§34.47.1iam hi extra vallum pugnabant quarta legione in porta haerente, cum alius tumultus ex aversa parte castrorum est exortus. §34.47.2in portam quaestoriam irruperant Galli resistentisque pertinacius occiderant L. Postumium quaestorem, cui Tympano fuit cognomen, et M. Atinium et P. Sempronium, praefectos socium, et ducentos ferme milites. §34.47.3capta ab ea parte castra erant, donec cohors extraordinaria, missa a consule ad tuendam quaestoriam portam, et eos, qui intra vallum erant, partim occidit, partim expulit castris et irrumpentibus obstitit. §34.47.4eodem fere tempore et quarta legio cum duabus extraordinariis cohortibus porta erupit.
Already these men were fighting outside the rampart while the fourth legion was stuck in the gate, when another tumult arose from the opposite side of the camp. The Gauls had burst into the quaestorian gate and, having slain those who resisted quite stubbornly, had killed the quaestor Lucius Postumius, whose surname was Tympanus, and Marcus Atinius and Publius Sempronius, prefects of the allies, and about two hundred soldiers. The camp had been captured on that side, until the extraordinary cohort, sent by the consul to protect the quaestorian gate, partly killed and partly drove out of the camp those who were inside the rampart, and withstood those who were bursting in. At about the same time, the fourth legion also, with two extraordinary cohorts, burst out from the gate.
ita simul tria proelia circa castra locis distantibus erant, clamoresque dissoni ad incertos suorum eventus a praesenti certamine animos pugnantium avertebant. §34.47.5usque ad meridiem aequis viribus ac prope pari spe pugnatum est.
Thus there were simultaneously three battles around the camp in different places, and the discordant shouts diverted the minds of those fighting from the immediate conflict towards the uncertain fortunes of their own men. Until noon the battle was fought with equal strength and almost equal hope.
labor et aestus mollia et fluida corpora Gallorum et minime patientia sitis cum decedere pugna coegisset, in paucos restantis impetum Romani fecerunt fusosque compulerunt in castra. §34.47.6signum inde receptui ab consule datum est; ad quod pars maior receperunt sese, pars certaminis studio et spe potiundi castris hostium perstitit ad vallum. §34.47.7eorum paucitate contempta Galli universi ex castris eruperunt; fusi inde Romani, quae imperio consulis noluerant, suo pavore ac terrore castra repetunt.
When toil and heat had forced the soft and flabby bodies of the Gauls, which were least able to endure thirst, to withdraw from the battle, the Romans made a charge upon the few who remained, and having routed them, drove them into their camp. Then the signal for retreat was given by the consul; at this, the greater part withdrew, but a part, from eagerness for the fight and hope of gaining possession of the enemy's camp, persisted at the rampart. Despising their small number, all the Gauls burst out from their camp; the Romans, routed thereupon, sought their own camp in fear and terror, doing out of their own panic what they had been unwilling to do at the command of the consul.
ita varia hinc atque illinc nunc fuga, nunc victoria fuit; §34.47.8Gallorum tamen ad undecim milia, Romanorum quinque milia sunt occisa.
Thus, on this side and on that, now flight, now victory was shifting; Nevertheless, about eleven thousand of the Gauls and five thousand of the Romans were slain.
Galli recepere in intima finium sese; consul Placentiam legiones duxit.
The Gauls withdrew into the innermost parts of their territory; the consul led his legions to Placentia.