the battle which had been fought at Cynoscephalae, all the states of Acarnania came into the power of the lieutenant.